Episodes

  • How Trusting Your Inner Wisdom and Power Helps Your Writing with Tatyana Gosh (Ep215)

    How Trusting Your Inner Wisdom and Power Helps Your Writing with Tatyana Gosh (Ep215)
    Jun 25 2026
    (Main Topic): Tatyana Gosh is a holistic life and business coach, empowerment mentor, and yoga practitioner born in Bulgaria and based globally. She focuses on helping women overcome personal limitations, heal from trauma, and align their lives through conscious entrepreneurship, relationships, and spirituality. Notes: Our work is similar. Yours is based on empowering women to understand and trust themselves, connect with their soul journey and reject the conditioning of seeking advice from outward authorities, but instead trusting and honoring their intuition and connecting with their inner divinity. And my work, it's become clear to me, is to teach people (writers) how to FIND that inner authority (soul), how to HEAR our SoulSpeak, and marry the ego and the soul so they dance together, and then write from THAT place, our words more vibrant, alive, and honest. So the reader can see themselves represented on the page. Witnessed. The ultimate connection. 1. Tell us how you got started in this work and why it's meaningful to you. Important to guide person if we've made it through. More educated the better. Constantly striving for promotion. Break up, discovered spiritual side after heartbreak and through yoga. Quit corporate. Eat, Pray, Love for ten years. Studying too much. Makes less confident! But wait. I'm already confident. Self-love. Full presence! Before guiding, self-hypnosis and "prayer" intention. Take time for ourselves. 2. Daily IG Lives for a trust exercise. Channel in the moment (learning how), wasn't able to hold the floor before and now my throat opened. "Impressing" and the channel will close. Performing to impress. Be honest in front of the audience. 30-day challenge. What's coming through in the moment. Pitching is "convincing" but from connection place. Pitching is performing. Connection is planting a seed. 3. What do you think about re-parenting and nurturing the inner child that was hurt and started pulling back from sight? Does it work? How do you go about doing that? Used to see value in it when relying on therapy, now it's about what unlock the power now. Stop carrying the stories and looking bad. Look forward now. Power is in the now, in action. Reject the story that is old instead of holding the little girl, poor me. We are so powerful, we don't have time to be a victim. Sway your dragon tail. Surround with people you are equal with. Humans, not companions. We are all here to learn. 4. I'm still on this journey and find that I need daily reminders of my personal power and magic and that it's safe to seek my inner wisdom. What tips do you have for a person to remind themselves lovingly and often what a divine badass goddess (god) we are? It's a practice. It becomes more simple. The mental process is a struggle. Feminine led business about honest, vulnerable, channel. FOMO is strong. Selling the "framework" for performance. Remember: this isn't authentic for you. Being in nature, solo walks, be in the room with our same Truth-seeking. Our bodies are attuned to truth. Train your inner knowing every day. Daily listening. Trust. Jacqueline shaw stop listening to social media if you want to write your own message. Just practice. And block the people that you'd feel "cringe" if you don't want to be fully seen. The work is to share and connect, in whatever medium. Discover our top three values in life. Connection, truth, growth. The content we create, and our decisions in life even are based on our values. Jumping off spot. Emotional energy "should" be free, but Intellectual energy can charge. Give people their power. Coaching 1:1, next month will launch group Empowerment Circle 4 months to start ($166/mo), Iamfireheart.com activate fiery courage. If people can't see my magic, our throat is closes, energetic protection. Mission is And don't forget: Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you. Find Us: Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor Tools: ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)
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    59 mins
  • Writing a Bridge Between the Physical and Spiritual Worlds with Rondalyn Whitney (Ep214)

    Writing a Bridge Between the Physical and Spiritual Worlds with Rondalyn Whitney (Ep214)
    Jun 15 2026
    Main Topic: Writing a Bridge Between the Physical and Spiritual Worlds with guest Rondalyn Whitney Rondalyn Whitney is a writer and mental health occupational therapist whose work thrives at the intersection of storytelling and real-life healing. After losing her husband in an automobile accident and becoming a solo parent, Rondalyn has made it her mission to show that mourning is an occupation just as vital as any job or role. She brings that same realness to her writing, exploring how narrative and journal writing can help others process grief, especially widows struggling to find meaning and resilience. With her background in narrative medicine, mental health, and family-centered care, Rondalyn translates complex ideas into human language, guiding others to see how writing can transform pain into growth. She would bring not only expertise but genuine heart to your audience, sharing personal experience and practical ideas that resonate with writers facing life's hardest moments. PATREON: Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it. Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. And you can support my friend and colleague and Visiting Co-Host author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. Announcements/Author Updates: designing my next writing retreat in Costa Rica. My first international retreat (even though I live here) so there are a lot more moving pieces than I first imagined. Taking a four-month course to get me through all the legalities and best practices. If you are interested in the updates on the retreat, you can go to valerieihsan.com/retreat.request to bring back a regular patron gathering for all members (paid and unpaid) Mini writing retreat (cozy, candle; oracle card pull to set intention; check-in: 1 struggle, 1 win, what you are working on tonight; guided meditation; writing words; share word count (optional)); PLEASE send me a DM or a comment where you heard this podcast, or in the Patreon community. Let me know if this is something you crave. It's not just shared writing space. It's a retreat from regular life (dishes, dogs, kids, day job) and a safe and sacred space to connect and to write.husband's birthday yesterdaysaying goodbye to Radar Saturdayemail day isn't working for me -- need to go through it every daylots of input/education, trying to fit in homework around client workWhat are you reading? Just finished: Creative Act (Rick Rubin) Mosswood Apothecary (JP Rindfleisch IX)The Reliable Narrator (Grace Sammon) (Main Topic): Rondalyn Whitney is a writer and mental health occupational therapist whose work thrives at the intersection of storytelling and real-life healing. After losing her husband in an automobile accident and becoming a solo parent, Rondalyn has made it her mission to show that mourning is an occupation just as vital as any job or role. She brings that same realness to her writing, exploring how narrative and journal writing can help others process grief, especially widows struggling to find meaning and resilience. With her background in narrative medicine, mental health, and family-centered care, Rondalyn translates complex ideas into human language, guiding others to see how writing can transform pain into growth. As a Narrative Medicine Practitioner, she takes pride in using her expertise on Stress Reduction through Journal Writing to bridge the gap between the physical and spiritual parts of people's lives, including her own. Her writings explore multi-faceted and complex topics such as grief, loss, motherhood, and the spiritual world with depth and humor. Notes: handwriting connects a loop in the brain. Journal writing James Pennybaker's work said emotional laden words on the page, healing response, increasing immune system; creates wonderful outcome. (Manifesting, RAS.) Reduce sense of fear, anxiety, loss (stress) creates an opening to what is present.first create nothing (sitting with emptiness and finding comfort with that)afraid of emptinessdev with emptiness in a story. W/o understanding it. Or that you"know the answer" before you even talk to the patient/client/characterAsk our character's what's up?What's going on today? (Author)intersubjectivity (artist, art, third piece of the puzzle) (author, character, story)What's happening in that triangle?Take a nap while you write the ...
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Growing Your Writing Community (Ep213)

    Growing Your Writing Community (Ep213)
    Jun 3 2026
    PATREON: Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it. Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. And you can support my friend and colleague and Visiting Co-Host author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. Announcements/Author Updates: designing my next writing retreat in Costa Rica. My first international retreat (even though I live here) so there are a lot more moving pieces than I first imagined. Taking a four-month course to get me through all the legalities and best practices. If you are interested in the updates on the retreat, you can go to valerieihsan.com/retreat.request to bring back a regular patron gathering for all members (paid and unpaid) Mini writing retreat (cozy, candle; oracle card pull to set intention; check-in: 1 struggle, 1 win, what you are working on tonight; guided meditation; writing words; share word count (optional)); PLEASE send me a DM or a comment where you heard this podcast, or in the Patreon community. Let me know if this is something you crave. It's not just shared writing space. It's a retreat from regular life (dishes, dogs, kids, day job) and a safe and sacred space to connect and to write.talking with the architect, nailing down our must-haves, and waiting to approve the latest layout design, then there will be an initial payment and we'll then get a 3D rendering of the house.half to drive north to sign a document (complications with names and lawyers) What are you reading? Just finished: Soul Sourced Entrepreneur (Christine Kane) and Rain Delay (Erick Mertz - beta read)Creative Act (Rick Rubin) Mosswood Apothecary (JP Rindfleisch IX)The Reliable Narrator (Grace Sammon) (Main Topic): Notes: Google Search and ChatGPT search for English-speaking writing groups, critique groups, organizations, retreats, workshops, and conferences.CR colleagues in the writing world, ask them how they stay connected and keep writingask my personal community/neighbors if there are any writerscheck online to find a good fit (perhaps ones already peripherally a part of), and re-engageaccountability buddy (check-in via text/email, meet in person, chat through video calls, write together via video call)paid accountability (Rachael Herron's Write With Me), (micro-writing retreats for my patrons), book coachingonline conferences, online summits, online masterclasses and workshopswriting organizations often have online components.in this globalized world we live in now, we are never alone. And don't forget: Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you. Find Us: Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor
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    23 mins
  • Truth-Telling in Fiction and Memoir with Grace Sammon (Ep212)

    Truth-Telling in Fiction and Memoir with Grace Sammon (Ep212)
    May 28 2026
    Main Topic: Truth-Telling in Fiction and Memoir with Grace Sammon But our conversation spans The Difference Between Telling Your Truth and Owning Your Truth; The Ghostwriter as a Literary Device; and Why Fiction Holds What Memoir Sometimes Can't; Who Owns the Truth and what Silence costs us; invisibility, and relevance. (Really interesting conversation.) PATREON: Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it. Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. And you can support my friend and colleague and Visiting Co-Host author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. Announcements/Author Updates: designing my next writing retreat in Costa Rica. My first international retreat (even though I live here) so there are a lot more moving pieces than I first imagined. Taking a four-month course to get me through all the legalities and best practices. If you are interested in the updates on the retreat, you can go to valerieihsan.com/retreat.request to bring back a regular patron gathering for all members (paid and unpaid) Mini writing retreat (cozy, candle; oracle card pull to set intention; check-in: 1 struggle, 1 win, what you are working on tonight; guided meditation; writing words; share word count (optional)); PLEASE send me a DM or a comment where you heard this podcast, or in the Patreon community. Let me know if this is something you crave. It's not just shared writing space. It's a retreat from regular life (dishes, dogs, kids, day job) and a safe and sacred space to connect and to write.talking with the architect, nailing down our must-haveshalf to drive north to sign a document (complications with names and lawyers) What are you reading? Just finished: Soul Sourced Entrepreneur (Christine Kane)Mosswood Apothecary (JP Rindfleisch IX)The Reliable Narrator (Grace Sammon) Back-burner Books: (Still on the stack but haven't finished reading them yet...) Creative Act (Rick Rubin) Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman; (Main Topic): Notes: 1. As a novelist, a memoirist, and an author looking into offering ghostwriting services, I was super intrigued by many of your talking points in your media kit. I hope we get to talk about all my favorites. Let's start with Why Fiction Holds What Memoir Sometimes Can't. That's a juicy statement! A place for both; memoir is huge right now; tell our story to ourselves first, and then to others next. Hear a story better as fiction sometimes. Why you are writing the book? 2. I'm a sucker for books about authors, and the last novel that had that hook was also about a ghostwriter, what can you say about using the ghostwriter as a literary device? Fascinated by the job and wanted to dive into that; For instance, what is it like to see your book hit the NYT Bestseller List without your name on it? We see her through the stories she's writing. 3. Difference Between Telling the Truth and Owning Your Truth. Experienced childhood abuse, can you hide behind your own story, what are these effects on me, Invisibility starts when you lose your roles and don't have anything to talk about it. Relevance, meaning, purpose. 4. Who Owns the Truth? And What does silence cost us as women and as authors? (GoShiftKey.com, Joelle) And don't forget: Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you. Find Us: Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor Tools: ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)
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    46 mins
  • Visibility for Your Book and Your Brand with Kae Wagner (Ep211)

    Visibility for Your Book and Your Brand with Kae Wagner (Ep211)
    May 9 2026
    PATREON: Thanks so much to new patron Faye Whyte. Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it. Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. And you can support my friend and colleague and Visiting Co-Host author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. Announcements/Author Updates: hole in my roof (Feng shui story)seen the dentistSunday Summit (weekly reflection from Soul-Sourced Entrepreneur)request to bring back a regular patron gathering for all members (paid and unpaid) Mini writing retreat (cozy, candle; oracle card pull to set intention; check-in: 1 struggle, 1 win, what you are working on tonight; guided meditation; writing words; share word count (optional)); PLEASE send me a DM or a comment where you heard this podcast, or in the Patreon community. Let me know if this is something you crave. It's not just shared writing space. It's a retreat from regular life (dishes, dogs, kids, day job) and a safe and sacred space to connect and to write.met with an architectWhat are you reading? Just finished: Smoke Screen (J.L. Kwak)Soul Sourced Entrepreneur (Christine Kane) Back-burner Books: (Still on the stack but haven't finished reading them yet...) Wild Dark Shore (Charlotte McConaghy)We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Make Something (Amie McNee) (resource tip)***Creative Act (Rick Rubin) Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman; (Main Topic): Notes: What top two tips for new authors (clear on vision: why now, why you; make commitment so you don't stop when it's hard) (what is your voice? Physicality of voice, talk all the time, style/tone, brand personality)(go forth with a plan, use Amazon, use AI for marketing copy, learn what works best for your genre and your lane, then add more)(do it with intention) For authors with an old back list: (branding) look at covers and the book, major trends change every 5 or 6 years, change the covers unless doing well, check manuscript for relevancy (check your reviews: rush the ending? Took too long to get started), make minor changes. with a cold email list? (Manage: consistency and congruency. Write more books.) Learn the rules of email, tell stories in email, make offers (book is a product, series, themed package (events, retreats, talks, coaching, products, merchandise -- what can I create? Experiences, clothing, conferences.) Promotion skills: mindset needs to be BOLD; carry books with you, leave them in airports, talk about your books all the time, get help for marketing plan Build marketing into the book: 1. Have a layer of marketing understanding. Write as series, or a themed standalone. 2. Know and understand the genre and what the market expects from the genre, knowing where your story fits on the bookshelf. Visibility: creative and production energy. Creative spirit is regenerative at the cellular level. Live longer. Moving into production energy, don't be careless, but care less. How to move into production energy: marketing plan/to do (spinning wheels and squirrel), patience, show up, stand up (Sorry I'm late, I didn't want to be here by Jessica Pan), be distinctive (find your uniqueness is and plan on that) part of your brand (tagline, footer, tell the story in speech, work it in appropriately) What about those writers that don't want to write to market, writing first then market afterwards Fiction: idea/story --> How do I monetize? Series marketing: amazon loves a series, book 1 watch, if does well, when book 2 comes out, amazon algorithm helps you. Promo Hour, Monday, 4-5 p.m. ET boldauthorsnetwork.com zoom link via email. Fill out a form once. Strong community. Books by Kae Wagner: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/22232801.Kae_Wagner Brewing Love (Building Dreams series), only on Amazon And don't forget: Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you. Find Us: Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor
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    1 hr
  • Developing a Book Coaching Program to Fund Your Author Life with Jessie Kwak (Ep210)

    Developing a Book Coaching Program to Fund Your Author Life with Jessie Kwak (Ep210)
    Apr 29 2026

    In this conversation, we talk about:

    • developing a book coaching program
    • membership sites
    • ghostwriting vs writing for self
    • marketing in 90 day increments
    • PATREON:

    Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. I've just revamped my Patreon Page. I'm so so so pleased with it and proud of my work in simplifying it. Too many pay walls and exclusions. Now it is fresh and easy. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it.

    Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. And you can support my friend and colleague and Resident Ghostwriter and Friend of the Podcast author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. He's a really great writer.

    Announcements/Author Updates:

    • finally have a mailing address, had our second dinner guest to wild success, our lot was burned today (need to move the trailer back), in conferences all this week, Signed up for Relaxed Money (Solstice story)
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    44 mins
  • There's No Brain Hack for This?! with Erick Mertz (Ep209)

    There's No Brain Hack for This?! with Erick Mertz (Ep209)
    Apr 21 2026
    • PATREON:
    • Thanks to new patron Heidi Walker!

    Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. I've just revamped my Patreon Page. I'm so so so pleased with it and proud of my work in simplifying it. Too many pay walls and exclusions. Now it is fresh and easy. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it.

    Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. And you can support my friend and colleague and Resident Ghostwriter and Friend of the Podcast author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. He's a really great writer.

    Announcements/Author Updates:

    • finally have a mailing address, had our second dinner guest to wild success, our lot was burned today (need to move the trailer back), in conferences all this week, Signed up for Relaxed Money (Solstice story)
    • What are you reading?
    • Just finished: Smoke Screen (J.L. Kwak)
    • Soul Sourced Entrepreneur (Christine Kane)
    • The Haunting of Payne's Hollow (Erick)

    Back-burner Books: (Still on the stack but haven't finished reading them yet...)

    • Wild Dark Shore (Charlotte McConaghy)
    • We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Make Something (Amie McNee) (resource tip)***
    • Creative Act (Rick Rubin)
    • Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman;

    (Main Topic): Notes:

    Writing is an escape.

    And is a place where we can somewhat control the events around us.

    Writing nonfiction is a little harder to write when you are seeking escape from your worldly challenges.

    And don't forget:

    Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you.
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    27 mins
  • Infusing Self into a Resurrected "Trunk" Book with guest Jessie Kwak (Ep208)

    Infusing Self into a Resurrected "Trunk" Book with guest Jessie Kwak (Ep208)
    Apr 9 2026

    Hello Writers!

    I'm Valerie Ihsan, and this is Episode 208 of the podcast and it's April 8, 2026 as I record this.

    Main Topic: Infusing Self into Your Work When You Come Back to the Page (with Jessie Kwak)

    (Part of the series on "Starting Over Again, or Coming Back to Yourself and Your Writing")

    Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. And you can support my friend and colleague and Resident Ghostwriter and Friend of the Podcast author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. He's a really great writer.

    Announcements/Author Updates:

    • doctors appointments, vet appts, try again for Starlink in another month
    • What are you reading?
    • Just finished: Smoke Screen (J.L. Kwak)
    • Soul Sourced Entrepreneur (Christine Kane)
    • March Sisters : On Life, Death, and Little Women by Kate Bolick, Jenny Zhang, Carmen Maria Machado, and Jane Smiley

    The Haunting of Payne's Hollow (Erick)

    Back-burner Books: (Still on the stack but haven't finished reading them yet...)

    • Wild Dark Shore (Charlotte McConaghy)
    • We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Make Something (Amie McNee) (resource tip)***
    • Creative Act (Rick Rubin)
    • Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman;

    (Main Topic): Notes:

    And don't forget:

    Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you.
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    37 mins