Unabridged: Meet The Stacks Team
Ever wondered who else brings The Stacks to life? Well, lucky for you, you’re about to meet them. For the first time ever, I bring you behind the scenes to introduce you to the team that helps make this podcast happen. Join me as I chat with Sahara Clement, Cherie Marquez, and Christian Dueñas about who they are, what they do, the biggest surprises and hardest parts of their jobs, and the things I do that annoy them. This podcast wouldn’t be what it is without their hard work, and you can support that by joining The Stacks Pack on Patreon and subscribing to our Substack.
*This episode is exclusive to members of The Stacks Pack on Patreon and our Substack subscribers. To join a community, get inside access to the show, and listen now, click the links below.
TRANSCRIPT
Traci Thomas 0:00
Hey everybody, it's me, Traci, host of The Stacks. I am here with another episode of The Stacks Unabridged, which is our bonus exclusive podcast episode for members of The Stacks Pack on Patreon and subscribers to Unstacked my newsletter on substack. Today's episode, I am so excited about we have never done this, but I've always wanted to, which is, I am talking to the three people who make up the team here at the stacks who are not named Traci Thomas, so that is my incredible assistant, Sahara Clement, my jack of all trades, and you'll hear us talk about why we don't have a name for her, Cherie Marquez and my beloved and also, oftentimes disgruntled editor, Christian Duenas, I get to talk to each of them and ask them about what they do here at the podcast our relationship and also the books that they love. Of course, this is also a great way for you at home to hear what your money at Patreon and substack goes to support, because without you, I could not have this amazing team. All right, enough of me. We are going to dive into this conversation with each member of the stacks team. I am starting with my brand new assistant, the wonderful Sahara Clement.
Alright, everybody. I'm so excited to introduce you to The Stacks team. First up is actually you introduce yourself, tell everybody your name, where you're from, and what your title is, even though nobody really has titles around here, except for me, idiot in charge. But who are you?
Sahara Clement 1:39
I am Sahara. I'm from Philly, and I have just been calling myself like editorial assistant, executive assistant.
Traci Thomas 1:49
Oh my god, does that make me an executive?
Sahara Clement 1:51
Yeah, you're an exec.
Traci Thomas 1:54
And you are the newest team member. You have only been here since September, maybe
Sahara Clement 2:04
Yeah, like end of September, yeah, it feels like it's been like three days. But it has fully been like two months.
Traci Thomas 2:09
But you're doing great, sweetie. You're thriving.
Sahara Clement 2:11
Thank you.
Traci Thomas 2:11
Okay, you're sort of an interesting employee here, because everyone's been referred but you were referred by, kind of like a cool person. Who referred you to me?
Sahara Clement 2:24
Tre Johnson, author of Black Genius.
Traci Thomas 2:28
How do you know Trey?
Sahara Clement 2:30
We actually worked on a book together. So I used to be a book editor, and I was editing a book of essays about the significance of Black Panther, the movie, and he had written a ton of pieces about Black Panther, so we reached out to him. It was right when I had moved back to Philly, and it was so funny. We had, like, one conversation where we like, keked, and then he was like, Do you want me to help you move? I was like, Oh, lovely. We're friends now.
Traci Thomas 2:54
Yeah. I mean, that's how I feel about Tre. He did the podcast, but before I even invite him on the show, he was like, I'm gonna be in LA for my book tour. Can we? Like, I'd love to meet you. And I was like, Okay. And I was like, but I'm not promising I have a spot for you on the show. But then I did have a spot for him. And then he came, and then we did lunch. So he didn't bribe me with lunch. That's not a way to get on the show people. I just want to let you know.
Sahara Clement 3:18
Unless you're Tre Johnson.
Traci Thomas 3:20
Yeah, and then we're talking at lunch, and I was like, I need an assistant. And he was like, I know just the person. And he did know just the person, because it was literally you. And now here you are working on the show my executive assistant, because I'm an executive. Wait, are you from Philadelphia originally?
Sahara Clement 3:37
Yeah.
Traci Thomas 3:38
Did you come back to Philadelphia from New York?
Sahara Clement 3:41
No, Oakland!
Traci Thomas 3:43
Did we talk about that?
Sahara Clement 3:44
I don't know if we talked about that! Yeah, I lived in Oakland for like four years.
Traci Thomas 3:50
I don't think we talked about this. I feel like that's something I would remember, maybe not. Maybe, when I was interviewing you, I was like, too, trying hard to be like is she a good fit? Use your brain woman.
Sahara Clement 4:01
Just ignoring everything I said
Traci Thomas 4:03
Yeah. I was like, what is it? What does it sound like? Can she take a crazy person being in charge? Okay, I want to go back to your previous job. Well, actually, let's just go there. Why did you leave being an editor? Because I feel like there are people who are listening to this who are probably like, that sounds like a dream job.
Sahara Clement 4:21
It's a little complicated. I think that it's difficult for a person of color to be in that industry. In general, it is like a white dominated industry, and I think as much progress that was promised in 2020 a lot of companies haven't quite lived up to that. So I was in my last job, I was in a position where I was, like, specifically championing, like, Black books and Black stories, or like, you know, diverse stories. And I think I found it hard to stay genuine, to like my goal as an editor, but also operate within a system that I didn't feel like was designed to support us.
Traci Thomas 5:07
But before you left editing you we're the editor of Wash Day Diaries, which is sort of a favorite around these parts. A lot of Stacks Packers have read and loved that graphic novel?
Sahara Clement 5:17
Yeah, graphic novel, yeah, yeah. It's like, my, one of my favorite things I've ever edited. It was so much fun.
Traci Thomas 5:24
It's so cute, it's so good. And now, what do you do when you're not with me, because you have a real job that's not here with me?
Sahara Clement 5:30
Yeah, I'm a copy editor for a bunch of different like fashion and beauty, digital publications, like Who What Wear, Marie Claire, and, yeah, I just make, basically, make sure it sounds good.
Traci Thomas 5:45
And now you copy edit here. So okay, tell people about what you what you're responsible for here at the stacks.
Sahara Clement 5:55
I feel like the biggest thing I'm responsible for is making sure the episodes are uploaded every week.
Traci Thomas 6:00
Well, that's the biggest thing everyone's responsible for you, because that's actually what we do here. All the other stuff is just bonus, but the meat and potatoes of the stacks is, believe it or not, a podcast. So yeah, you upload the episodes, but you also do all the show notes. You link all the show notes.
Sahara Clement 6:17
Yes, I decode your show notes, and I link them out. I do like some of the ad, a lot of the admin, I guess, behind the scenes, like updating the website, updating Bookshop and linking out Substack.
Traci Thomas 6:32
You confirm the guests. You write the episode copy, which, yes, I feel like, for people who have been listening to the show for a long time, if you want to play a fun game, it would be go back through the episodes and figure out when I stopped doing it. And then I've had other assistants, and then Sahara's here. Now you can, like, figure out when things change based on the way the episode copy is written, I swear, because everyone has, like, a slightly different style, and I try to, like, keep my hand in it to be like, Would I say it like that? But you're such a better writer than me, that usually when you send the copy over, my only notes are just like, Oh, can you include the title of the book? Or, like, can you include this? Other times I'm like, can you totally rework this whole thing? Because it doesn't sound like me, but I think it's really funny. I feel like you could, I can tell, but maybe it's because I'm so close to it.
Sahara Clement 7:30
Yeah, no. I mean, I like writing the episode descriptions. Honestly, even though, like, I haven't read, like, any of the books that we that you've talked about, it's kind of fun to pretend I have and put myself in that mode.
Traci Thomas 7:45
I leave you a few notes. I tell you what's in the episode, like when I listen through. So look for people who are at home who are like, how does this work? Here's how it works. We book the guest. Sahara confirms them with their publicist, or with them directly. I get on the thing. We record the episode. I upload it to a Dropbox, Christian who y'all will hear from later. He edits everything. He sends it back to me. I listen through the full episode, edit and I give Christian notes, if there are any, like, take this part out or what happened to that part when I was being funny, put that back in, obviously. And then while I'm listening through, I'm taking notes on two things. I'm taking, like, little notes on what we talked about for the episode description, and then I'm also writing down everything we mentioned for the show notes. At that point, I send it over to Sahara, and I say, do your best. So she goes through, she goes through all the bullets for the show notes, and she formats them correctly. So sometimes I might just leave her something that says, like, you know, blood in the water by Heather, and she'll go back through and be like, find the full title. Or I'll be like, the Attica book by a lady named Heather, and she has to go figure out that it's blood in the water by Heather Ann Thompson
Sahara Clement 8:57
My favorite was when you said, like that one book by that one lady, I was like I'm trying so hard, can't figure this out
Traci Thomas 9:05
Well, because sometimes, okay, so in that case, I actually thought that I was going to go back through the notes quickly before I sent them out, but I forgot to do that. But sometimes you can kind of piece together what I'm talking about, because it'll be like a series, like the conversation is going in a direction. So it'll like, it's usually like, that one book about dogs by the guy, whatever, but I forgot to put the qualifier.
Sahara Clement 9:29
And sometimes I'll, like, be listening to the like, I will have already, like, looked at the transcript, so it's like, okay, I can figure out where it's going.
Traci Thomas 9:35
Yes, but sometimes I forget that someone else is following me, because I used to do it all myself. So now, like having help is such a privilege and such an honor and such a joy for me, but also I forget that like you have to decipher my nonsense. Okay, so then I pass it on to you, and then what do you do?
Sahara Clement 9:55
You pass it on to me. I link everything I format the Squarespace web page the way that it's supposed to to look. I upload everything to the distribution platform, I go through the transcript, which is, like, honestly, it takes a while, but it's also kind of fun, because I feel like I'm getting, like, a first look at the episode, like a little sneak peek. Yeah, I go through the transcript and is that, I think that's basically it. I basically make sure everything is, like, scheduled on the right day. I say that's basically it. But, like, it's so much. It is so much more than it sounds.
Traci Thomas 10:34
It's like a lot of teeny, tiny things, but like, nothing super hard, it's just super detailed, like, it's just like a lot of little, teeny, tiny steps that are so annoying. So after you do everything on my little to do list every week, I have a note that says, Check Sahara, because I'm like, if there's a mistake, ultimately, it's my fault, though I have gotten worse and worse at checking, like, a few weeks ago, I think we completely forgot to put a link to the show notes in the episode description. Yeah. So if you downloaded that episode early, you didn't see it, but it's there now. But yes, so we sort of tag team between you, me and Christian. We tag team every episode. Okay, what has so far I know it's early, but what has been the biggest surprise for you working here at The Stacks?
Sahara Clement 11:18
This might sound dumb, but I've never worked in podcasts before, so I think just like, learning everything that goes into a podcast, I think people like, it's I think people make it seem really easy. Like, everyone's like, yeah, why don't we just start a podcast? Or, like, people just get their, like, a little equipment, and they're like, Yeah, time to start a podcast. But I'm like, no, it's actually so much work. It's so much
Traci Thomas 11:42
Like I would say, all in between you, me and Christian, not including reading the book, but like prepping the questions all the way to when the episode goes up, it's probably somewhere, I would say, around 10 hours of work between all three of us per episode, not including the reading,
Sahara Clement 12:03
yeah, which is a lot, I mean I guess it depends on the types of type of podcasts. I mean, some podcasts are just people talking, but either way,
Traci Thomas 12:12
and I mean some are even way more edited in like, way more detail, or there's like, way more people working on it. And it also depends on the episode here. Like, I know Christian will say that, like, if, if an author, or even I have, like, bad audio quality, sometimes he works on an episode for four hours, I would say he averages between two and a half and three per episode. But like, and if I have edits and he has to go back in, it can be up to, like, five or six hours for him. So just depends on everything you also draft the copy. So like, what I say at the beginning of every episode you draft and then I freestyle Yes, which maybe I should have Christian insert me. Like, I don't know if people would want to hear this, but we could send you guys what it sounds like when I'm trying to read the copy for the introductions,they're really funny.
Test, okay. Christian, here's your outro. This debut novel follows. This debut novel is a coming of age story of nope, with the paint with a black I don't know how to say this, right? I'm trying to get like, whatever. Sorry, Christian, I hope this works. Sorry for you. And you can check out my newsletter at Traci thomas.substack.com Oh shit. After I announce the book club, Can I say one more thing to get your copy of We the Animals, ah. The stacks is created and produced by me. Traci Thomas, that was rough. Sorry, Christian.
But you write it, and then I try to make it sound like me.
Sahara Clement 13:43
I feel like that's the hardest part of my job actually
Traci Thomas 13:47
Trying to sound like me?
Sahara Clement 13:48
Well, not necessarily that, just writing the intro, like copy. I don't know why I like struggle with it.
Traci Thomas 13:54
Harder than the description copy.
Sahara Clement 13:56
Yeah, I think because by the time I'm writing the description, like the episode's been recorded, and you have notes about what you've talked about, so it feels like I'm able to make it sound less stilted. I think when I'm just writing the intro copy, I'm like, I don't want to just sound like goodreads. Like it needs to sound like normal
Traci Thomas 14:15
And you don't know what we've talked about yet, because usually those are, like, you turn that in so that I can record that right after I record the episode, so that I remember what we talked about. So like, if you're listening to Episode introduction, people, it'll be like, welcome The Stacks podcast. But books, blah, blah, blah. Today's guest is Sahara Clement She's the assistant at the stacks and also copy editor and a former editor in publishing. Today we talked about the hardest part of her job, what the biggest surprises were and how long she's been part of The Stacks team. But I have to do that last part immediately after recording, because I will completely forget what we talked about five minutes later. What is your relationship to books? Are you a big reader?
Sahara Clement 14:57
I am a big reader. I'm a big reader, but I'm a slow reader. I read very slowly. Like, I'm always kind of jealous of people who are like, Oh, I read 100 books this year. I'm like, I got through three, I got through four.
Traci Thomas 15:13
Sure. I mean, you also are busy. You have like, like, multiple jobs.
Sahara Clement 15:17
Yeah. I used to read when I lived in Oakland, I used to read on the bus or the train, and I think that was like the perfect time, because I wasn't doing anything else. Now I try to read before bed, which when you have two jobs, it's like, am I going to retain anything? I don't know, but yeah, I love reading, though I have always had, like, a really strong relationship to books. I just like try to find the time to do it.
Traci Thomas 15:39
What kind of books do you like? Like, like, what is your what are some of your fave faves?
Sahara Clement 15:44
My fave faves. So I read a little bit of everything. Honestly, I think the only thing that I don't read is romance. Like, I know that people get up in arms about that, because everybody loves romance now, but I am. It's not really my thing. Also, I don't read a ton of non fiction. I know that you're a non fiction person.
Traci Thomas 16:00
It's okay, I read enough for both of us.
Sahara Clement 16:02
Exactly. I think my favorite that I've read in the last few years is tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.
Traci Thomas 16:08
Do you know that I hate that book so much? Do you really I despise that book? You can keep working here, but just know I'm like, sort of side eye. I feel like, up till this exact moment, every book we've talked about, we've agreed on. We both don't like yellow face, yeah, and I can't remember what we both like that. I know there was another one that I was another one we both agreed on. But no, I hate tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.
Sahara Clement 16:33
We need to, okay, we'll go into maybe why at some point.
Traci Thomas 16:36
I could just tell you right now, I thought it was really manipulative. I thought that it was, like, had a really good start, but by the end, I was just like, bored the fucking Oregon Trail shit. At the very end, I was like, Get out of here. Felt like an MFA program. I fucking hate that book so much. And I hate that everybody tried to be like, it's a little life. I'm like, you wish it's a little life. And a little life is just like a good book. It's not even a great book. But anyways, I hate it.
Sahara Clement 17:00
A little life is also I didn't read it, but I heard it's very depressing.
Traci Thomas 17:04
I like a little life. I like it way more than tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow. But A Little Life also has similar, similar issues with manipulation.
Sahara Clement 17:11
I see
Traci Thomas 17:13
I just and I didn't buy into their friendship. I didn't buy into any of it. I thought it was so stupid.
Sahara Clement 17:21
You hate those people is wild.
Traci Thomas 17:23
I do. Sadie and Max, or what? Sadie and Sammy? There was a max.
Sahara Clement 17:28
Honestly, I read it so long ago I can't even remember their names. I just remember, like, it was one of those. It was one of the first time in years that I'd like tore through a book. And I love that feeling.
Traci Thomas 17:38
I had a strong start. I was like, I get it. But by page, like 150 I was like, get me out of here. And I was like, I still have 200 pages left. Like, I gotta go.
Sahara Clement 17:47
It was long. I will say that it was longer than probably it should have been.
Traci Thomas 17:52
It should have been, not published.
Sahara Clement 17:56
I have feelings about some of some people's faves. I hate the other black girl.
Traci Thomas 18:03
I never read that. I couldn't do it. It sounded like a book I would hate.
Sahara Clement 18:07
I cannot tell you how much I despise that book.
Traci Thomas 18:11
That's a book about a black woman in publishing, did you hate it because it was triggering, or did you hate it because it wasn't? It wasn't triggering enough?
Sahara Clement 18:18
No, I was like, I'm ready to be triggered. Like, trigger me now. But I know it was just, it didn't make any sense. It tried to do too many things. Yeah, it tried to incorporate some, like, magical elements that felt kind of like contradictory to the book's main plot. I don't know. I just felt like it was, it was just not tight enough.
Traci Thomas 18:43
I'm asking everyone this, but you might not have an answer because you've only been here for a little bit. But is there? Have you ever read and enjoyed a book that I've recommended to you?
Sahara Clement 18:52
Well, I'm gonna start Martyr. I specifically borrowed that from my friend, because you spoke so highly of it. So remains to be seen.
Traci Thomas 19:07
Okay, okay, okay, what is a book, given what you know about me so far that you would recommend to me,
Sahara Clement 19:13
I know you like nonfiction, but like, Are you open to fiction?
Traci Thomas 19:17
Yeah, I recommended martyr to you.
Sahara Clement 19:19
That's true. Yes, true. How do you feel about like short stories? One of my favorite books that I read was this book by the creator of Bojack Horseman, called someone who will love you and all your damaged glory. Everyone I've recommended it to has loved it, but it's like a collection of short stories, very absurd, but just like gorgeous, just absolutely gorgeous stories that feel a lot deeper than they look on the surface. If that makes sense.
Traci Thomas 19:52
I'm into it. Okay, I'm gonna check it out. Do you have a dream guest for the podcast?
Sahara Clement 19:58
Oh, a dream guest. I don't know if you have already interviewed her, but I loved in the dream house by Carmen Maria Machado.
Traci Thomas 20:09
I have never! The problem with Carmen Maria Machado is that she has not released a book since I started doing the show. I feel like the dream house came out either right when I started doing the show, or, like, right before, and I feel like I couldn't get her if it came out when I was doing the show, and now I probably could, but I don't think she's published anything since, but she's on the list of people.
Sahara Clement 20:31
I love, like, I love her work. I also read her book of short stories. her body and other stories. Yeah, I loved both of those. I think her, her writing was just very like visceral.
Traci Thomas 20:45
Yeah, people, I've never read her, but people love her, but if she writes another book, I'll get her on for you.
Sahara Clement 20:50
In the dream house was the one I was thinking about recommending to you.
Traci Thomas 20:54
Yeah, I think I actually own it. I think I bought it eventually, because so many people said I would like it. I just haven't gotten to it. Okay, last question for you, do you have anything that you would like to fight with me about, or anything that is embarrassing that I've said to you that you would like to revenge revenge on me and our audience? This question is really for Christian, because I know he has beef with me.
Speaker 1 21:17
I'm crying. I don't I don't have beef with you. Except for you did say that you hate one of my favorite books
Traci Thomas 21:24
Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow? I've been hating that book since probably before you even read it. Girl, I read it in ARC form, and was murderous. And you know what? You're not the only person who's mad at me about it. I think of all of my reviews on Goodreads, it has the most comments. Almost all the comments are like, Did you even read the book? Can you read and I'm like, Yeah, babe.
Speaker 1 21:43
I can't stand that you can't stand it.
Traci Thomas 21:51
It's one of my most like, well known hate books. It's like that and like anything by Malcolm Gladwell are like, there's a few other books I've hated over the years. But I feel like whenever people ask me, Malcolm Gladwell and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow are the ones like come to mind first. So I always say them first and then later, I'm like, Oh, I also hated that. I hated that. But those are the ones I feel like I talk about the most hating.
Sahara Clement 22:12
Yeah, I think, well, another book I hate is the secret history.
Traci Thomas 22:17
I never read it. Donna Tartt I can't tell if I would hate it or like it. Does it have a plot?
Sahara Clement 22:23
Yes, but it's so slow.
Traci Thomas 22:25
Oh, no, thanks.
Sahara Clement 22:27
It's so slow, and then it feels like we lose the plot.
Traci Thomas 22:31
Did you read Demon Copperhead?
Sahara Clement 22:33
No. You didn't like it?
Traci Thomas 22:36
No. Boooo.
Sahara Clement 22:38
Everyone was like, we loved it. So I thought about reading it, but I never, I didn't have much of an interest in reading it
Traci Thomas 22:43
Save yourself.
Sahara Clement 22:46
That's what I say about secret history. Whenever anybody's like, I'm gonna start this
Traci Thomas 22:49
I feel like it's probably similar to that, and it's like one of those books, like a lot of people like, and I just thought it was so slow, and I was ahead of her the whole time, and it was just bored out of my mind. I was like, okay,
Sahara Clement 22:59
Yeah, I kept waiting for something to happen, and things just kept not happening. Also, I felt that way about Eileen.
Traci Thomas 23:07
Oh, I didn't read that.
Sahara Clement 23:09
Also, don't read it actually nothing, nothing happens in that one.
Traci Thomas 23:13
I would never read that that anyone just the font on the cover says, Traci, stay away.
Sahara Clement 23:19
That was recommended to me. And I was, like, very angry at the person who recommended me so boring.
Traci Thomas 23:25
The reason that I know that you're a good fit for the show and for me is because you will just sit here and talk shit about books with me. And, like, honestly, like, I was like, What books do you like? And you said one book, and every other book you've listened has been like, I fucking hate that, I fucking hate that, I'm like, this is my person.
Sahara Clement 23:41
I'm a bit of a certified hater.
Traci Thomas 23:43
Me too. This is and so is Christian and honestly, so is Cherie. So everybody get ready to listen to the rest of this episode, because you're gonna hear a bunch of haters the stacks podcast, homeowner haters home of the brave. Land of the haters, home of the brave. Anyways, thank you for being here. Thank you for being part of this team, and yeah, we'll see you in the stacks or whatever.
Sahara Clement 24:06
Thanks for having me.
Traci Thomas 24:08
Of course.
Alright, everybody, I'm very excited to welcome another member of the stacks team to this extra special episode. Ma'am, why don't you introduce yourself?
Cherie Marquez 24:28
Hi, I'm Cherie. I don't know. I don't know. Can I say this? I don't know what my title is.
Traci Thomas 24:34
No, we should talk about this, because every time I ask you to give me your title, you'd say, tell people I'm whatever you want to tell them.
Cherie Marquez 24:45
But this is the thing, I don't have. I don't like titles, period.
Traci Thomas 24:48
Okay, let's try it this way. Why don't you tell the lovely people at home what it is you do with me/for me.
Cherie Marquez 24:58
Let's see we work on websites. We have gone on tour. We've done wildfire reliefs.
Traci Thomas 25:09
Yes, you've done all those things. You design the mega challenge every year.
Cherie Marquez 25:15
I do some graphic design work. We pull in some partnerships.
Traci Thomas 25:25
Everything. You're a catch all. You don't have a real title. You have all the titles that aren't host of the podcast, editor and assistant. So basically, everything else is you. Can you tell the people at home just like, where are you from? Where did you grow up?
Cherie Marquez 25:42
So I'm originally from Hawaii. I'm from Kailua, Oahu. I have pretty much lived in LA for majority of my life. So I actually do consider this home. I am also the founder of my own agency called C Media collective. We do a lot of brand partnerships. We work a lot with talent. We do a lot of different things, which is, I guess, why we fit here. I've been in the marketing industry for like, over 20 years, I actually went to school for business and film. I have a true love for story, so I try to implement the film stuff into what I do on a day to day. Yeah, I used to, I used to do production and in the early parts of my career
Traci Thomas 26:41
Wow I had no idea. It's funny, because I feel as though, at work, I am very I try not to be nosy about people that I work with lives like I don't. I try not, you know, I don't want to cross any lines. I don't people ever to feel weird, but especially with you, because I feel like not to over share, but this year, you lost your home in the fires, and you also work with Chelsea devontes, friend of the show, who everybody loves and knows. And after you lost your home, your daughter sent a message to Chelsea and I and was like, hey, you know my mom, Cherie, she lost her home, blah, blah, blah. And I messaged Chelsea, and I was like, Why did I think Cherie had two kids? And they were like, 10? And Chelsea's like, wait, I knew she had a kid, but I didn't know her kid. Was like, we both were like, We don't know anything about this woman, but you've been working with me since 2023. Because that was the tour. We started right around 2023 Yeah,
Cherie Marquez 27:43
I think because when I'm at work, I'm very like, behind the camera, behind the scenes, and I'm always working with people in front of the camera and doing that thing. And I'm always like, you know, I'm always the secret sauce that makes things work, yeah, and so I don't know. I think I just how I treat personal life too.
Traci Thomas 28:03
Oh, so it's your fault. It's not my fault.
Cherie Marquez 28:04
Yeah, it's my fault.
Traci Thomas 28:05
Okay I thought I was being incurious
Cherie Marquez 28:16
I moved here when I was, like, 21 and I moved away, like for a year, to Seattle, here and there, but I've always come back here, and I do consider myself like I'm a very proud Laker fan, Dodger fan, all the things,
Traci Thomas 28:36
Boooo, all these Dodger fans around me is my nightmare, the Lakers. I'm less whatever. I don't care that much about the Lakers. Like, I don't hate the Lakers. I don't like the Lakers, but the Dodgers are truly my enemies. I know I'm doing I'm doing something like that will be out by the time people hear this, like a non fiction generator, where people send me, like pop culture things or like a mood or a vibe. And two people were like, the Dodgers. And I was like, I'm definitely not doing that. Like, fuck you stop trying to troll me. Like I don't have to do what you say.
Cherie Marquez 29:08
I will say, for some reason, I think baseball got a little bit more mainstream this year. I don't know why,
Traci Thomas 29:14
I don't know if baseball did, but I feel like the World Series was really good this year, and so people were more into it. But I'm like, nobody was talking to me about baseball in June.
Cherie Marquez 29:24
Oh, old school Lakers, old school Dodgers. So yeah
Traci Thomas 29:27
I respect it. I respect it. I respect a fan, a true fan. I hate a bandwagon fan, but like, if you, if you're a real fan of a sports team, even if I hate them, even if they're the Dodgers, I can still respect it. Yeah, I don't respect people who are like half assed fans, though, that, to me is
Cherie Marquez 29:42
I will love them if they're crappy in Yeah, if they're having a crappy season,
Traci Thomas 29:49
Yeah, same. Okay, I asked. I'm asking this of everybody, so I'm gonna ask you, what has been the hardest part of working at the stacks.
Cherie Marquez 29:59
Well, let me see. I mean, I think it's, I don't know if it's hard, though. I don't really consider this hard because I, you know, I work with a lot of different types of people, and I think it's, you know, working with you, you obviously have your thing and your taste and your style, and I think it's just figuring out what that is and figuring out how to work with that, because I'm actually quite different, but I think that's part of my job, like, I don't expect people to be like me, and so it's just figuring out, you know, when you say I don't know about this, but I don't know what I want.
Traci Thomas 30:42
Well, a lot of our job is me being like, I have an idea, and you being like, Okay, let me try to execute that. And me being like, well, I don't know exactly what it is for me to send me five options, and then me going, I actually hate all of those. This is exactly what I want. And it, yeah,
Cherie Marquez 30:57
And I, like, I said, that could go a completely different way. But I think I've figured out, okay, Traci wants to see like, five options. Traci wants to see this font in like three different styles, or, you know, whatever it is. And I think, I think I've already like, that's how, that's how we work together. And I've already like, I've already grown to to know that. So it's, I don't know if it's hard, but that's, I think that's it
Traci Thomas 31:21
That's my hardest part of working with you. The hardest thing for me with working with you is that I start to feel really bad because I know that I'm making you do stuff you've already done it, and I'm like, can I see that again?
Cherie Marquez 31:32
No, no, you don't need to feel bad about that.
Traci Thomas 31:37
What's been the biggest surprise of working here?
Cherie Marquez 31:41
I don't know. I think it's like when we first met. I think it's been just really great seeing some of the things that we've done, you know, and you know, I didn't have any...
Traci Thomas 31:53
Do you want to introduce your dog?
Cherie Marquez 31:55
I'm sorry. You might hear that. You also might hear me cough a little bit, but I think one of the things is just seeing you develop and grow and like, and even if I didn't have, like, a huge part of it, like, I was so proud of you for the whole Kamala thing.
Traci Thomas 32:13
That was good. Everybody here likes dogs, and I don't have one, so I feel like all the listeners will be like an animal is present. What would you say is one thing that you do that people might be surprised to know is a part of your job.
Cherie Marquez 32:29
That's a hard one I feel.
Traci Thomas 32:30
Yeah because your job doesn't have, like, a clear title.
Cherie Marquez 32:35
Yeah, I feel I'm also the kind of person where if I don't know how to do it, I'll figure it out.
Traci Thomas 32:39
Well, I could say I could see I can think of something that you do that is maybe surprising and also ties back into me being indecisive about things. Is like, did you ever think you were going to be making, like a Shakespeare mock up of me? That graphic is all you. I feel like, yeah, your job is hard because you do so many things, but like you did the entire website redesign. We're working on something else for the website that we've been slowly working on for like, two years. Actually, I've just held it up. It's gonna be cool, you guys, when it comes I
Cherie Marquez 33:12
I'm sure that you've heard me say this a million times, but I've also heard a million people tell me this as well. About Your website is that is the most intense website that anything has ever seen, because it has a million pages.
Traci Thomas 33:26
It has a million pages because I link to everything in the show notes. As you all at home know, so all of the little tiny every page for every episode that Cherie has
Cherie Marquez 33:38
Every book Traci has red. She has a page for it.
Traci Thomas 33:41
Yeah, and you know what, guys, you're welcome. Okay, so don't say we don't love you around here, because nobody else is giving you the most detailed everything. Okay, what about books? What's your relationship to books? Are you a reader? What kind of books do you enjoy?
Cherie Marquez 33:57
Yeah, I am a reader. But I will say that I'm it's one of those things where I wish I had more time, more time to do, and it's to me that's more of a I need to make more time for myself to do those things. I think, because my job is very I have to be on my computer, you know, I'm like, on my computer probably about like, 16 hours a day. 16 hours a day. And so sometimes when I'm not doing that, I just, I need to just check out, period. And sometimes that even means reading however, you know, because, because I lost my home in the fires that was, and I told you this right when we were doing the relief is that that's one thing that I lost, that, you know, really kind of broke me, was just my entire library. Yeah, because I had books from, like, when I was like, a teenager, I had books where I traveled all over the world, and I was able to pick up books from, you know, from different countries. Or cities or whatever. And I also had a really big collection of photography books, and then so I am a very like, I'm a very because I love storytelling and I love, like, that visual aspect of film. I like books that kind of transport me and help me be able to like, you know, I don't want to be nailed anymore. I want to be here. I want to be doing this, because I probably I don't travel as much as I wish I could, and so sometimes I have to live vicariously through, like a book or through through a film. But I also love books that I think make me think a little bit more about society, issues, things that, like, you know, I'm always like, I'm a big I want to change things, and I want to do something about it. And so a lot of times I look at film and books to be able to inspire me to do those things, you know, like, you know, what am I? I don't know if you're gonna ask me this later. You probably will, but one of my you, one of my favorite books, was actually recommended by you.
Traci Thomas 36:12
That was my next question. I think I know what it is. It's the Hanif book.
Cherie Marquez 36:15
Close. That was a really good one.
Traci Thomas 36:17
Or we were once a family, that's actually okay. I know those are the two that you loved, because we got those in the at the fire relief event, and I was so excited that you got to get them
Cherie Marquez 36:27
Just that book really, like, you know, it hit home in different ways for me, but also just reminding us, like, that so much work that needs to be done. But, yeah, I think it's like, you know, I can look at, I can read books like that, but then I can also flip through books of like, really great photography or things like that. One of the books that I lost in the fires is actually an antique. It was a, my grandmother gave it to me. It was a Hawaiian dictionary. It was literally falling apart, and it doesn't it's not made anymore. And so just, I think things like that that have a little bit more sentiment, and things that I can kind of carry on and kind of find that story. And again, transport is really like the word that I think about when I think about books.
Traci Thomas 37:14
Yeah, that's so devastating. But we don't have to dwell on it.
Cherie Marquez 37:21
You know, I think I look at, I think I look at starting my library again as, you know, okay, so now I have to go experience more things, because the books that I did have, it required me to go travel somewhere, I think maybe I look at it that way and like go those places to go, you know, to find new gems or whatever
Traci Thomas 37:41
That's a good way to look at it. So positive. Okay, is there a book that you would recommend to me?
Cherie Marquez 37:50
Oh, God, you've read every book on this planet. I'm not.
Traci Thomas 37:54
I wish tell that to my deadlines.
Cherie Marquez 37:58
I am reading this book right now that I do, actually, I'm kind of getting into, I don't know if, I don't know if you've read it. It's colored television.
Traci Thomas 38:08
Read that, of course, danzi Senna is like my favorite.
Cherie Marquez 38:15
I think it's going to be one of my books from another country, which I actually,
Traci Thomas 38:21
yeah, it's got to be something random, yeah. But are you loving colored television?
Cherie Marquez 38:24
Yeah, I am actually so fun.
Traci Thomas 38:26
Her other book, her book before that, called new people, is also amazing. I like new people, like slightly more, but danzy is one of my favorite writers. Love her.
Cherie Marquez 38:36
I'm trying to be able to kind of like, build my library in a certain way. And so I were, I was given books. I think you actually were the you were one you were you gave me, like the, my first set of books, honestly, after the fires
Traci Thomas 38:54
From the event? Or did I give you? I can't even remember now.
Cherie Marquez 38:57
No, it was from the event, and it was primarily because I think I was kind of in that rut where I was like, I don't really want things that I don't know. I don't want things that I have to move right now. And then I realized those are the things that, like, kind of helped me get through every day. Yeah, so it's starting small, and I think now I'm able to walk into a bookstore and buy books. I think before, I wasn't able to do those things.
Traci Thomas 39:24
Yeah, I get it. That makes sense. I've just two more questions for you. One is, do you have a dream guest for the podcast?
Cherie Marquez 39:34
I actually think you might, this might be in the works. Did you get Jacob?
Traci Thomas 39:41
I knew you were gonna say that. No, I just saw him last night on the news, though, because they were, it was election return. And I was like, that's right, I gotta reach out to him
Cherie Marquez 39:52
I think that's more of a personal
Traci Thomas 39:55
Well like it's also personal for me, because I'm in love with him. So. Oh, no, I want to have him. Of course I do.
Cherie Marquez 40:03
He's an excellent journalist, reporter like and I think that I can't wait to read his book
Traci Thomas 40:10
It's called Firestorm, I believe. Well, I'm here to make your dreams come true. So I gotta send an email or two. Last thing, I put this question in, mostly for Christian, but is there anything that you would like to fight with me about, or anything embarrassing that I've said or done that you would like to let the people know about?
Speaker 2 40:33
No, I think you should probably stop talking about the bachelor, though
Traci Thomas 40:37
I'm done! I stopped watching like, three years ago.
Cherie Marquez 40:41
No, but I feel like you're still talking about it. Why do I feel like I think maybe, maybe it's because you're going on Chelsea's show and you're talking about stuff.
Traci Thomas 40:47
I haven't talked about it. I think the last time I talked about it was like, two or three years ago, because I stopped watching. Yes, that's, that was what the last that's when I stopped watching. Yeah, I think that's when I stopped. So your prayers have been answered.
Cherie Marquez 41:05
Yeah, no. Reality television is okay. I think I'm just maybe particular about the ones,
Traci Thomas 41:10
but I think, okay, I might go back to the bachelor this year, just because I'm curious about this Mormon wife lady. Okay, maybe I will, you know, I don't have any time. It's not like, I'm really going to watch anything, but anything you want to say to the people,
Cherie Marquez 41:27
To the people, keep on watching the stacks, because it keeps us going. No, I know. Oh yeah, I'm actually quite impressed with that. We're on we're on video right now. I've been telling you, do this forever.
Traci Thomas 41:43
Okay, okay, listen, it's a pain in the ass to edit these little videos. It's really a pain in the ass.
Cherie Marquez 41:50
It's what the people want.
Traci Thomas 41:53
I don't believe that's true. It's what the people who don't listen to my podcast want. It's like what the like children want, but they don't. They're not listening to this shit, all those old people. Nobody's watching no old person watches video podcasts.
Cherie Marquez 42:08
I don't think it's no it's actually, it's actually good to see your face, I think, on Instagram, and who you're talking to, and all that kind of stuff. So I'm actually glad that you migrated over to video
Traci Thomas 42:21
I'm doing it. Follow us on YouTube for more video content. My nightmare. Cherie, you're the best. Thank you so much for doing this. Thank you for being part of the team even when I'm indecisive and don't want to be on video. Thanks for sticking by me and making everything happen and everyone we have to be extra nice, and you have to stay a subscriber on Patreon and Substack so that we could do another tour, because otherwise able to so be nice to me, and we'll see you guys in the Stacks.
Alright, everybody, I'm excited to introduce you too. Well, actually, let me let you introduce yourself. Hello, sir. What is your name?
Christian Dueñas 43:07
Hello. My name is Christian Duenas, and I am the editor for the stacks. I've been the editor since 2021 I want to say, is that right? So been here for a while.
Traci Thomas 43:19
What is, what is your actual job here? What do you do? How do you improve my life and listeners lives?
Christian Dueñas 43:27
Basically, whenever Traci asks if I can do something, I just say yes, and that's usually, you know, making episodes shorter or more concise, or doing the week long book banning project, any of those ideas I help try, I try my best to bring them together.
Traci Thomas 43:49
Yes. So every week, or multiple times a week, I send you just audio files of me doing things like this, and then also accompanying that is an interview, and you take out all of my nonsense, and you make people's voices sound better. And even though sometimes people like Torrey Peters live on top of an actual subway, or who else has had crazy, we've had a few crazy audio and you you make it work.
Christian Dueñas 44:21
I try my best. You know, sometimes, sometimes we have some crazy audio issues. But, you know, I like a challenge. You know, one of my favorite ones was John Jay Lennon, because he it was through, like, the prison, like, I don't really know what it was, but there's, like, there's some noise in the background. There's also, like, 30 minute intervals that there's, like a very loud this call is about to end in one minute. Yeah, kind of thing. So it's, it is. That was an interesting one. I like, I like the working around that one.
Traci Thomas 44:52
And then also, for the bonus episodes, you get to flex your your other muscles, sometimes you get to do fun stuff. I. My favorite, of course, was the Mariah Carey.
Christian Dueñas 45:01
My favorite was probably Kendrick.
Traci Thomas 45:08
Are you a Mariah Carey fan, because we can end this interview, right the fuck now,
Christian Dueñas 45:12
you know, I like her song with ODB, but yeah, I that one. I get to do a little bit more music stuff, which is fun. I'm a big music person. I'm wearing a shirt of a podcast that I worked on called primer that was all about music. So I'm a big, big music boy.
Traci Thomas 45:29
Okay, insert song you like here for this bonus episode.
What for you has been the biggest surprise working here at the stacks
Christian Dueñas 46:02
for me, I think I didn't think I would be getting into books. Yeah, that sounds so like, that's my biggest surprise. But I have, I've been reading. I mean, I've, I barely read in, like, college, even, like I was, you know, not a big reader, very much. But then I would listen to this show, and like, you know, I'm editing everything, so I'm, like, getting all these book recommendations. And there's definitely been ones where I'm like, oh, that sounds like something I'm super interested in. I'd like to read more. And, yeah, I don't know. It's just, it's, I definitely have read a lot more in this past, whatever, since 2021 that I have in, like, probably my entire life.
Traci Thomas 46:42
Well, this year you've read, like, what? How many books?
Christian Dueñas 46:47
Um, I don't know, probably, like, probably 10 or something, yeah,
Traci Thomas 46:52
because when I interviewed you, you were like, Yeah, I'd like to do the show, but I just want to let you know I'm not, I'm not reading books. And I was like, well, that's fine. That's actually my job. So, like, that's chill, but you are very like, Okay, I will edit your stupid podcast, but I will not be roped in to reading a single word. And now you're on Instagram, like posting your reviews and your stories, like an actual Bookstagrammer. Well, some books you really like,
Christian Dueñas 47:22
yeah, oh yeah, totally I love. I mean, one of the ones that I really liked was the Jon Krakauer book where men win glory. That was a fantastic read. One of the things that I that you, I blame you, yes, was one of the books was it ends with us that you had for book club,
Traci Thomas 47:45
You blame me, like everyone in the stacks pack Boo hoo, you guys had to read one book you didn't like shut up.
Christian Dueñas 47:51
It's not that I didn't like it. I hate that book. However it did get it did start a conversation, because I would talk about this book nonstop. When I was reading it, I was like, oh my god, I can't believe this person, like wrote these words and sold millions of copies, and I started up something called the trash reads book club. Shout out to the members of the trash reads book club. Maria and Tony knepp, we been reading. We read that one, and then we're reading another Colleen Hoover book called ugly love. That was the one that was, that was a stinker, too.
Traci Thomas 48:27
So worse or better than it ends with us?
Christian Dueñas 48:30
It is worse, but less interestingly, worse like it's, I would say it ends with us. Is terrible, but it's interestingly terrible. You know?
Traci Thomas 48:40
It's hilariously bad.
Christian Dueñas 48:41
Yeah, yeah, she does the same thing. She does the same thing here, where she's tackling, like, pretty heavy, weighty subjects with like, zero nuance. You know?
Traci Thomas 48:51
I thought you were gonna say she does the same thing, like this character writes letters to Ellen DeGeneres,
Christian Dueñas 48:57
no, not yet. Not yet.
Traci Thomas 49:00
Okay, what's been the hardest part of working at the stacks?
Christian Dueñas 49:03
Honestly, one of the big things is, whenever you say some food opinions, I always I like, get I get mad, man, I get mad. I can't I can't help it, but it's like, there's some things where it's like, I don't like beans, I don't like avocado, I don't like eggs. I'm like, Who doesn't like eggs? I'm a big breakfast sandwich person. I love breakfast sandwiches. I love making them. Check me out, buttsonabutt. I'm posting them on my stories every day, or I'm nearly every day.
Traci Thomas 49:31
How can you say your Instagram name, butts on a butt, seriously, and not die laughing every time I think about it. I'm like, is Christian okay?
Christian Dueñas 49:39
I liked it. I like, you know, sometimes we get, when we did that book series, that book banning series, we got tagged by, I think, by some major publication, and they had to tag, like, put my name in like, their tweets. And it was the highlight of my career honestly.
Traci Thomas 49:57
New York Times. @buttsonabutt, great editing. What is a part of your job that you do here that people might be surprised to know about?
Christian Dueñas 50:11
This might be, I don't know. This might make you a little self conscious, but there are definitely, you have definitely, like, some vocal tics that I remove a lot of the time
Traci Thomas 50:20
Tell me about them, because I don't hear them, because you remove them by the time I listen.
Christian Dueñas 50:24
I'm not gonna say them
Traci Thomas 50:25
Just say them. I don't care. You think you own me. I my own person, and I pay you. I pay you to edit me out. So tell me,
Christian Dueñas 50:36
Okay so one of your go tos is okay? Um, so I try to lessen the amount of times you do that.
Traci Thomas 50:44
Wait, okay, and do I smack my teeth too?
Christian Dueñas 50:47
And you do, you do that kind of often. So I try to take those are easy to see on the waveform, because it's just one, like, one vertical line, got it, and you do that. And then there's a thing where, if you're when you're looking for another question to say, or you're trying to add to something you do, like a like that, I do and you and so I hear that and I take it out.
Traci Thomas 51:13
I'm so sorry for you, and I'm so glad you take it out.
Christian Dueñas 51:17
You know, it's stuff like that. It's just like minor ticks like that, where I, like, I'm listening to your voice, like, hour for several hours a week. So like, I've gotten used to, like, seeing them in the waveform and just like knocking them out right away. You know
Traci Thomas 51:32
you're my biggest fan. You're literally the only person in the world who listens to every episode of the show, including me. I don't even, well, that's actually not true, because I listen back to your edits. I do check your work. I'm locked in. Sometimes you get things past me where I'm like, it's not really worth bugging Christian again about this. What's a book that you would recommend to me?
Christian Dueñas 51:58
All right, so I'm a big fan of this record called diaspora problems by SoulGlo. It came out maybe in 2022, or so. Okay, and on the cover of this record, it's like, very like, you know, like it's, it's curated stuff, for sure. And there's a book by Audre Lorde here called, I am your sister. And I was very curious about this book, because obviously it's there for a reason. And then, if you, like, listen to the lyrics of the songs, it's very like, armed revolution in the streets kind of type shit. So I went out and bought the book. And the book is, like, surprisingly, super hard to find. I was the only place that had it, or I had to buy it off of Amazon, like, out of, out of, like, a used bookstores, Amazon, basically, or not, Amazon, eBay, eBay, not Amazon. So, and the book is pretty good. I'm not, I'm still, I'm maybe, like, halfway through it, yeah, so I'm on page 120, of, like, 300 Okay, a big part of it is just, like, chronology and stuff like that. But anyways.
Traci Thomas 53:04
You think I should read it?
Christian Dueñas 53:06
I think it's really good. I think there are some I think that I'm at a part where she's been diagnosed with cancer, and it's like her diaries during that part. And I, I hate to, I hate to be this guy, just it's, it's less interesting like, the actual essays that she has in this book and they're like, I guess this is what like, like the B sides of her work
Traci Thomas 53:28
Yeah because she has a whole book called The Cancer journals, yeah, where she like, writes about her cancer. And then she also has the book we did before your time here, Sister Outsider, which we did for book club. So I wonder if like this is like stuff that didn't make it into some other things.
Christian Dueñas 53:45
Yeah, it just says collected and unpublished writings of Audre Lorde. So I, I would recommend there's definitely parts in that book, or this book where I'm like, this could have been written like, two weeks ago, like, it's crazy, yeah, yeah. So I would recommend that, if you could find it. It was, it took a while,
Traci Thomas 54:01
but wait, it's hilarious to me, because you're like, I read Colleen Hoover, and I read Audre Lorde. And you know what that, if that's not a representation of The Stacks, it's like, Babe, we can do it all. You want to get mad about me for making you read Colleen Hoover. Don't worry. Next month I'm gonna force you to read, like, deep feminist theory. So it's fine, like it's okay. It all comes out in the wash, I think is what they say
Christian Dueñas 54:25
You know, you contain multitudes. And that's, yeah, that's beautiful. Yeah.
Traci Thomas 54:29
It's like on a scale of Audre Lorde to Colleen Hoover, where are you? What kind of bitch Are you? I also love that you're plugging the stacks merch. I too, am wearing stacks gear today. Oh yeah, yeah, cover the primer thing. No, there it is the mug. The mug. Okay, anything else you want to say to me or to our listeners, this is stacks pack exclusive. So anything you want to say to the stacks pack?
Christian Dueñas 54:54
I would say I'm glad to be part of the stacks pack. I made friends here that I. I really like having around in my life. You know, there's Molly and there's Melissa and there's Sharda and there's many more, I'm sure I'm forgetting.
Traci Thomas 55:10
You're leaving someone off.
Christian Dueñas 55:14
Oh, Claire.
Traci Thomas 55:15
No, me! Claire's cool, too. Claire's my best friend, first and foremost. Second of all, I'm talking about me. Hello. What in God's name is happening here?
Christian Dueñas 55:29
Oh, lordy. I don't know if I'm gonna have a job after this,
Traci Thomas 55:31
but no, you are, because no one else will put up with me.
Christian Dueñas 55:36
But also, I just want to say, if you, you know, if you ever looking for more podcasts, go to maximumfun.org. I am part owner of this company, so I would appreciate it. We're also, like, a listener based, like, model of, you know, funding. Yeah, there's a lot of stuff over there. And, you know, I, like, I said, Instagram, everything butts on the butt. I'm talking shit on Letterboxd. I opened up a goodreads recently, just so I can get some algorithm stuff going.
Traci Thomas 56:07
Wow. You opened up a goodreads. See, now you're really a reader. But can I tell you something? Why aren't you on the storygraph?
Christian Dueñas 56:15
I've never heard a story graph,
okay, yes, you have. If you listen to the podcast, I talk about it. Storygraph is basically the same as good reads, but it is not owned by Amazon and created by a black woman in the UK, Nadia, and she's great. And you can get, like, all your reading charts. You can track your pages, and it's like a little more analytical. And like, you can be part of The Stacks like the you can be part of reading challenges, including if you ever want to do the mega challenge. I know you're only at 10 books, but if you want to get to 52 you can, like, enter challenges that you have for yourself. Or, like, your book club. Could have a page where you put all your monthly book club picks and, like, people can read it, whatever. Anyways, it's better.
And I was gonna say because good, good reads is, like, truly the one of the worst UIs I've seen
Traci Thomas 57:04
It's so bad, even like the colors, like the like, tan and brown, I'm just like, okay, 1990s kitchen. I'd like my aesthetic back, like, what's going on? It's so ugly, it's so bad, and it's crazy, because they just like, don't take users feedback. Like, there are threads on, like, sometimes I'll have an issue with Goodreads, and I'll go to, like, help, like, how does this work? And I'll find a thread from like, 2012, and it's like, can you guys please update this? It's really annoying. And, like, it's the same problem I'm having in 2025 but I'm just like, you guys, why do you even take our feedback like you literally don't give a fuck. No Christian, let me be the first to say, thank you for being part of this chaotic company and doing this interview. I can't believe it's taken so long for me to actually like, have the amazing people who work with me do it. But, you know, better late than never.
Christian Dueñas 58:03
Yeah, I'm glad to be part of the team. You know, it's, it's, it's one of my favorite things to to work on. It's a good, it's a good we're doing good work. I'm always, I always, I always say this, but I am very proud to work with you. You know, look, it's a good thing we got going,
Traci Thomas 58:18
can I just tell everybody my favorite thing that Christian does, but sometimes he doesn't do, and it actually upsets me. But every week, when he sends over the Edit, he almost always puts some piece of feedback for me, like, whether it's like, I really like this episode or that was a hard one to get through, or, you know, stop doing that annoying thing that you do. Or sometimes it's a question, it'll be like, do you know that you're doing this? And I'll be like, nope, but I can stop. But I just love that after every episode, I get some piece of feedback. And when he doesn't, I will text him and be like, what did you think of the episode this week? But I appreciate it. And then when you send your invoice every month, you always are like, this was a great month. We had some great episodes. And I'm like, I love it. Every month is great here. So I am appreciative. I do like working with you, which is why you're still here. You've been here since you started. I've never had another person. Well, I had another person when I was at the lady gang network, but you've been my tried and true since 2021 and I'm so grateful for you.
Christian Dueñas 59:24
Shout out to Kevin Bartelt
Oh yeah, Kevin, who works at yo is this racist who referred you to me? Yeah, and was a genius. All of the best people who I've ever had on this team have been referred to me by other people that I love, Christian, you're the best. Thank you so much, and anything I said that was inappropriate, be sure to call HR. Hey, see you in the stacks. Bye, bye.