Welcome to the Alchemy’s podcast, where Tim and LeeAnna dive into small talk: Because sometimes “Nice weather, huh?” is just foreplay for a breakdown. So, small talk—the supposedly pointless filler that’s actually a prehistoric survival ritual in disguise. Along the way, there are missing spoons, tragic muffin chats, and the science behind why your brain syncs with strangers before plotting its escape. Writers, listen up: small talk isn’t fluff—it’s strategy. And for the rest of us? It might just keep us from getting punched in a lift. Alchemy: Where even your coffee shop hellos come with emotional damage.

Because nothing kills the emotional tension of a scene like being interrupted to hear about socks that “feel like a hug” or a mattress made from recycled optimism. We don’t do ads—and we don’t do those sneaky sponsorships you only realize were ads three days later... in the shower😉. We do strange, beautiful, and occasionally uncomfortable human truths. You’re welcome.

Read The Snark’s review of this podcast here. Writers’ prompts for this podcast are here. Submission page for Effigy Press here. Effigy Press here.

Intro music: brighter days by Oliver Massa - License code: S4QNBRVN0S5MTNW4 https://uppbeat.io/t/oliver-massa/brighter-days Outro music: nightdrive by mood-maze - License code: OGGKCMVJLUMOBW5P https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/nightdrive. Or, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NZsJWoGZ9A