In this brand new episode of The Porchlight, Bethany Hegedus interviews friend and local Austin author Lindsay Leslie whose debut picture book, THIS BOOK IS SPINELESS, has one of the finest first page turns ever according to a review from Booklist.   Lindsay was a journalism major who worked as a public relations executive, but it wasn't until she found her way into the world of children's literature that she felt safe and at home. She began telling bedtime stories to her children and realized she wanted to write stories as well. In fact, the inspiration for THIS BOOK IS SPINELESS came from her son's messy room when she stepped on a picture book and feared she'd broken its spine.   During the episode, Bethany and Lindsay discuss all the picture book rules and when and how to break them. Lindsay talks about her love of meta picture books and how they allow such a deep connection with readers by pulling them in to be participants in the story. Creation gives Lindsay courage, and writing helps her handle anxiety.   Her hope is that her stories will also help readers handle anxiety, which she says is only one of our feelings and not one that deserves the grand stage. Also, she tells listeners the story of how she first got a book contract offer via a Twitter pitch contest and got an agent second, which flips the usual pattern of things on its head. Tune in today to this funny and inspiring episode of The Porchlight. For more about Lindsay and her work, go to https://lindsayleslie.com/