Where curiosity curls up by the fire and inspiration waits on every shelf.
Welcome to
the Den Library
This is a carefully curated collection of resources that feed creativity, spark ideas, and nourish the soul. Here you’ll find favorite books, tools, playlists, and articles — each one chosen for its ability to inspire, provoke thought, or simply make your creative heart flutter.
Think of this as your retro-soul reading & listening list — a place to wander, discover, and gather little fragments of magic to bring into your own work.
How to Use the Library
- Bookmark your favorites
- Take notes, try exercises, and let the inspiration guide you
- Come back often — the den is always growing, and new treasures are added regularly
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Books & Zines
Stories, ideas, and sparks from the edges of imagination.
Step into the shelves of the den, where every book and zine has been handpicked for its ability to awaken curiosity, fuel creativity, and whisper secrets you didn’t know you were seeking. From timeless tomes on art, psychology, and storytelling, to indie zines brimming with raw, unfiltered expression, these pages are invitations to explore, reflect, and get lost in worlds both familiar and strange.
Each selection is more than simply an interesting read… it’s a companion for your own creative journey, a spark for ideas waiting to take flight.
The Creative Independent (TCI) Zines
Tiny guides, big sparks for the wandering artist.
The TCI Zines are pocket-sized portals into the messy, marvelous life of a working creative. Each issue gathers wisdom, insights, and practical guidance from the vast TCI archive — quotes, interviews, essays, and exercises — all designed to help artists navigate both emotional and practical challenges.
Curated with intention and crafted with care, these zines distill complex creative journeys into bite-sized inspiration. From hand-delivered print copies at festivals like Sundance and XOXO, to free downloadable PDFs for your own quiet den, TCI Zines are a reminder that even the smallest pages can hold a world of insight.
Grab one, dive in, and let it spark your next creative adventure.
Steal Like an Artist
By Austin Kleon.
Borrowed sparks that ignite your own fire.
This isn’t a book about stealing—it’s a guide to collecting, remixing, and making the world your creative playground. Kleon shows how ideas are never truly original, and how inspiration lives in the threads we weave from others’ work. Perfect for scribblers, collagers, and daydreamers alike, this book is a reminder that the best art is born when curiosity meets courage, and when you allow yourself to play in the worlds that already exist—then leave your own magic behind.
Open the pages, gather the sparks, and watch your own creativity come alive.
Anamnesis
By Samantha Leigh.
Awaken the stories your soul remembers.
Anamnesis is less a book and more a portal: a guided, interactive experience where curiosity, honesty, and reflection are your only guides. As you move through prompts and draw cards, you’ll uncover hidden truths, tap into innate knowledge, and explore creative constraints that liberate rather than limit.
It’s a playful framework for letting go of old thought patterns, embracing creativity, and discovering the magic that lives within the “box” you never knew could hold so much possibility.
When you are ready, take a deep breath… and wake up.
Brand New You
By Room of Fulfilled Dreams.
Uncover the magic hiding in your own story.
Brand New You is a playful, stylish guide to discovering the unique voice, style, and spark that set you apart. Part journal, part game, part branding boot camp, it offers seven exercises—Mad Libs-style prompts, reflective questionnaires, and more—that help you map your creative identity while also tuning into the people you want to reach.
This isn’t just about goals or logos; it’s about capturing the essence of you and translating it into a brand that feels alive, authentic, and magnetic. Follow along, playfully explore, and watch your own personal branding pyramid unfold with intention and style.
Step inside, grab a pen, and let the wild work of becoming you begin.
Time Management for Creative People
By Mark McGuinness.
Because the muse loves a well-kept calendar.
This isn’t your typical “wake up at 5 a.m. and conquer the world” kind of book. Time Management for Creative People is more like having a wise, coffee-sipping mentor slide a toolkit across the table and say, “Here—pick what works for you.”
Mark McGuinness blends his own hard-earned lessons with the habits of other legendary creatives, then invites you to choose your own adventure. It’s not about cramming more into your day—it’s about shaping your time so inspiration has room to stretch, sprawl, and show up on schedule.
Consider it the gentle nudge your inner artist didn’t know they needed.
Creative Problem-Solving: Overcoming Functional Fixedness
By Colorado College.
Because even a spoon can be a spaceship, if you squint just right.
This little guide is a mental crowbar for prying open the rusted hinges of “the way it’s always been done.” It challenges you to un-see the obvious, reimagine the familiar, and twist everyday objects into something wildly unexpected.
The exercises are quick to read but linger in the mind, inviting you to play, prod, and poke at the limits of your own perspective. Whether you’re designing the next great invention or simply bored with how your desk lamp just… lamps, this practice book will remind you: the magic is in the way you look at it.
Playlists & Audio
Soundtracks for wandering minds and restless souls.
These are the melodies, rhythms, and sonic textures that move ideas, stir moods, and make the creative heart hum. From retro-soul reveries to ambient forest whispers, each playlist is a portal — perfect for journaling, brainstorming, or losing yourself in thought while the world fades away. Press play, and let the den’s soundtrack guide your imagination.
Piano Bar Smooth Hits
A velvet-smooth soundtrack for slow evenings and softer moments. This playlist blends timeless piano melodies with gentle rhythms, evoking the feel of dim lights, clinking glasses, and a seat at your favorite corner table. Perfect for winding down, reading, or letting your thoughts drift somewhere warm and easy.
Midnight Ink & Coffee Rings
Where ideas slip out of the shadows and onto the page, ink-stained and unapologetic. It’s the soft clink of a spoon in a ceramic mug while the clock ignores your need for sleep. It’s the kind of place where inspiration doesn’t knock… it slides in through the window, barefoot and grinning, leaving smudges of poetry, half-finished sketches, and coffee rings across your desk. Here, the night is a co-conspirator, the coffee is always a little too strong, and your muse wears the perfume of ink and moonlight.
Midnight Writing Desk
The night is still, the world asleep… but your mind refuses to rest. Midnight Writer’s Desk is your candlelit companion — a curated collection of classical pieces steeped in mystery, longing, and quiet intensity. These are the shadows between notes, the echoes that stir old memories, the melodies that coax your pen across the page. Whether you’re crafting ghost stories, unraveling secrets, or simply letting your thoughts wander the dark corridors of imagination, this playlist sets the tone for those hours when inspiration strikes hardest… and the clock ticks toward morning.
Tools & Digital Gems
Little keys to unlock big ideas.
Here lie the apps, platforms, templates, and prompts that turn sparks into fire. Each tool is chosen for its ability to help you map thoughts, shape visuals, or build digital magic without losing the soul behind it. Think of this as the fox’s toolbox: practical, playful, and infused with creative mischief.
Milanote
Your brain called… it wants a prettier, more organized place to live. Milanote is like a dream board that got a master’s in project management. This is where your ideas lounge around together, swapping inspiration over virtual coffee. I was truly amazed when I first found this one, and it continues to delight.
AdCreative.AI
Somewhere between a data scientist and a caffeine-fueled art director, AdCreative.AI lives to whip up scroll-stopping ads before your coffee cools. It’s not just fast and beautiful, it’s clairvoyant about what clicks. Seriously, you should check this one out if you need to create awesome ad content frequently on the fly and don’t want to spend an overwhelming amount of time on it.
ElevenLabs
If voices had fairy godparents, ElevenLabs would be the one granting them charm, warmth, and character. It’s the storyteller’s wand for turning text into speech that feels like it was born, not built. You can even clone your own voice to make creating audio and video content so much easier when you can’t find quiet space (talking to you, Moms)… Free accounts available, but upgrades are so affordable it’s a no-brainer. I’ve used ElevenLabs to create a variety of content pieces because it often sounds better than straight recording. Check it out…
Creative Fabrica
Imagine a craft store collided with a spellbook. Creative Fabrica hands you the keys to a limitless treasure trove of fonts, designs, and digital goodies — all whispering, “Make something magical today.” I have a store there called Holistic Fox Studio, so why not check that out first…
Course Creator
Ever daydreamed about bottling your brilliance and sending it out into the world? Course Creator is your lantern in the fog… a step-by-step blueprint for turning “I should teach this someday” into a polished, profitable course without the hair-pulling. With the Build–Film–Sell system, you’ll skip the guesswork, dodge the tech tantrums, and turn your knowledge into something students (and your bank account) will thank you for.
PayKickstart
PayKickstart is an all-in-one subscription billing and affiliate management platform built to help creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses turn their offers into revenue streams without the technical headaches. It streamlines checkout experiences, manages recurring payments, tracks sales, and automates affiliate programs—freeing you to focus on growing your business. Imagine if your payment system didn’t just process money but actually rolled out a velvet carpet, handed you a latte, and whispered, “Relax… I’ve got this.” That’s PayKickstart. From subscriptions that renew like clockwork to one-click upsells that feel like magic,
Articles & Essays
Musings, discoveries, and whispers from fellow wanderers.
Dive into reflections on art, culture, creativity, and the alchemy of everyday inspiration. These essays and articles are handpicked for insight, curiosity, and a touch of mischief — perfect for a slow morning with coffee, a late-night brainstorm, or a walk in the woods with ideas bouncing in your mind. Each piece invites you to pause, ponder, and maybe see your own story from a new angle.
“A Soft Manifesto”
This isn’t a rebel yell—it’s a hug for artists tired of the hustle. Cortney Cassidy lays out anti-capitalist principles that cherish rest, connection, and creative care over incessant grind. It’s a tiny manifesto with its feet firmly planted in soulful creating, ideal for when you need permission to slow down.
“The Slow Media Manifesto”
In a world that screams for your attention, this manifesto whispers: “Choose slow.” It draws inspiration from Slow Food and invites creators (and consumers) to savor media instead of devouring it—favoring depth, intention, and honest connection over flash and fast. A must-read for anyone longing to stay grounded in the digital age.
“The Art of Noticing: Five Ways to Experience a City Differently”
Sometimes, the most magical discoveries are hiding in plain sight. This article distills Rob Walker’s ideas (from The Art of Noticing) into cunning prompts like “Look for ghosts and ruins” or “Notice the accidental poetry in everyday moments.” It’s a gentle nudge to unplug and slow down—to truly see what’s around you, even when you’re just walking down your usual street.
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A Gentle Nudge from the Fox’s Desk…
Some of the links tucked between these shelves of this Library may be affiliate links — little magical portals that, should you choose to wander through them and make a purchase, send a tiny tip back my way (at no extra cost to you). It’s like tossing a coin into the wishing well so the library’s lantern stays lit.
Thank you for helping keep the artistry flowing and the tea warm.