Friendship, gratitude, and the joy of storytelling take center stage in the latest episode of This Happened: The Yarnslingers Podcast. Host Greg Triggs reconnects with longtime friend Lorna Landvik, the bestselling author of Patty Jane’s House of Curl and Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons.

Triggs and Landvik met as improvisers at Minneapolis’ Brave New Workshop. Their friendship spans about 40 years, and Triggs credits Landvik with inspiring him to write novels.

Landvik has published 13 books, known for their memorable characters and quirky Midwestern sensibility.

In the episode, “Thankful for Friendship,” Landvik describes a writing process guided by imagination rather than a predetermined outline. Her characters often lead her in unexpected directions.

“Imagination, you follow your imagination rather than have it leashed and have it follow you,” Landvik says.

The episode features two new stories written specifically for the podcast, exploring Thanksgiving, gratitude and abundance. Triggs says sharing their latest work gave the longtime friends an opportunity to exchange ideas and reflect on their lives as writers.

He hopes the stories will encourage listeners to bring their own experiences to what they hear, rather than telling them exactly what to feel.

The Yarnslingers’ next live storytelling performance, “Abundance,” is scheduled for Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. at The Arts Nest in Lake Huntington.