Ep. 40: Book Club - Crazy Latte Thing Called Love, with Geo Leiva

Graphic Novel Apostle

On this special Book Club episode of the Graphic Novel Apostle podcast, we raise an oversized mug in salute to coffee. Geovanni Leiva, founder of Leiva's Coffee, joins host Mark Ohrenberger to share the inspiring story of Leiva's Coffee - growing from a 7-year-old boy who wanted to get as far away from a life of coffee farming in the rural Guatemala of his youth to the passionate head of a U.S.-based coffee company that dedicates a share of its profits to provide education and offer life-changing opportunity to the coffee farming families of his home village, throughout the rest of Guatemala, and beyond.

Mark and Geo then pour themselves a second cup to share a charming, comedic romp about a Don Quixote-esq insurance adjuster who believe fate has led him to love in a coffee shop in the one-shot comic, Crazy Latte Thing Called Love, from Pesto Comics. Unfortunately for our daydreaming claims agent, the barista who captures his heart is far more interested in her next arson job than in being swept off her feet by some square in her coffee queue. This story is fun!

Book Credits - Crazy Latte Thing Called Love

Writer: Adriano Ariganello (also letterer and publisher!)

Artist: Mattia Monaco (also color artist and cover artist)

Publisher: Pesto Comics

Brew yourself a cup of Leiva's Coffee (we'd recommend the Cookie Doodle roast, but Mark's wife has probably already bought it all) and come sit with us for an hour!

Afterward, check out this awesome video about Leiva's Coffee, from its roots in Guatemala to its HQ in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Let us know what you think. Questions? Comments on the show? Comments on the book we covered? Recommendations for other comic collections or graphic novels?
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