Why We Write

Zin E. Rocklyn speaks on their Shirley Jackson Award-winning novella “Flowers for the Sea" with fellow speculative fiction author and Lesley University faculty Laurie Foos.Read Zin's essay, "My Genre Makes a Monster of Me" from Uncanny MagazineRead more about Zin and Laurie and find a transcript for this episode on our website.Learn more about Lesley University's low-residency MFA in Creative Writing program.

Creative Writing alum Nathan Tavares talks about his debut novel, "A Fractured Infinity," a sci-fi love story that's "like the movie 'Arrival,' but really gay." In this episode, Nathan gives us a view into writing sci-fi, his career as a freelance journalist, and what he learned in his MFA program.Read more about Nathan and our MFA in Creative Writing program.P.S. See Nathan speak about his book live at Brookline Booksmith on Dec. 7.

Episode notesBeing friends with Toni Morrison, one of the most influential writers in American literature was a life-changing experience for A.J. Verdelle, but it came with its ups and downs. A.J. writes about her relationship with the Beloved author, including their "two and a half spats" in Miss Chloe: A Memoir of a Literary Friendship with Toni Morrison. In this episode, A.J. sits down with nonfiction author Jane Brox to give us insight into her writing process and the impact of being chosen by Toni Morrison.About our guestA. J. Verdelle is the award-winning author of the novel, The Good Negress, as well as a number of essays and short stories. She was awarded the Whiting Award in fiction, the Vursell Distinguished Fiction Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters; the Bunting Fellowship and the NEA Critical Studies Award. She was also a finalist for PEN/Faulkner Award. A.J. teaches in Lesley's MFA in Creative Writing program.Mentioned in this episode:‘Miss Chloe' recounts A.J. Verdelle's friendship with Toni MorrisonGet writing advice from A.J. on Ep. 35 of Why We WriteThe sound of 'Silence' with Jane Brox

Episode notesThe forced relocation of thousands of Japanese and Japanese-Americans during World War II profoundly shaped Emily Inouye Huey's family. Uprooted from their home on the West Coast, her great grandparents and grandparents were forced to live in a Wyoming internment camp, which is where her father was born. Inspired by her family's story, Emily wrote Beneath the Wide Silk Sky, a heartbreaking and beautiful story of a Japanese-American teenager in the days leading up to and following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.In this episode, Emily shares her writing and research process, some questionable publishing advice she received (add werewolves?!), and the evergreen call to preserve human dignity.About our guestEmily Inouye Huey is the author of Beneath the Wide Silk Sky (Scholastic 2022). She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University and teaches at Salt Lake Community College. Besides books, her passions include education, the arts, the outdoors, and her family.More about Emily:Emily's websiteFollow Emily on InstagramFind a transcript on our episode page.

Lesley University alumna and Creative Writing faculty Sara Farizan talks about her first YA horror novel, Dead Flip, a not-too-scary of nostalgia, friendship, and an evil pinball machine. In this episode, she gives advice for writers about writing in a new genre and shares her own fears of Chucky Dolls, Stephen King novels, and more!Read more about Sara FarizanSara discusses her novel "Here to Stay" on Why We Write.Sara interviews fellow YA writer Axie Oh.Find the transcript for this episode.

Episode notesGrowing up, Grace K. Shim relished the twists and turns of Korean dramas. Now, she's written one of her own with her YA debut, The Noh Family, in which recent high school graduate Chloe Chang discovers through a DNA test that she has family in Korea...and they're not only rich but they've got lots of secrets. Drama ensues.On the episode, Grace talks about how her story overlaps with her character's, why she took up writing, and the rise of Asian American voices in publishing.About our guestGrace K. Chang '05 received a master's degree from Lesley's Graduate School of Education. Grace grew up in Tulsa Oklahoma as one of two Korean-Americans at her high school (her sister was the other one). Today, Grace writes books with Korean-American protagonists that she wished she had read about as a teen.When she's not plotting (the writing kind, not the world domination kind), you can find her wearing a Korean sheet mask, baking French macarons, and unintentionally killing house plants and succulents. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband and three kids.More about Grace:Grace's websiteFollow Grace on Instagram and TwitterListen to our interviews with more Asian American YA authors:Axie Oh's 'Rogue Heart'Author Andrea Wang on Growing up Chinese-American in the Midwest Find the transcript on the episode page.

The Bronx is Reading founder Saraciea J. Fennell is working to get more books into the hands of young people, especially those who come from backgrounds similar to hers, through her organization, a yearly book festival, and one day a bookstore. Saraciea is also the editor of the acclaimed 2021 young adult anthology Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed, which features essays and poems by Latinx authors such as Elizabeth Acevedo and Ibi Zoboi about the myths, and stereotypes surrounding their culture and identity. In this episode, Saraciea, a 2020 graduate of our MFA in Creative Writing program, discusses her own essay about being put into foster care as a kid and how she wants to effect change in her corner of New York City.About our guestSaraciea J. Fennell is a Black Honduran writer and the founder of The Bronx is Reading. She is also a book publicist who has worked with many award-winning and New York Times bestselling authors. Fennell sits on the board for Latinx in Publishing as well as on the Advisory Board of People of Color in Publishing.Learn more about Saraciea, her book, and her newsletter on her website.Follow Saraciea on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTokFind a transcript of this interview on our episode page.

Episode notesWhether you're a parent, teacher, or simply someone who will one day in encounter a child, Rebecca Rolland '17 has advice for how to respond to kids, and most importantly, how to listen.Find a transcript of this episode on our show page.About our guestRebecca Rolland is a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and serves on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. She is also an oral and written language specialist in the Neurology Department of Boston Children's Hospital. As a nationally certified speech-language pathologist, she has worked clinically with populations ranging from early childhood through high school and has provided teacher professional development. In addition to a master's in Creative Writing from Lesley, she has an Ed.D. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, an M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from the MGH Institute of Health Professions, an M.A. in English from Boston University, and a B.A. in English from Yale.Learn more about Rebecca, her book, and her newsletter on her website.Follow Rebecca on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn

With heartfelt, gritty, and sometimes humorous essays, Cindy House's memoir Mother Noise addresses her years of drug addiction, becoming a parent, and her long friendship with David Sedaris.Learn more about "Mother Noise."Hear Cindy read one of the essays from Mother Noise in Episode 16.Read our article Cindy House '17 on David Sedaris, kicking heroin and why she wants to send 'everybody a cupcake'About our guestCindy House is an essayist, short story writer, artist, and a regular opener for David Sedaris on his tours across the country. She studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and earned an MFA from Lesley University in 2017. She lives in New Haven, Connecticut, with her husband and son.A transcript and more podcast info are available on the episode page.

Tavi Taylor Black and Christine Junge are the podcasters behind The Personal Element, a monthly discussion about one essay that both writers loved. On this episode, they take us through their podcasting process, and we discuss an essay from Cindy House's forthcoming collection "Mother Noise."A transcript and more podcast info are available on the episode page.About our guestsChristine Junge and Tavi Black met when they were working on their MFAs at Lesley University in the early 2000s. They became fast friends after sharing conversations about books, love, and life over meals in the cafeteria and drinks at the Lizard Lounge. Since graduating, they often read and critique each other's work. They are both really excited to be sharing The Personal Element podcast with listeners. Follow the podcast on Instagram or Facebook.More about ChristineChristine is currently shopping two novels to agents. She lives in San Jose, CA, with her husband and baby. She's also hard at work on her next book, which features a character dealing with debilitating anxiety. You can read Christine's essay, which we talk about in Season 1: Episode 3, Taking Control of My Body Image, which was originally published in Chicken Soup for the Soul. Find out more info about Christine on her website.More about TaviTavi lives on Vashon Island outside of Seattle with her husband, daughter, and a full household of pets. Tavi's debut novel with TouchPoint Press, Where Are We Tomorrow? is about four women working backstage on a rock tour. Her next projects are a historical fiction set in 1913 in Bar Harbor, Maine due out in January of 2023, and a middle-grade fantasy novel she wrote with her daughter. You can find out more about Tavi on her website or on Instagram. 

On our final National Poetry Month episode of the year, Bonita Lee Penn shares a hopeful poem inspired by death (no really). Find the transcript on our episode page.Today's guestBonita Lee Penn is an alumna of our MFA in Creative Writing program, a Pittsburgh poet and the author of Every Morning a Foot is Looking for My Neck (Central Square Press). Her work has been included in the anthology Where We Stand: Poems of Black Resilience (2022 Cherry Castle Publishing); Taint Taint Taint Literary Magazine, The Massachusetts Review, Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices, and others. Penn is also Managing Editor, Soul Pitt Quarterly Magazine, literary program coordinator with United Black Book Clubs of Pittsburgh, and Poetry Instructor for Madwomen in the Attic Creative Writing Workshop (Carlow University).Check out previous Poetry Month episodes:"Soft" by Staci Halt"the world as it is" by July Westhale"Memo to the Border Patrol Agent Who Poured Out the Water We Left in the Desert" by Robbie Gamble"The Translator" by Kevin Prufer"As for the Heart" by Erin Belieu"We Be Womxn" by U-Meleni Mhlaba-AdeboCowboys and "The Dread" by Lydia Leclerc

In our third National Poetry Month episode of the month, a visit to New York City expands Staci Halt's understanding of poetry and inspires her poem "Soft."A transcript of this episode, info about programs at Lesley University, and more podcast stuff can be found on the episode page.Today's guestStaci Halt is an MFA candidate at Lesley University and mother of six super cool humans and an unseemly number of fur children. Her poems were longlisted for Palette Poetry's Love & Eros Prize (2022), and her work can be found in McSweeny's and is forthcoming in Salamander Magazine.Check out previous Poetry Month episodes:"the world as it is" by July Westhale"Memo to the Border Patrol Agent Who Poured Out the Water We Left in the Desert" by Robbie Gamble"The Translator" by Kevin Prufer"As for the Heart" by Erin Belieu"We Be Womxn" by U-Meleni Mhlaba-AdeboCowboys and "The Dread" by Lydia Leclerc

Episode notes July Westhale '13 imagines life in outer space with her forthcoming poetry collection "Moon Moon." On this episode, she gives us a preview with "the world as it is." Find the transcript on our episode page.About our guestJuly Westhale '13 holds an MFA in Poetry from Lesley. Westhale is a novelist, translator, and the award-winning author of six books, including "Via Negativa," which Publishers Weekly called "stunning" in a starred review. Her most recent work can be found in McSweeney's, The National Poetry Review, Prairie Schooner, CALYX, and The Huffington Post, among others. When she's not teaching, she works as a co-founding editor of PULP Magazine. She is represented by Carolyn Forde at Transatlantic. Learn more at www.julywesthale.co. Check out previous Poetry Month episodes:"Memo to the Border Patrol Agent Who Poured Out the Water We Left in the Desert" by Robbie Gamble"The Translator" by Kevin Prufer"As for the Heart" by Erin Belieu"We Be Womxn" by U-Meleni Mhlaba-AdeboCowboys and "The Dread" by Lydia Leclerc

Our Poetry Month series returns! Every Tuesday in April we invite a Lesley poet to share a poem and speak briefly about their work. This year, we're starting with Robbie Gamble '17, who reads and discusses "Memo to the Border Patrol Agent Who Poured Out the Water We Left in the Desert."Find the transcript on the episode page.About our guestRobbie Gamble '17 holds an MFA in Poetry from Lesley. He is the author of A Can of Pinto Beans, from Lily Poetry Review Press (2022). His poems and essays have appeared in the Atlanta Review, Pangyrus, Poet Lore, RHINO, Rust + Moth, Spillway, Tahoma Literary Review, and The Sun, among other journals. Recipient of the Carve Poetry prize, and a Peter Taylor Fellowship at the Kenyon Summer Writers Workshop, he serves as poetry editor for Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices. Robbie worked for 20 years as a nurse practitioner with Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, and he now divides his time between Boston and Vermont.Check out last year's poems:"The Translator" by Kevin Prufer"As for the Heart" by Erin Belieu"We Be Womxn" by U-Meleni Mhlaba-AdeboCowboys and "The Dread" by Lydia Leclerc

Poetry is great, right? Why don't we read it more? Poet and professor Kevin Prufer gives us practical ways to start reading poetry and why it's (sometimes) better than fiction.This episode is all to get us ready for National Poetry Month, where we share a poem a week and the inspiration behind it. Check out last year's poems:"The Translator" by Kevin Prufer"As for the Heart" by Erin Belieu"We Be Womxn" by U-Meleni Mhlaba-AdeboCowboys and "The Dread" by Lydia LeclercFor more information on Kevin Prufer, our MFA in Creative Writing program (where Kevin is a faculty member), and a transcript, visit our episode page.

 In Hayley Krischer's "The Falling Girls," a mysterious death, friendship, betrayal, and social media mix to create a "thrilleresque" and compulsively readable young adult novel with inspiration from Mean Girls, Heathers, and Netflix's Cheer. Hayley is a journalist whose work has been featured in the New York Times. In this episode, she talks about her books, rage writing during the pandemic, and her MFA experience with Emily Earle, our social media manager.Check out our episode notes for a transcript, links to topics discussed on the episode, and to learn more about our low-residency MFA in Creative Writing program.

In her memoir, The Long Field: Wales and the Presence of Absence, Pamela Petro unfurls the meaning of hireath — a Welsh word that encompasses nostalgia, homesickness, and longing — and dissects all that that the word has meant to her as a gay woman, a creative writer, a daughter, a traveler and more.Mentioned in this episode:The Long Field is available from Book DepositoryPamela's websiteLesley's MFA in Creative Writing low-residency programLearn more about Pamela Petro and more on our episode page.

Margaret F. Chen's short story collection Suburban Gothic peers behind the facade of life in the 'burbs...and it gets a little dark.In this episode, Margaret discusses her fascination with suburbs, choosing to publish independently, and why she's going to stick to writing short stories.Mentioned in this episode:Lesley University's low-residency MFA in Creative Writing programA Short-Story Writer Publishes on Her Own TermsKirkus review of Suburban GothicSuburban Gothic and Three Terrible Tales are available from Politics and ProseFind all our episodes, show notes, and transcriptions at https://lesley.edu/podcasts/why-we-write. 

In "Blue Desert," Celia Jeffries tells the story of a young English woman abducted by a nomadic tribe into the Sahara. In this episode, Celia talks about writing a story in a culture and time completely separate from her own as well as her long path to getting published.Celia is a graduate of the Lesley University MFA in Creative Writing program. For more info, visit our episode page.This is our final episode of the year. We'll be back in February with new shows. Email news@lesley.edu if you have ideas for future episodes!

We're midway through National Novel Writing Month, and we've got two NaNoWriMo veterans to share their advice. Whether or not you're trying to pen 50,000 words on your novel this month or are thinking about setting writing goals, our NaNoWriMo alums Hurley Winkler and Julia Leef have practical tips for staying the course...and what to do when you don't make those daily word counts.Hurley and Julia are graduates of Lesley University's low-residency MFA in Creative Writing. Learn more about our guests, find links to items discussed today, and get a copy of the transcript on our episode page.This week's episode image courtesy of NaNoWriMo.

Buki Papillon talks about her acclaimed debut "An Ordinary Wonder," a coming of age novel about Oto, an intersex teen growing up in Nigeria. Buki, an alumna of our MFA in Creative Writing program, talks about the drive that keeps her writing, rewriting almost her whole book after she got a book deal, and lots more.Janet Pocorobba, interim direct of Lesley University's MFA program, interviews Buki.Find the transcript and more on the episode page. 

MFA in Creative Writing faculty Tony Eprile has reviewed books, and of course, been reviewed. On this episode, he gives us a peak into his workshop on book reviews and shares the reasons why authors should write them, the pitfalls many new reviewers fall into, and the best practices (hint: don't go full Simon Cowell). Mentioned in this episodeColson Whitehead's scathing review of Richard Ford's "The End of the Affair"Parul Sehgal finds racial and gender imbalances in her review of 125 years of New York Times reviews. About Tony EprileTony Eprile is the author of "The Persistence of Memory," winner of the Koret Foundation Jewish Book Prize and a "notable book" or "best book" by The L.A. Times, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. He is also the author of "Temporary Sojourner & Other African Stories." Learn more about Tony here.A transcript for this episode is available here.

The interconnected short stories in Celeste Mohammed's debut novel, Pleasantview, dispel the myth of Trinidad as a happy-go-lucky island nation, instead revealing it as a complex, troubled, multiracial society.  A lawyer turned writer, Celeste discusses the colorful characters in her book, growing up multiracial, writing in patois that is both authentic and readable and more!Read more about Celeste on our episode page.Learn about our low-residency in MFA in Creative Writing program.

Even though Lesley University MFA in Creative Writing alum Thato Mwosa grew up in Bostwana, her dolls were white and so were most of the faces on her TV. When American shows like "Sister, Sister," "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air," and "Martin" began airing in her country, Thato was enthralled. Now, she is using her varied creative interests to celebrate Black and African people, from her award-winning film Memoirs of a Black Girl, to a book on accomplished African women and even an African trivia game.Learn more about Thato Mwosa and about our low-residency Creative Writing MFA program.

Children's and middle-grade author Andrea Wang talks about her two new releases for young readers—both exploring Chinese-American identity and growing up in the Midwest. Watercress is a gorgeous picture book about feeling out of place, about family and about family history. The Many Meanings of Meilan finds a middle-grade girl dealing with the upheaval of a big move to a small town, racism, and growing up.Lesley University is located in beautiful Cambridge, Massachusetts. Learn more about our low-residency MFA in Creative Writing program.About AndreaAndrea Wang is the award-winning author of picture books The Nian Monster (Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor) and Magic Ramen (Freeman Book Award Honor). She has two books releasing in 2021: Watercress (2021 Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award, JLG Gold Standard Selection, starred reviews from BCCB, Horn Book, Kirkus, PW, and SLJ); and The Many Meanings of Meilan, her debut middle grade novel. Her work explores culture, creative thinking, and identity. She is also the author of seven nonfiction titles for the library and school market. Andrea holds an M.S. in Environmental Science and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing for Young People. She lives in the Denver area with her family. 

For our last episode of the season, young adult author Cameron Kelly Rosenblum talks about "The Stepping Off Place," her heartbreaking novel about friendship, mental health, suicide, love and growing up.This episode does discuss suicide at length. If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, please seek help.Chat with someone at the Suicide Prevention Lifeline or call 1-800-273-8255. You can also text a crisis counselor at 741741.If you live in Canada, call the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868 to speak to a trained, volunteer Crisis Responder immediately.Mentioned in this episode:The Center for Grieving Children (Maine)The Yellow Tulip ProjectCameron Kelly Rosenblum's websiteCameron's InstagramAlways more info at www.lesley.edu/why-we-write.

In his debut, The Passenger: How a Travel Writer Learned to Love Cruises & Other Lies from a Sinking Ship (Godine, June 2021),  longtime travel writer Chaney Kwak recounts his harrowing experiences on board the Viking Sky cruise ship that, in 2019, nearly capsized. Chaney was living in Berlin, Germany, and freelancing for publications such as The New York Times when he began his MFA studies in fiction at Lesley University. He has contributed to Condé Nast Traveler, Afar, Travel & Leisure, and a number of National Geographic anthologies. His fiction has appeared in Zyzzyva, Catamaran Literary Review, Gertrude, and other literary journals, earning a special mention from the Pushcart Prize. A winner of the Key West Literary Seminar Emerging Writer Awards, he has received scholarships from the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and other literary workshops. Visit his author website.Find the transcript and more on our episode page.

It's the final week of our National Poetry Month series, and we're joined by Pulitzer Prize-nominated poet Kevin Prufer who reads and discusses 'The Translator,'  a poem from his most recent collection The Art of Fiction.Kevin is a member of Lesley University's low residency MFA in Creative Writing program.  Among his many awards are four Pushcart prizes. His poems have appeared in Best American Poetry multiple times. Kevin has written a number of poetry collections, including How He Loved Them, which was long-listed for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize and today he’s sharing a poem from his latest book, The Art of Fiction, which was released earlier this year.  Read more about Kevin Prufer.Check out the other poems in the series:'As for the Heart' by Erin BelieuLydia Leclerc on cowboys and trauma'We Be Womxn' by U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo

For National Poetry Month, we've invited one poet from our community to share a poem and a little about their process. This week, acclaimed poet Erin Belieu reads her poem "As for the Heart," written during the pandemic and published in her latest collection, Come Hither, Honeycomb. Erin Belieu is the author of Infanta, chosen by Hayden Carruth for the National Poetry Series; One Above & One Below, winner of the Midland Authors Prize and Ohioana Poetry Award; Black Box, a Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist; Slant Six, a New York Times favorite book of 2014; and Come-Hither Honeycomb (2020), all published by Copper Canyon Press. Her poems have appeared in places such as The Best American Poetry, The New Yorker, Poetry, The New York Times, The Atlantic, AGNI, Tin House, and The American Poetry Review. She currently teaches in the Lesley University low-residency MFA in Creative Writing program.Read The New Yorker review of Come Hither, Honeycomb. 

It's National Poetry Month and we're doing things a little differently this month. Each week in April, we're inviting one poet from the Lesley community to share some of their verses and talk about their work. Zimbabwean-American poet U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo shares two poems, her Cyrano de Bergerac beginnings, and more.U-Meleni is a graduate of our master's in education program. Check out our episode page where you'll find more on U-Meleni, a transcript of this episode, links to our programs and more poetry-themed episodes.

It's National Poetry Month and we're doing things a little differently. Each week in April, we're inviting one poet from the Lesley community to share a poem and share their inspiration. Our first guest is Lydia Leclerc, a current student in the poetry track of our MFA in Creative Writing program, who shares "Cowboys Will Come Up with New Terms for Psychological Conditions" and the backstory.Find our show notes and transcript on our episode page.

Katya Zinn's debut book of poetry "human versus" explores the multiverse, mental health, trauma, loss, and healing. In our interview, she talks about the double entendres in her book, putting herself on the page, and her multidimensional view of poetry (literally)!"human verses" is out now from Finishing Line Press.Read more about Katya and links to her book and our profile of her on our episode page.

With all the extra time at home during the pandemic, it seems like we all should have written multiple books and launched amazing creative projects….but that's probably not reality.Author and writing mentor Tracey Baptiste has some advice for writing under pressure and during the pandemic, starting with some wisdom we really love: take naps and stay hydrated.Tracey Baptiste is the author of the popular middle-grade Jumbies novels and a faculty member in Lesley University's MFA in Creative Writing low-residency program.Links from this episode:Tracey recommends: The Creative Habit by Twyla TharpTracey's video series: Creating Under PressureHear more from Tracey on Episode 29: Caribbean mermaids and evil spirits with Tracey Baptiste

In her debut, My Captain America: A Granddaughter's Memoir of a Legendary Comic Book Artist, Megan Margulies writes about coming of age in New York and her beloved “Daddy Joe,” aka her grandfather Joe Simon, a cartoonist and co-creator of Captain America.In this episode, Megan discusses her relationship with her grandfather, writing as a mother of young kids, getting the perfect cover for her book, and having her mom read her work.Fellow memoirist and Lesley University MFA in Creative Writing faculty Rachel Manley interviews Megan, a graduate of the program.Learn more about Megan.

Professor Steven Cramer is the founder of our MFA in Creative Writing program and the author of multiple books of poetry, including Clangings and Listen. Steven’s work has appeared in publications such as The Paris Review, Ploughshares, Slate, The Atlantic Monthly, and many others.In this episode, Patty is interviewed by alumna Andrea Read.For the transcript and more podcast info, visit our episode page.

Patty O'Connell Pearson's latest book "Conspiracy: Nixon, Watergate, and Democracy's Defenders" is a middle-grade nonfiction book that explains the inner workings of the Watergate Scandal. In this episode, Patty, talks about how she came to love history, the importance of defending democracy, and how her book relates to current events.Check out our episode page for more information and the transcript. 

Graphic novelist and illustrator Sophie Goldstein talks about her latest book "An Embarrassment of Witches," collaborating with her coauthor Jenn Jordan, Patreon, and more!Sophie Goldstein is a faculty member in Lesley University's MFA in Creative Writing program's new graphic novel track. Find out more about Sophie and our program on our episode page.

Karin Cecile Davidson talks about her debut Sybelia Drive, a coming of age novel told from multiple perspectives and set in Florida during the turbulent Vietnam Era. At its heart, the book is about friendship, loss, grief, and hope.In this episode, Karin talks about turning short stories into a novel, her ties to the Gulf Coast, and the research she did to properly honor those who fought in the Vietnam war.Find the transcript for this episode, links mentioned and more on the episode page.

Julia Denos's new book Starcrossed features two socially distanced friends. One lives on earth, one in the stars. Julia, talks about the origins of the story, mindfulness for children, painting, and why we need new creators. Lesley Assistant Director for Social Media Emily Earle conducts the interview. About the guestJulia Denos is an author and illustrator of books for children. Sometimes she writes the books, sometimes she illustrates them, and sometimes she does both. Julia's books include Starcrossed, Here and Now, Swatch and Windows. She is a graduate of the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley (now the Lesley University College of Art and Design). You can find Julia on Instagram at @juliadenos. Pro tip: Check out her Instastories!

Jennifer LeBlanc speaks about her debut book Descent, which employs imagination and myth to create deeply immersive poems.Jennifer is interviewed by former Boston Poet Laureate and Lesley University Professor Danielle Legros Georges.For more information, visit our episode page.

Writing with unflinching honesty, Dr. Matthew E. Henry's debut poetry collection, "Teaching While Black,"  confronts racism in the classroom. Read our profile of Dr. HenryDr. Matthew E. Henry's websiteWhy We Write homepage

Candice Iloh draws from her own upbringing for "Every Body Looking," her debut YA novel written in verse. The story, which has been longlisted for the 2020 National Book Awards, follows Ada, a Nigerian-American teen struggling with her sexuality, her father's faith, and finding her place in college.Candice Iloh's websitePick up "Every Body Looking"The 2020 National Book Awards Longlist: Young People’s LiteratureFind all our episodes, show notes, and transcripts.

We wrap up our second season with a reflection on Lesley University's three-decades old literary magazine.Check out the full archives of Commonthought Magazine.For more information on our guests, Professor Anne Pluto and Senior Lecturer Chris Clark, visit our episode page.

Mariama Lockington's debut middle grade novel, For Black Girls Like Me, incorporates poetry and prose into a story about a transracial adoptee who deals with racism, mental health and growing up.Mariama talks about her own experiences growing up black with white parents, how her educational experience formed her book, and the 10-year process of writing and rewriting her novel.For more information on Mariama, the podcast and our other episodes, visit our podcast page.

What's the hardest part about writing? Sitting down and doing it. Today's guests, Emily Lee and Cassie Stossel are recent MFA grads and the founders of the newsletter Sit Down and Write, in which published authors share their writing habits and talk about their new books.In this episode, we talk about the effect that the coronavirus is having on the writing process and for authors with new books coming out, as well as Emily and Cassie's favorite writing tips.Sign up for Sit Down and Write (it's free!)For more information, visit our episode page.

Best-selling young adult author Jason Reynolds dissects some of his favorite passages to uncover the keys to writing a powerful narrative.Works discussed in this episode:Long Way Down  by Jason ReynoldsLook Both Ways by Jason ReynoldsStamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. KendiBeloved by Toni MorrisonNickel Boys by Colson WhiteheadI saw Emmett Till this week at the grocery store by Eve L. EwingWhen You Learn the Alphabet by Kendra AllenGirl by Jamaica KincaidFences (2016) [film]Black Enough by Jason ReynoldsRead more about Jason Reynolds, listen to our interview with him and more on our episode page.

In her debut, physician and author Lisa Gruenberg writes a lyrical memoir about her family, pieced together from her father's letters, research, and reconstructing the lost histories of a family torn apart by the Holocaust.Learn more about Gruenberg, Lesley University's low-residency creative writing program and our other episodes at lesley.edu/podcast.  

"There's no willy-nilly in writing," says acclaimed author A.J. Verdelle (The Good Negress) and that means mastering scenes. In this workshop, held at Lesley University, A.J. talks about what goes into writing scene for all genres and why it's a necessary skill for any aspiring author.Find the story arc and books mentioned in this episode on our podcast page.

Jasmine Warga's first middle grade novel, "Other Words for Home," is making tons of 2019 book lists and for good reason. The timely, emotional and hopeful novel in verse follows a Syrian sixth grader as she adjusts to her new home in Cincinnati even as she experiences uncertainty and fear.Visit our episode page for more information on Jasmine.

Note: This episode discusses sexual abuse.Tracy Strauss's debut memoir, "I Just Haven't Met You Yet," explores her process of healing as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and the pursuit of love in the 21st century. A graduate of Lesley University's MFA in Creative Writing program, Tracy has written extensively on love and dating and her essays have been published in Glamour, New York Magazine, Oprah Magazine, The Millions, Ms. Magazine, The Huffington Post, Salon, Publishers Weekly, Ploughshares, The Rumpus, and other publications."I Just Haven't Met You Yet" was named a hardcover bestseller by Harvard Bookstore and Diesel Bookstore, an Audio File Magazine  2019 Earphones Award Winner, and was selected for Books on the T.For more information on Tracy, visit our episode page. 

Laurie Foos is the author of seven novels and novellas. In her own words, Laurie's books “push the limits of reality, to make things seem absurd and grotesque in order for the reader to see things in a new way.” For example, in Ex Utero a woman loses her uterus in a shopping mall. In The Blue Girl, the lives of three sets of mothers and daughters are overshadowed by the appearance of a blue girl, to whom the mothers feed moon pies in secret.Her work has been categorized as fabulist and magical realism while addressing issues of family, suburban malaise, and the role of women. She's also delving into realistic fiction with Toast, a novella about a child with autism and his sister, insipred by her own family.Laurie teaches in the Lesley University MFA in Creative Writing program and speaks with Georgia Sparling in this interview.Learn more about this podcast and our creative writing program on our episode page.