Interviews

Watch or listen to more interviews on Journey of the Art, a literary podcast exploring the creative process through author interviews and storytelling.

  • Ep 46: How culture impacts male infertility in Yejide Kilanko's In Our Own Ways
    How does culture shape a person’s response to male infertility? What happens when money can solve your problem, but your character won’t let you take the reasonable way out? What happens when a miracle is not in fact a miracle but a string of carefully planned cruelties?These are the questions In Our Own Ways, Yejide Kilanko’s […]
  • Ep 45: Aging parents and the duty of care
    I'm joined by Ann Cavlovic to discuss her novel, Count On Me. The novel follows the story of Tia and her brother Tristan, who, alongside his girlfriend, proceeds to take financial advantage of their parents when they're ill. It’s a story of broken trust and the duty of love.Ann's novel explores the realities of elder […]
  • Ep 44: A black neurosurgeon’s journey through memory and upbringing
    In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Craig Yorke to discuss candid reflections on his journey through race, a strict upbringing, and his career as a neurosurgeon.Dr. Yorke is the author of Steep, an exploration of the psychological impact of childhood experiences on adult resiliency and identity.We discuss the inspiration behind the book, his early life […]
  • Ep 43: The Story and Science of Hope
    Did you know that hope is a story and a science?In Episode 43, I'm speaking with journalist Andrea Curtis about her book for middle graders, The Story and Science of Hope. Sparked by an observation of despair among children, Andrea set out to investigate the source and history of hope and what it could mean for the […]
  • Ep 42: An homage to Igbo ancestry and history
    I’m delighted to resume the show with a discussion on naming and history. In Episode 42, I’m chatting with Chinua Ezenwa-Ohaeto about his poetry collection, “The Naming,” a book about revelations and ongoing conversations with ancestors about identity, memory, and history.Our journey begins with the definition of names and Chinua’s claim that his name is perhaps […]
  • Ep 41: How to Talk to Kids About Food Insecurity Through Storytelling
    In Episode 41, I’m joined by Canadian children’s book writers Eric Walters and Lana Button to discuss their award-winning book, One Can. Illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant, One Can tells the emotional story of a young boy’s generosity and the importance of community in tackling food insecurity. It is a story of hope and a reminder of […]
  • Ep 40: The Secret to Writing Children's Books
    In Episode 40 of the podcast, I have the privilege of speaking with adult and children’s book writer Caroline Adderson, writer of A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests. A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests is a brilliant children’s book about thinking and finding quiet moments in a chaotic world. Illustrated by Lauren Tamaki, the book imagines how […]
  • Ep 39: How a Tumblr post became a novel
    In Episode 39, I’m chatting with Whitney French about her novel in verse, Syncopation, a science fiction novel about two women searching for meaning and purpose in a catastrophic world where memory is currency. We talk about the musicality of Syncopation, how a random Tumblr post birthed the idea of the book, and what characters can teach us […]
  • Ep 38: The Pugilist and the Sailor
    In this episode, I’m joined by Nadia Ragbar to discuss her latest work, The Pugilist and the Sailor. The book follows the lives of conjoined twins, Bruce and Dougie. One an ambitious boxer and the other a bookkeeper. As the brothers pursue their individual desires, a love interest and a boxing championship, they are compelled to consider […]
  • Ep 37: Twenty years to publication: Writing through rejection
    In Episode 37, I have the privilege of speaking with three-time Pushcart nominee Bill Gaythwaite about his short story collection, A Place In The World, winner of the 2025 Drue Heinz Literature Prize. This stunning collection of compelling short stories features regular people battling betrayal, displacement, and loss and will leave you feeling a deep sense of connection […]