The Written Scene

Author, retired teacher, and activist Ernie McCray discovered athletic interests early on in childhood. Still, even with the sports accolades, of which there are many, it was his desire to teach that became his career. In this episode of The Written Scene , Ernie talks about being both an athlete and writer at the same time, the intelligence of athletes, having a librarian to guide you on your rea...

Author Ernie McCray learned that being part of things gave him joy. Writing and playing sports became his way to play the part he wanted. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Ernie. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

When it comes to life and the inevitable tragedies that tag along, author and journalist Sandra Younger is a big believer that you get to write and tell your own story. In this episode of The Written Scene , Sandra talks about what tragedy does in a journalistic mind, why being a nosy journalist can be useful, making an expensive deal with her publisher in order to relaunch a book, choosing your o...

If there's one thing an author knows it's just how powerful writing about tragedy can be. When author Sandra Younger 's house burned down in a once historic wildfire, the idea of telling the story of what happened became impossible to ignore. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Sandra.  Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Throughout her life, author and licensed clinical social worker Ashley Hanna-Morgan has encountered many characters. In the fictional stories she writes, it's important she stays true to a character when writing them. In this episode of The Written Scene , Ashley discusses the ways our muse and our health interact, feeling pulled in two career directions, lessons learned from writing her first fic...

Life is not one single track. For Ashley Hanna-Morgan , an author and licensed clinical social worker, this is especially true, and that's by design. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Hanna. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

If there's ever a time where libraries need support, it's now. If there's a person that's perfectly built for the job, it's Patrick Stewart , the CEO of the  Library Foundation SD . In this episode of The Written Scene , Patrick discusses the many ways the library system in San Diego is underfunded, growing up with a healthy respect for teachers and the education system, the importance of maintain...

If you were to ask the CEO of the Libary Foundation SD , Patrick Stewart , what roles a library plays in a community, it's more than just a building with books. Much more. Please enjoy this brief teaser with Patrick ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

It's one thing to be excited about the arts. For author and historian Debbie Wastling , it's a passion, and you can hear it in every word. In this episode of The Written Scene , Debbie talks about having famous relatives in the arts back in the early 20th century, a brief geography and history lesson, mixing her love of music into her books and stories, famous writers from her childhood home, how...

For historical fiction author Debbie Wastling , her childhood experiences with libraries and powerful teachers makes giving back to libraries and schools very easy. Please enjoy this teaser with Debbie ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Whether you're running a tennis club or a practicing lawyer, all of it matters if you want to write. For author Gene Desrochers , this is especially true. In this (long) episode of The Written Scene , Gene discusses growing up in a historical building and landmark, losing your virginity in weird and creepy places, writing about where we used to live instead of where we currently live, using story...

They say to write what you know. For author Gene Desrochers , it was the loss of a childhood friend—an event he didn't know about until he was much older—that eventually became the kernel of his books. Please enjoy this teaser with Gene ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author and environmentalist LaDaryn Lockett , the world of writing has unlocked a joy of storytelling he didn't know existed at first. In this episode of The Written Scene , LaDaryn talks about finding the joy of Dungeons & Dragons in a college dorm basement, using ChatGPT but also making sure to give back in a more human manner, finding early influences in stories involving animals, writing t...

Saying yes to an invitation into someone's basement can come with some risk. Fortunately, for author and environmentalist LaDaryn Lockett , it worked out well. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Poet and professor Daniela Sow has always written poetry. It was in her 20's when she discovered the power of performance poetry. In this episode of The Written Scene , Daniela discusses the value of having another person help organize poems in a book, the high and lows (and delusions) of submitting for publication, knowing her poetry collection needed the right home, how Dean Koontz got her in tr...

Sometimes all it takes is one acceptance to to generate a little hope and drive. For author and professor Daniela P. Sow , this was certainly the case. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Everyone has their own level of what they'd call success. Musician Taylor Hollingsworth makes a living playing guitar on stage, a level of success he's both proud of and humbled by. In this episode of The Written Scene , Taylor talks about how he creates his sound on stage, the difference in possibilities between electric and acoustic guitars, choosing to perform solo after playing decades with a...

Just as it can be with writing and finding a voice, musician Taylor Hollingsworth discovered his sound by figuring out what most people were NOT doing and experimented with that.  Please enjoy this teaser with Taylor ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

If you're an author, surely you've heard the "write what you know" advice. For author and retired educator Deborah Holt Larkin , she knew quite well the story that gripped her town as a child, and also her father's career as a journalist. In this episode of The Written Scene , Deborah discusses how she's always been a reader and how that helps determine what's a good book, using her writing talent...

For author Deborah Holt Larkin , a fatal crime in her neighborhood when she was a child became a catalyst to understand crime and protect herself, as well as write a book about it later in life. Please enjoy this brief teaser with Deborah ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene .  Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

This episode is our four year anniversary of The Written Scene . Thank you to those that have been listening for a while. To those that are new here, welcome. You have a lot of great conversations about writing to catch up on. Speaking of great conversations... When it comes to making sure writers and non-writers alike feel comfortable and find joy in the arts community, author and community organ...

For author Melissa McKinstry , the spark to host her own poetry and jazz series came from an inaugural author residency where, while it still holds a dear place in her heart, the rules were still being ironed out. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author and poet Julia Lemke , discovering the healing and connecting nature of poetry changed the course of her writing career. In this episode of The Written Scene , Julia talks about how a spiritual epiphany guided her and its effect on her book, loving the library as a kid and how many books she could check out, reading books as a child that are now banned, majoring in Packaging in college...

For author Julia Lemke , poetry felt inaccessible. Fortunately, all it took was finding her voice to unlock and open doors. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Author Janell Strube may also work as a tax accountant but her extensive use of spreadsheets made writing much easier. In this episode of The Written Scene , Janell talks about the writing lessons learned from going down rabbit holes, being the kid with their nose in the book instead of playing, viewing writing as feeding and nourishing people, the power of realizing and also believing you're a wr...