Big Mood, Little Mood with Daniel M. Lavery

Danny Lavery welcomes Hugh Ryan, the author of The Women's House of Detention: A Queer History of a Forgotten Prison, which New York Magazine called one of the best books of 2022. His first book, When Brooklyn Was Queer, won a 2020 New York City Book Award.  Lavery and Ryan tackle three letters. First, from someone who is seeking closure from a failed friendship. Another letter writer is trying to...

Danny Lavery welcomes Ashley Robertson, an expert question-asker who facilitates workshops on comprehensive, affirming, medically-accurate sexuality education.  Lavery and Robertson take on two letters. First, from someone who now has suspicions that her boyfriend has been violent in past relationships. Another letter writer is tired of being marginalized by his in-laws. Plus a listener comment ab...

Danny Lavery welcomes Ash Sky Keen, a mathematics tutor helping neurodivergent students navigate math education.   Lavery and Keen tackle two letters. First, from someone who wants their parents to recalculate their will to adjust for monetary assistance their sibling already received. A second letter writer is waiting for a friend’s apology, and fearing it will never come. Need advice? Send Danny...

Danny Lavery welcomes Frankie Day, a writer based in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Lavery and Day take on three letters. First, from someone who is shocked that her family won’t support her adopting a child. Another letter writer is how long they should hold on to their ex’s belongings. Finally, a third letter writer is concerned that he chose a name that also belongs to a dog that is in his friend...

Daniel M. Lavery revisits a few of the many memorable letters from 2022, including one about someone who’s upset that his friends continue to associate with someone who is considered toxic (with guest Ty Mitchell). Another letter writer wants to have a third child, despite her husband’s concern about passing along a rare genetic condition (with guest Wendy Lee). And finally, a letter from someone...

Danny Lavery welcomes Mollie West Duffy, co-author of the Wall Street Journal bestselling book about emotions at work: No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work , and Big Feelings: How To Be Okay When Things Are Not Okay . Lavery and Duffy take on two letters. First, from someone wondering how to support their extremely private friend and maintain boundaries. Another letter...

Danny Lavery welcomes Ethan Casteel, a software engineer and transgender man about town in Somerville, MA. Lavery and Casteel tackle three letters. First, from someone wondering how to talk to her child about transness. Another letter writer is trying to negotiate solo time away from their partner. A third letter is from someone who feels guilty accepting rent from their boyfriend. If you enjoy th...

Danny Lavery welcomes Carmen Rita Wong, author of the recently published book, Why Didn’t You Tell Me? A Memoir. Lavery and Wong take on two letters. First, from someone concerned that her brother has been spiraling since going off his meds. Another letter writer is wondering how to extricate herself from her marriage without devastating her spouse. Plus, a deep dive in to Wong’s memoir, Why Didn’...

Danny Lavery welcomes Lisa McIntire, a writer living in San Francisco with her dog, Toby. Lavery and McIntire take on two letters. First, someone who wants to tell her mom that she did protect her enough from her creepy uncle. Another letter writer wants to advocate for their boyfriend’s non-binary child, but doesn’t want to overstep boundaries.  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up...

Danny Lavery welcomes Amanda McLoughlin, the CEO of Multitude , an independent podcast collective and production company. She is also the longtime co-host of the podcast, Spirits. Lavery and McLoughlin take on two letters. First, someone who feels guilty about how they got their boyfriend to start doing house chores. Another letter writer is wondering how to repair a family rift over them coming o...

Danny Lavery welcomes Rakesh Satyal, the author of the novels Blue Boy and No One Can Pronounce My Name . He is currently an Executive Editor at the HarperOne Group/HarperCollins.  Lavery and Satyal tackle two letters. First, someone who is trying to create distance with their mother who is thinking about moving next door. Another letter writer is wondering how to cultivate a chosen family. If you...

Danny Lavery welcomes Kat Kinsman, the executive features editor at Food & Wine, author of Hi, Anxiety: Life With a Bad Case of Nerves , and founder of Chefs With Issues, an ever-evolving project that addresses the mental health crisis in the hospitality industry. Lavery and Kinsman take on two letters. First, someone who believes their partner is wasting their time, studying for a career they...

Danny Lavery welcomes Danielle Moodie, host of the podcast, Woke AF, where she explores the many facets of what it means to be "woke" in our modern life.  Lavery and Moodie take on three letters. First, from a career counselor who wants to keep their students from exploring particular jobs. Another letter writer was scapegoated by his colleagues, but wants his life back. Finally, a letter writer i...

Danny Lavery welcomes Margo Donohue, author of Filmed in Brooklyn , and co-host of the podcasts, Book Vs. Movie, Dorking Out, and What a Creep. Lavery and Donohue tackle two letters. First, someone who can no longer support her sister through her years long, turbulent breakup from her ex. Another letter writer has a feeling that their boyfriend might be trans, and is wondering how to bring it up....

Danny Lavery welcomes Emi Nietfeld, a writer, software engineer, and author of ACCEPTANCE: A Memoir. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Rumpus, Vice, and many more publications. Lavery and Nietfeld take on two letters. First, someone trying to cope with a failed gender-affirming surgical procedure. Another letter writer is wondering how to have a conversation with her elderly mom...

Danny Lavery welcomes Ginna Green, a strategist-consultant-movement-builder now helping Jewish (and other) organizations change through her new firm, Uprise. She is also the co-host, along with Lynn Harris, of the Jewish advice podcast, A Bintel Brief. Lavery and Green tackle two letters. First, someone who is trying to save a friendship with a friend who tends to drive most people away. Another l...

Danny Lavery welcomes Alyssa Knox, a night shift ICU nurse.  Lavery and Knox take on two letters. First, someone who’s hurt that their best friend didn’t attend their wedding. Another letter writer can’t get a word in edgewise with their energy vampire roommate. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get an ad-free experience across the network and ex...

Danny Lavery welcomes Katie Tastrom, a sex worker and writer whose work focuses on disability justice. Her forthcoming book about prison abolition and disability justice is coming out in late 2023.  Lavery and Tastrom take on two letters. First, someone who received a marriage proposal from her depressed boyfriend. Another letter writer is wondering how to make it up to their friend after accident...

Danny Lavery welcomes Celeste Ng, the New York Times bestselling author of Everything I Never Told You and Little Fires Everywhere . Her third novel, Our Missing Hearts , will be published in October 2022.  Lavery and Ng tackle two letters. First, someone who is trying to find care for her friend’s paranoid mother. Another letter writer is upset that his friend group has befriended his stalker. Pl...

Danny Lavery welcomes Kate Beaton, author of the new graphic memoir Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands , which recounts the time she spent working and living in Canada’s oil industry man camps. Lavery and Beaton take on two letters. First, someone who wants to break-up with a partner who spent the entire relationship expecting this to happen. Another letter writer wants to set boundaries with her s...

Danny Lavery welcomes Niko Stratis, a freelance culture writer whose work has appeared in outlets like SPIN, Autostraddle and more.  Lavery and Stratis tackle two letters. First, from someone whose partner’s request for alone time has them feeling single. Another letter asks what is one's parental obligation if your son commits a violent crime.  Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood,...

Danny Lavery welcomes Austin Channing Brown, a media producer and author of the New York Times bestseller I’m Still Here: black dignity in a world made for whiteness .  Lavery and Channing Brown take on two letters. First, from someone in college wondering if they should date someone in high school. Another letter writer is wondering how to mend a friendship they didin’t realize they may have been...

Danny Lavery welcomes Carey O’Donnell, a writer and comedian, who also co-hosts Sexy Unique Podcast.  Lavery and O’Donnell tackle two letters. First, from someone who’s worried that his boyfriend’s family of origin is trying to re-enter his life. Another letter writer is wondering how to be patient with an old friend who keeps crossing the line. Plus, a listener update! Slate Plus members get anot...

Danny Lavery welcomes Kate Duffy, a New York based licensed clinical social worker who has worked as a therapist and clinical supervisor in a variety of settings, including shelters, residential group homes, and outpatient clinics.  Lavery and Duffy take on two letters. First, from someone who needs their bestie to stop giving them advice. Another letter writer is wondering how to confront her bro...

Danny Lavery welcomes Ty Mitchell, a writer and former gay porn performer based in Brooklyn, New York. He has written for The New Inquiry and Buzzfeed, and you can read his current newsletter, the First Openly Gay Book Club, at firstopenlygay.substack.com . Lavery and Mitchell tackle two letters. First, from someone who’s upset that his friends continue to associate with someone who is considered...