Bonnie Jo Talks to Everybody

Christopher and I have survived Christmas, even without a furnace. In this 16 minute podcast we discuss the nature of the holidays, and The Wealth of Nations, by Adam Smith and Tandem, by Andy Mozina.

Christopher, Dave, my niece Kennedy and I were in the car going to a Thanksgiving Dinner with family in Allegan. We were feeling good, but for some reason Chris was mumbling.

What a pleasure to speak with Brian Powers. He came to my River Shack Writing Studio to photograph me for a magazine article and afterward I interviewed him.

I enjoy talking to my husband about anything, and today after dinner and dishes, we are talking about what we should do for fun. Mostly, though, we talk about home repair.

I met Emmy Kastner last week when I was on a panel with her and author/illustrator David Small. She co-created a really important non-profit organization: Read and Write Kalamazoo (RAWK). She's filled with energy and fun.

Larry Rabbitt's grandmother wrote an autobiographical novel about growing up in Battle Creek Michigan. He asked me about publishing it, and I suggest that he publish it as a Print-On-Demand book for his family and anybody else. Then we talk about his family and life all around the Midwest. He owns the Rabbitt Hutch second hand store with his wife Shannan in Comstock, Michigan. Unfortunately, t...

This weekend, Betsy Bird took a writer's retreat at the River Shack. I debriefed her before she left and found out how very productive she was in two days. Betsy is also a librarian and a book reviewer of picture books. She is very fun.

In this episode,  I talk to my husband Chris  on the deck, and we talk about neighbors, as well as about people in general (Bonnie is  pro  people, Chris is  anti ).  We drink some decaf coffee.  

On Wednesday, October 18, 2023 I interviewed RS (Raymond) Deeren at Schuler Books in Grand Rapids on the occasion of the publication of his first book of stories, Enough to Lose, published by Wayne State University Press. These stories take place in the Thumb of Michigan, and Raymond is a smart, generous writer. Many of his "Thumb" buddies, transplants from Caro, Michigan, were in the au...

Judy Sarkozy has owned and operated Sarkozy Bakery in Kalamazoo for 46 years, and she's learned a lot. She came to H House and shared stories with a group of us on October 8, 2023. She is so wise and so much fun!

Visited Lansing today for the Lansing Book Party as part of the event line-up at Everybody Reads. The event, organized by Scott Harris, owner, and Dawn Burns, neighbor and assistant professor at Michigan State University. I had the pleasure of interviewing Scott for an hour on the podcast, and we talked about books, social issues, cats, veganism, and community spirit. What a pleasure! (10 a.m. to...

Talking to my husband Christopher about painting the house, which we are doing now, and all the other work we need to do before the snow flies. Soon we hope to relax a bit more!

Bob is an expert paint guy and color mixer I always look forward to seeing at Douglas and Sons where I buy a lot of paint and stain. He speaks quietly and stays far away from the microphone while we're talking. I refer to my painter friend Brian Stephenson in here, and when it's time to pay, I end the interview by talking to Ryan, who charges me for my order.

Ran across Steve Barrett and his partner Mike Plosick while biking through Comstock. I asked to interview Steve, and he said he would interview me instead, about Donkeys, etc.

Was hanging out with brother Marshall, asking him about what kind of trouble he got into as a youth--I wasn't a part of that. He's been run over by a bulldozer, for starters. This recording starts when we're petting the horses, and it breaks off and then continues when we're talking with our nephews.

In this episode,  I talk to my husband Chris  on the deck, and we talk about neighbors, as well as about people in general (Bonnie is  pro  people, Chris is  anti ).  We drink some decaf coffee.  

Good morning! As soon as we woke up, I recorded nine minutes of our conversation in bed. Please forgive my yawning and Chris's sniffing--he didn't have his breathing meds the night before.

Judy Myers is amazing. With a friend, she has written and published a science fiction series called The Tradepoint Saga under the name JJ Blacklocke, and that is just the beginning. She has also written romances and just about everything else. She is brilliant and humble and fun to listen to. You can read about the Tradepoint Saga here: https://jjblacklocke.com/ (on this podcast episode I feel pec...

It was great to talk with fiction writer and Columbia College Professor Don De Grazia at Rite Liquors in Wicker Park in Chicago. We talked about Chicago-style softball (FYI, the original softball) and what he is writing. De Grazia is author of American Skin. https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Don-De-Grazia/1440314.

June sold me some baguettes, so we discussed what was the best way to eat them and then went on to discuss the philosopher-baker Judy Sarkozy and other matters.

Kalamazoo Poet Elizabeth Kerlikowske came to visit H House with a couple of bottles of wine to share, and a group of us enjoyed hanging out and listening to her talk about her poetry, life,  and the writing life on this hour-long conversation.  She will break your heart and make you laugh in this unedited, unscripted conversation.

Lee Ann Johnson, my sister-in-law, stopped by H House with my brother Mike, and so I asked her what she had been doing. She kindly talked to me about Ohio politics, her history with politics, knitting and other topics.

Talked to my brother Marshall, who has driven a truck for 40 years about driving and computers and other things.

Authors Cheryl J. Fish (New York City) and Mary Jane Pories (Grand Rapids, Michigan) visit H House in Comstock, Michigan and talk with Bonnie Jo Campbell about the writing life and collaboration. They read from their work and discuss writing with a group of brilliant and engaged writers.  

Sonia Lipson visited to help us with some projects, including some maintenance and improvements on the Little Cottage on the St. Joseph River. I asked her what it was like to be here. Sixteen minutes.