eMerge Unchained

In this episode of eMerge Unchained, host Aubrey Green sits down with poet, children’s book author, and friend, Kelley Morris as they bounce from poetry forms to conferences to what poets they’re currently reading (there is one collection they have in common).  Together, they explore the magic of imagination, the lost art of finding shapes in the clouds, and the experiences that first drew Kelley...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained, host Aubrey Green sits down with A’Ja Lyons PhD, student, poet, and storyteller, as they explore the magic of place and how land and family ties effect people years and generations later. They dig into the need to write carefully about regions, as well how getting away from certain places can make it easier—or harder—to write those stories. A’Ja also turns the...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained, host Aubrey Green sits down with poet and co-editor of the I-70 Review , Maryfrances Wagner . They put their editor hats on and share the one thing they wish people knew when work gets rejected, and Maryfrances offers the single best piece of advice when submitting to a magazine or journal for the first time.  She reflects on the influence of her poetic family,...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained, host Aubrey Green sits down with Angela Mateus , director of the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow , to talk about the magic that happens when writers get together with other writers. From unforgettable dinners to the deep connections that can form in just a few days, Angela reflects on why kindness—not competition—is the foundation of the colony experience. A ne...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green sits down with poet and longtime educator Ken Hada for a conversation shaped by four decades in the classroom. With a firm belief that there’s no such thing as passive learning, Ken reflects on the energy of an engaged audience—whether he’s teaching or reading his work—and what it means to “dance” with the audience. They talk about finding an...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green sits down with writer and academic Michael Howarth for a wide-ranging conversation about research, storytelling, and the unexpected places horror shows up. From using AI in the classroom (to expose its flaws) to tracing the gothic thread running through American history and children’s media, Michael brings both curiosity and humor to the craf...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green sits down with poet and artist Hilka West-Irvin for a conversation about solitude, creativity, and the strange pull of place. From growing up feeling like an odd child to finding a home in the magic of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, Hilka reflects on the winding path that led her there. As a Minnesota transplant navigating recent events, she opens...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green sits down with Margaret Lee to talk about what happens when writing collides with the realities of publishing. From struggling through translations to arguing with a major publishing house and watching a project nearly derail just days before it's due, Margaret shares behind-the-scenes frustrations and what gives her the persistence to k...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green sits down with Durell Carter , poet, short story writer, and teacher empowering high school students. They discuss the challenges of preforming compared to simply writing, and the dangers of working a gas station during a police sting. Durell shares about his time in the Red Dirt MFA program and how that was a pivotal period in both his life...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green laughs with author Jennifer Sneed about the secret struggles of the children’s book industry, from the enormous age range (13-18 years old) YA is expected to serve to the reality that board book writers face—their work will literally be consumed by their audience. Together, they talk about what really changes when writing for middle grade rea...

In this information-packed episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green sits down with powerhouse writer and long-time eMerge supporter, Nikki Hanna , whose experience and audacity has been delighting readers for more than a decade. Novelists and storytellers of all experience levels will learn something new as she talks candidly about how to find joy and purpose in writing, mastering "aut...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green talks with Charles Templeton about a year of ups and downs, the unexpected joys of good conversation, and why cursive writing still matters. Along the way, they touch on why poets tend to be such thoughtful conversationalists and what it means to slow down and really pay attention to words. Charles also shares his love of research and some of...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green sits down with writer and professor Paul Juhasz for a candid and often darkly funny conversation about storytelling, teaching, and survival. Paul talks about his upcoming poetry collection Catabasis, a descent through despair toward unexpected light, and how decades of living with bipolar depression uniquely prepared him to guide others throu...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , guest host Aubrey Green sits down with poet, writer, and eco-poetic thinker Simóne J. Banks , whose work listens deeply to land, to lineage, and to the living world. Banks discusses her lifelong relationship with poetry. Inspired by Sonia Sanchez and Nikki Giovanni and expanded through her current explorations into Black ecologies, water, land loss, and ancest...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , host Chad Gurley speaks with writer Martin Perlman about the art and discipline of storytelling — from first drafts and rewrites to the quiet power of subtext. Together, they explore how dialogue reveals character, how tension often lives in what’s left unsaid, and why rewriting isn’t just editing but rediscovery. Martin reflects on the writer’s process — lett...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , host Chad Gurley talks with queer Korean American writer Yuna Kang , whose short story Mi Ha-rin will appear in the September 2025 issue of eMerge Magazine . Yuna shares how their work blurs the line between poetry and prose, often born from vivid images, abstract phrases, and the emotional tension of love, loss, and alienation. From childhood stick-figure sto...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , special guest host Chad Gurley sits down with playwright, fiction writer, poet, and creative powerhouse Alaina Hammond to explore the intersections of storytelling, philosophy, and personal transformation. From staging her first play at 14 years old to seeing her work performed off-off-Broadway, Alaina shares the joy, vulnerability, and unexpected humor behind...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green sits down with Claire Campo , the executive director of Words of the People, a nonprofit that empowers Indigenous communities to normalize Indigenous language creative production as both an artistic practice and a movement that supports rematriation—bridging art, literature, and Indigenous language preservation. Claire opens up about their jo...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green sits down with writer, librarian, and lifelong learner David Corbly .  From flash fiction to fish fart wars, David shares his eclectic journey through storytelling, touching on children's books, nonfiction curiosities, playwriting, and deeply personal reflections. With humor and humility, he talks about his career in librarianship, his p...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green sits down with poet Wendy Carlisle for a wide-ranging and luminous conversation on craft, perseverance, and the poetic life. Wendy traces her path from early influence by her aunt—who rose at dawn to write—to a long and dedicated journey that includes hundreds of published poems, an MFA, and a practice grounded in discipline, revision, and co...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , Aubrey Green chats with Kolby Granville , founder and editor-in-chief of After Dinner Conversation , a unique magazine that delves into ethical and philosophical questions through short fiction. Kolby shares the inspiration behind his magazine, the importance of sparking thoughtful discussions, and how storytelling can challenge our perspectives on difficult t...

In this moving episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green sits down with poet and playwright Annie Newcomer during her writing residency at Dairy Hollow in Eureka Springs. Annie shares the story of how writing entered her life after the death of her beloved brother, a Russian and Jewish scholar whose intellectual spirit still guides her pen. What began as a way to tether herself to grief has...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green sits down with writer and candy-maker Uriah Greer for a conversation as layered and lyrical as the confections he crafts. Uriah reflects on his path from skeptical middle-school reader to emotionally attuned poet and prose writer—one shaped by personal loss, a deep respect for craftsmanship, and an ever-present desire to turn the bitter into...

In this heartwarming and insightful episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green sits down with poet and writer Linda Neal Reising .  From being the official eclipse poet of Indiana to reading at the iconic Scissortail Creative Writing Festival, Linda shares how community, history, and narrative poetry have shaped her creative life. We talk about the welcoming spirit of Scissortail, the joy of...

In this episode of eMerge Unchained , host Aubrey Green sits down with poet and retired professor Todd Sukany , a self-described “sentence nerd” with a deep love for structure, clarity, and the occasional hidden truth. Todd shares his journey from teaching freshman comp and linguistics to discovering poetry through the encouragement of colleagues and the quiet pressure of monthly deadlines. A love...