Inside the Writer's Head

On this episode of the “Inside the Writer’s Head” podcast, Writer-in-Residence Dani McClain interviews poet, teacher, and artist Murray. Dive into the language arts as Dani and Murray share their experiences with performance poetry and how literary concepts can be taught through movement and music. Connect with the world of poetry beyond “Dead, White Poets” as Dani and Murray talk about poetr...

On this episode of the “Inside the Writer’s Head” podcast, Writer-in-Residence Dani McClain reflects on her process with a recent writing project. She wrote an introductory essay for a new edition of  Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience & Institution . In April, WW Norton reissued Adrienne Rich’s classic feminist text. Dani shares how she approached this assignment and...

In this episode of "Inside the Writer's Head" Writer-in-Residence Dani McClain interviews author Sheila Williams. Sheila Williams is the author of  Dancing on the Edge of the Roof, On the Right Side of a Dream, The Shade of My Own Tree  and  Girls Most Likely . She is a contributor to an anthology entitled  A Letter For My Mother , compiled and edited by writer Nina Foxx. ...

In this episode of our “Inside the Writer’s Head” podcast, Dani McClain reflects on her time as Writer-in-Residence in a tumultuous year, and announces that her residency has been extended through 2021!

In this episode of our “Inside the Writer’s Head” podcast, Dani McClain speaks with Streetvibes editor Gabriela Godinez Feregrino.  Gabriela graduated from Ohio University in May of 2018 with a communications degree in media. In school, she studied media production with an emphasis on social change, and also finished a minor in English. She worked at the Ohio University LGBT Center where she...

For the latest episode of “Inside the Writer’s Head,” Writer-in-Residence Dani McClain interviews Gavin DeVore Leonard. He’s the Executive Director of  Ohio Voice , Ohio's 501(c)(3) civic engagement table, a job title that he breaks down for us early in our conversation. They discuss the 2020 election, voting, and more.

In this episode of our “Inside the Writer’s Head” podcast, Dani McClain speaks with bookstore owner Gregory Kornbluh. They discuss his vision and goal for opening a book store, adapting to COVID-19, and more. A product of Sands Montessori and Walnut Hills High School, Kornbluh got his start in bookselling while doing graduate work in American Studies at UMass Boston. He went on to spend a decade i...

In this episode of our “Inside the Writer’s Head” podcast, Dani McClain speaks with comedian Luna Malbroux. They discuss one of Malbroux's recent performances that speaks to sex, power, desire, and also about this moment of national uprisings and police violence against Black bodies, and so much more. Named one of KQED's Women to Watch, Luna Malbroux is a comic, writer, and creator of the award-wi...

In this episode of our “Inside the Writer’s Head” podcast, Dani McClain speaks with local journalist Nick Swartsell. Nick Swartsell has been staff writer and news editor at CityBeat Cincinnati for six years. He is currently furloughed due to the COVID-19 pandemic but continues to contribute to CityBeat on a regular, pro-bono basis until he can resume full time paid work. Originally from Hamilton,...

In this episode of our “Inside the Writer’s Head” podcast, Dani McClain speaks with acclaimed artist and advocate Tim’m T. West. They discuss self-care in quarantine, moving back to Cincinnati, West's poetic memoirs, and more. Tim’m T. West is an educator, poet, youth advocate, and hip-hop artist who has spent decades traveling the nation, speaking about issues at the intersection of race, gender,...

In this episode of “Inside the Writer’s Head” Dani McClain chats with her friend and colleague, author Daisy Hernández. They discuss memoir writing and the nature of memory, language, the differences between creative writing and journalism, the Midwest, and more. Daisy Hernández is the author of the award-winning memoir A Cup of Water Under My Bed and co-editor of Colonize This: Young Women of Col...

In this episode, McClain and Jan-Michele Lemon-Kearney, who gave McClain her first journalism job in 1997, discuss journalism, the history of the Black press, publishing, objectivity, the upcoming 2020 election, and more. Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney is the president of Sesh Communications, publisher of award-winning The Cincinnati Herald, The Northern Kentucky Herald, The Dayton Defender, seshPRIME...

Welcome to season 5 of Inside the Writer’s Head with our 2020 Writer-in-Residence, Dani McClain! In her inaugural episode, McClain sits down with local author Kathy Y. Wilson, who was the Library’s first Writer-in-Residence in 2014 and a friend and mentor of McClain. Together they discuss everything from writing, health, the marginalization of the voices of Black women and girls, art, and more. Wi...

In this episode of Inside the Writer's Head, Jessica Strawser introduces us to her successor here at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, 2020 Writer-in-Residence Dani McClain. Known for her in-depth reporting on race and reproductive health, Dani McClain is a contributing writer at The Nation and a fellow with Type Media Center (formerly the Nation Institute). Her writing has app...

Comedian Gabe Kea's unbridled enthusiasm for entertaining audiences is what truly sets him apart. With a personality as big as his 6'5" frame, Gabe melds well-crafted, storytelling-based jokes with his comedic physicality to create an unforgettable show. Gabe started performing in St. Louis after spending most of his youth living in both the United States and Canada. He eventually relocated to sou...

A few weeks ago, our Writer-in-Residence Jessica Strawser had the honor of joining the world’s #1 bestselling author James Patterson onstage, in front of a packed audience of readers of all ages, at the Cincinnati School for Creative and Performing Arts. No ticket? No problem! We’re pleased to bring you the live theater recording of their conversation as this month’s very special episode of Inside...

In this episode of “Inside the Writer’s Head,” our Writer-in-Residence Jessica Strawser chats with D.M. Pulley about her experiences behind the scenes in Amazon Publishing, the historical real-life inspiration behind her suspenseful new release, and more.  D.M. Pulley lives just outside of Cleveland with her family. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked as a professional engineer, rehabbi...

Kristen Lepionka is the author of the Roxane Weary mystery series, hailed as rebooting and expanding the hardboiled genre thanks to its "private eye with little concern for her own safety (or the gender of her shifting sexual partners)" (True Crime Addict's James Renner). Her debut, "The Last Place You Look," won the Shamus Award for Best First P.I. novel and was also nominated for Anthony and Mac...

David Bell (davidbellnovels.com) is the USA Today-bestselling author of eight suspense novels from Berkley/Penguin, including 'Somebody's Daughter', 'Bring Her Home', 'Since She Went Away', 'Somebody I Used to Know', 'The Forgotten Girl', 'Never Come Back', 'The Hiding Place', and 'Cemetary Girl'. His new psychological thriller, 'Layover', is due out July 2, and you can see him discuss the novel i...

Award winning author Sonali Dev writes Bollywood-style love stories that let her explore issues faced by women around the world while still indulging her faith in a happily ever after. Her books—including "A Bollywood Affair", "The Bollywood Bride", "A Distant Heart", and "A Change of Heart"—have been on NPR, Washington Post, Library Journal, and Kirkus Best Books of the year lists, but Sonali is...

Meg Leder is a Cincinnati native who now lives in Brooklyn, New York, working as an Executive Editor at Penguin Books, where she oversees many of their lead nonfiction titles. She is also a talented author of both nonfiction and young adult fiction. Her debut YA novel, "The Museum of Heartbreak", takes a heartfelt look at the artifacts our relationships leave behind. Her most recent novel, "Lettin...

In this episode of Inside the Writer's Head, Jessica speaks with non-fiction author Laurie Halse Anderson about her new book "Shout," the impact of sexual assault, and the power of telling stories about it. Content Warning: This article podcast deals with topics pertaining to sexual violence that may be sensitive for some.

Our new Writer-in-Residence is local author Jessica Strawser and her first guest on the Inside the Writer's Head podcast is Jess Montgomery Montgomery is the author of THE WIDOWS (Minotaur Books), a new historical mystery set in the 1920s, in which two women work together to solve a tragic murder and save their community. On the podcast, they discuss writing, storytelling, and writing history spec...

In the final episode of Season 3 of Inside the Writer's Head with Writer-in-Residence Emma Carlson Berne, we hear from our 2019 Writer-in-Residence Jessica Strawser. Strawser is editor-at-large for Writer's Digest and an author of several novels set in nearby towns, including "Almost Missed You" and "Not That I Could Tell." In this episode, Emma and Jessica discuss how to stay committed as a write...

On this episode of Inside the Writer's Head, our Writer-in-Residence Emma Carlson Berne speaks with Michael Bourret. Bourret is a partner of Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret - a well-known literary agency that represents authors from a myriad of genres. In this podcast, they discuss how to get a literary agent, and what it's like working with an agent to get a book published. Bourret also gives some...