Women Making History

October is Blindness Awareness Month and Emotional Wellness Month, and this conversation fits both. Director and filmmaker Gina LeVay Goldstein joins Big Blend Radio to talk about "Blind AF," the award-winning documentary following blind Paralympian, Army veteran and world-record holder Shawn Cheshire on a 60-day, 3,600-mile solo bike ride across America. Shawn lost her sight to a brain injury in...

Author Kayla Hardy on "The Quarter Queen," her debut historical fantasy reimagining Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, and her rebellious daughter, Ree.  Voodoo queens, secret societies, and the mother-daughter bond that can make or break a family. For National Book Month, Kayla Hardy joins Big Blend Radio’s "Books & Authors" with Books Forward, to talk about The Quarter Queen, a l...

Step inside the 100 Men Hall in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, a 1922 Chitlin' Circuit landmark and Mississippi Blues Trail stop just across from the historic train depot. On location for Big Blend Radio's "Travel with Terri" Podcast, this shared episode features travel journalist Terri Guthrie who sits down inside the hall with Rachel Dangermond, the writer and award-winning journalist who purchased...

Today we're rethinking everything we thought we knew about Mary Cassatt. On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio's "World of Art" Podcast, host Victoria Chick and Lisa D. Smith welcome Mary G. Morton, curator and head of French paintings at the National Gallery of Art, to talk about her new book, "Cassatt Reconsidered," out this November from Getty Publications. 2026 marks the centennial of Mary...

Sasha Waters, director and producer of the new American Masters documentary "Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World," joins Big Blend Radio to talk about bringing the life of one of America's most beloved and most private poets to the screen. Mary Oliver was a bestselling poet and Pulitzer Prize winner whose work — including "Wild Geese" and "The Journey" — has reached readers far beyond th...

Who was Enheduanna — the woman often recognized as the world’s first known named author? On this episode of Big Blend Radio’s "Books & Authors" Show with Books Forward, we welcome award-winning poet and debut historical fantasy novelist Ellen Rachlin, author of Enheduanna’s Song From the Sands, coming August 25, 2026 from Histria Fiction. Set in ancient Mesopotamia around 2300 BCE, "Enheduanna...

Award-winning author Laurel Corona joins Big Blend Radio to discuss her captivating new historical novel, "Aloha Wanderwell Takes the Wheel," inspired by the extraordinary true story of pioneering adventurer Aloha Wanderwell—the first woman to drive around the world. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba—the northern gateway of the historic Jefferson Highway—Aloha Wanderwell (born Idris Hall) left boarding s...

What happens when a renowned toxicologist becomes a bestselling thriller writer? On this Big Blend Radio's "Getting to Know You" episode, we chat with BJ Magnani - Author  —Professor Emerita of Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at Tufts University School of Medicine, accomplished pathologist, toxicologist, and author of the acclaimed Dr. Lily Robinson suspense thriller series. From poison gardens an...

Celebrate Marilyn Monroe's 100th anniversary year with this inspiring episode of Big Blend Radio's "Books & Authors" Show with Books Forward, featuring award-winning author Mima Tipper discussing her acclaimed young adult novel, "Channeling Marilyn" (She Writes Press). Rather than retelling Marilyn Monroe's life, "Channeling Marilyn" imagines what might happen if Marilyn's spirit became a ment...

On this episode of Big Blend Radio, bestselling and award-winning historical fiction author Pam Webber discusses her new novel, "Massawa: A Tale of Illusion, Espionage, and Love," the first book in a new World War II series inspired by the little-known "Miracle of Massawa" in Eritrea, North Africa. Set in 1942 during the height of World War II, the novel follows fledgling OSS agent Kit Thomas as s...

Big Blend Radio's "Books & Authors Show" with Books Forward welcomes debut novelist Marianne Rabalais Sulser, whose historical novel "Like Snow Before Sun" is out now through Atmosphere Press.  Born and raised in central Louisiana and now based in Colorado, Marianne takes us deep into the world of 1750s Nova Scotia and the tragic history of the Acadian expulsion — a story she discovered throug...

Discover the remarkable life, art, and enduring legacy of Georgia O’Keeffe, the pioneering artist known as the "Mother of American Modernism," in this episode of Big Blend Radio featuring award-winning filmmakers Paul Wagner and Ellen Casey Wagner. Their acclaimed documentary, "Georgia O’Keeffe: The Brightness of Light," explores the iconic artist’s extraordinary journey through her own words, dra...

In this special "Getting to Know You" episode of Big Blend Radio, we celebrate National Creativity Day and reconnect with longtime Big Blend friend, travel writer, author, and storyteller Elaine Masters as part of the launch of our new online community, Big Blend Media House, and its Front Porch News newsletter. A longtime Big Blend contributor and friend, Elaine is known for her thoughtful travel...

This Memorial Day weekend episode of Big Blend Radio features author Margaret Whitford who discusses her powerful new memoir, "The History We Carry, A Daughter's Memoir," releasing June 2, 2026 through She Writes Press. In this moving conversation, Margaret reflects on the emotional legacy of war, family estrangement, inherited trauma, and the healing power of storytelling. As families across Amer...

In this shared episode of Big Blend Radio’s "World of Art" Podcast, we get to know artist and art historian Victoria Chick as she shares her creative journey, the power of curiosity, and the inspiration behind her work in art and community building. From spearheading the development of a regional art museum in Silver City, New Mexico, to helping shape a creative “virtual home” through the Big Blen...

In this shared episode of Big Blend Radio’s "English Connection" Show, historian, tour guide, and Norfolk Tours owner Glynn Burrows explores the lives and legacies of remarkable women who helped shape England and the world.  From beloved authors Jane Austen and Beatrix Potter to social reformer Elizabeth Fry, nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale, and suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst, this ins...

On this episode of Big Blend Radio’s "Music Talks" Podcast with Joey Stuckey, we celebrate Women’s History Month by honoring the trailblazing women guitarists who have shaped music across generations. From foundational pioneers like Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Mary Ford, Elizabeth Cotten, and Mary Ford, to influential artists such as Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Dolly Parton, and rock icons like Joan Jett...

In this shared episode of Big Blend Radio’s "World of Art" Podcast, artist and art historian Victoria Chick explores the vibrant art scene of Silver City, New Mexico, spotlighting the life and legacy of renowned artist Lois Duffy. A key figure in establishing Silver City as a nationally recognized art destination, Duffy’s career spans from studying at Pratt Institute to exhibiting across the count...

This shared episode of Big Blend Radio’s "Journey Jukebox" Podcast with travel writer Lisa Evans explores the rich cultural and architectural heritage of Detroit, spotlighting two extraordinary estates—Cranbrook Educational Community and Meadow Brook Hall. Celebrating Women’s History Month and looking ahead to America’s 250th birthday, this episode highlights the powerful legacy of Matilda Dodge W...

On this shared episode of Big Blend Radio’s "Food, Wine & Travel" Show with the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), travel writer and author Kathleen Walls explores the rich heritage of Fredericksburg, Virginia—making this the perfect conversation as America approaches its 250th anniversary and during Women’s History Month in March. Located along the Rappahannock...

This shared episode of Big Blend Radio’s “Jo Goes Everywhere!” travel podcast with writer Jo Clark explores the powerful stories preserved at the Mary S. Harrell Black Heritage Museum in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. This special episode celebrates the second anniversary of the "Jo Goes Everywhere!" podcast and also recognizes Women's History Month, highlighting the importance of community storytelli...

Explore the inspiring history of The Dawes Arboretum, a remarkable living museum of trees founded in 1929 by husband-and-wife conservationists Beman Dawes and Bertie Dawes. In this episode of Big Blend Radio’s Nature Connection Podcast, historian Leslie Wagner shares how the Dawes family transformed farmland into one of America’s most beloved arboretums. Hear how their early experiments in tree pl...

In this episode of Big Blend Radio, award-winning journalist and bestselling author Linda Stasi discusses her powerful new historical novel The Descendant, arriving March 10, 2026 and available now for pre-order. Inspired by real family history, the book uncovers a sweeping Italian immigrant saga that stretches from Sicily to the coal mines and ranchlands of the American West. Linda shares how dee...

In this episode of Big Blend Radio’s “Lost Angel Travel Adventures” Podcast, Linda Ballou takes us on a captivating journey through Malibu, California, uncovering its rich history, natural beauty, and lesser-known treasures. The conversation begins with the remarkable story of May Rindge, known as the “Queen of Malibu,” whose fierce determination helped protect the region from the expansion of the...

This episode of Big Blend Radio’s “Books & Authors” Show with Books Forward, airing on the second Wednesday of the month, features author Nancy Bernhard, who discusses her novel "The Double Standard Sporting House." The episode also celebrates National Books Blitz Month, spotlighting powerful stories that illuminate overlooked voices and hidden histories. Set in 19th-century New York, "The Dou...