Best Jessamine County Public Library Podcasts (2025)

1
Lynnell Edwards 18:22

13d ago18:22

18:22

Poet Lynnell Edwards enjoys using what she calls "external prompts" from other authors. But she believes that "ultimately as writers, we've got to have sort of internal prompts." On this episode, Lynnell shares questions that will help you create your own personalized writing prompts. Learn how to generate a series of poems, essays, or linked short…

1
Tammy Oberhausen 18:01

2M ago18:01

18:01

When novelist Tammy Oberhausen feels "stuck or uninspired," she tends "to wallow around with it for a while and feel bad." Writing prompts help her ideas flow again. "Don't wallow too much," she says. "Get the prompt and go with it." On this episode, Tammy shares how to use your dreams—which she says are like "personalized prompts"—in your writing.…

1
Amelia Zachry 21:47

2M ago21:47

21:47

Amelia Zachry, author of Enough: A Memoir of Mistakes, Mania, and Motherhood, didn't think anyone would want to read about her trauma. But being vulnerable about her experiences "invited people to be vulnerable" in return. "And so that is the power of the word from page to the reader," Amelia says, "that we can transform that sense of healing to ot…

1
Jessica Handler 19:56

3M ago19:56

19:56

Author Jessica Handler believes "that when we write well, we're writing about what matters to us." What matters to you? On this episode, Jessica shares a prompt that will help you understand what you're trying to do with your writing. It's one that she often used while working on her memoir, Invisible Sisters. Jessica also shares a prompt that will…

1
B. Elizabeth Beck 27:51

5M ago27:51

27:51

For poet and fiction writer B. Elizabeth Beck, "making sure that you are actively engaged in a community is... the salvation to your sanity and to your work." On this episode, Elizabeth discusses her participation in writing and music communities. She founded Teen Howl and Poetry at the/ˈtā-bəl/, two Lexington-based reading series where poets of al…

1
Jacinda Townsend 21:08

6M ago21:08

21:08

Novelist Jacinda Townsend believes that "writing is a habit, and the imagination begets the imagination." Having a set writing routine helps her create because "the imagination is a kind of muscle." On this episode, Jacinda explains the steps she takes each morning to fire up her imagination, including using writing prompts. Her favorite prompt to …

1
Robert Gipe 18:21

6M ago18:21

18:21

Novelist Robert Gipe believes that when you use writing prompts, "you're just kind of fishing for something that works." If you're lucky, you might end up with "a couple of sentences that have some energy to them, that have some heat." Robert says those sentences can help you build a piece of writing "you feel good enough about to share with others…

1
Deidra White 22:49

8M ago22:49

22:49

When creative writer Deidra White feels stuck with her writing, she tells herself to "write the poem that you need to read." This exercise helps with one of the most challenging aspects of writing: visualizing your audience. Deidra shares several other ways she likes to jump start her writing. She also describes how she rediscovered her passion for…

1
Silas House 26:31

9M ago26:31

26:31

Are you an aspiring writer who thinks you’ll write a novel when you have more time or your children are older? If so, author and Kentucky Poet Laureate Silas House has some advice for you. “Often you cannot create the perfect conditions for your writing,” he says. “I think if you wait around for that, you’re never going to get anything written.” Si…

1
Kaitlyn Hill 25:11

10M ago25:11

25:11

Kaitlyn Hill, who writes young adult romantic comedies, didn't always take those stories seriously, even though she was drawn to them. "It was just really powerful for me to come to the realization that there is so much value in stuff that is fun and light and happy," she says. As Kaitlyn's writing prompt illustrates, she tries to keep fun in her p…

1
Sandra Gail Lambert 20:56

10M ago20:56

20:56

Sandra Gail Lambert, author of My Withered Legs and Other Essays, started writing in her forties. She believes her age helped her cope with the "rough and tumble world" of publishing. "There's so much rejection [in publishing], and there's so much feedback that is not necessarily accurate or kind," Sandra says. "And when we're older, we just have t…

1
George Ella Lyon 25:04

12M ago25:04

25:04

Do you wonder if you have a book inside you? According to Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame member George Ella Lyon, "you have to write to find out." George Ella says writers "have to dwell in uncertainty. Because that's the one thing that's certain, is that you'll be uncertain." George Ella, who writes for all ages in multiple genres, shares the promp…

1
Prompt to Page with Robin LaMer Rahija 17:18

1y ago17:18

17:18

If you're a writer who works another job to make a living, poet Robin LaMer Rahija has some advice for you. "I think ideas and thoughts and little tiny chunks of motivation come to all of us throughout the day," she says. "Just stop and write them down and save them for later. And get in the habit of not ignoring that impulse toward a creative act.…

1
Prompt to Page with JC McPherson 19:33

1y ago19:33

19:33

Author and arts administrator JC McPherson is also a trained master electrician who approaches poetry with a troubleshooting mindset. He says that "writing a poem is no different than wiring up a new room, like putting new lights in the outlets. And it's a process." JC often returns to his favorite writing prompt because it "shakes something loose"…

1
Tracee de Hahn 21:04

1y ago21:04

21:04

On this episode, we talk to Tracee de Hahn, author of the Agnes Luthi mystery series and coordinator of the Carnegie Center's Author Academy. Tracee prefers "to think of a prompt as a possibility, but not necessarily a necessity." She's partial to the origin story as a writing prompt because it helps her understand the characters and places she's w…

1
Sean L. Corbin 25:58

1+ y ago25:58

25:58

On this episode of Prompt to Page, Sean L. Corbin, the Poetry Gauntlet Coordinator for the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning, discusses his belief that "everything is a prompt." "If you sit down to write a poem, you don't just pour it out," he says. "Something had to prompt you to do that." If you've ever enjoyed Mad Libs or LEGO, you might…

1
Jay McCoy 25:31

1+ y ago25:31

25:31

On this episode of the Prompt to Page writing podcast, we talk to poet and visual artist Jay McCoy, author of The Occupation. Jay discusses his passion for researching his family history and how that research has inspired his recent poetry projects. He also shares two of his favorite writing prompts, including one from Linda Gregg's essay "The Art …

1
Terena Elizabeth Bell 16:08

1+ y ago16:08

16:08

On this episode of the Prompt to Page writing podcast, we talk to Terena Elizabeth Bell, author of Tell Me What You See. Terena discusses why the events of the last few years compelled her to write experimental short fiction, and she offers encouragement to listeners who want to write about current events. “You have to write with your voice, what y…

1
Christopher Rowe 16:58

1+ y ago16:58

16:58

For Christopher Rowe, author of The Navigating Fox, writing prompts can help him generate work when he's feeling stuck. In fact, one of his first stories to be widely published, translated into a dozen different languages, and reviewed in The New York Times was based on a writing prompt. Christopher's favorite prompt will challenge you to rethink s…

1
Bryce Oquaye 22:59

1+ y ago22:59

22:59

Comic artist, writer, and animator Bryce Oquaye considers mentorship to be "the most important part" of his journey, whether he's receiving feedback from other creators or working with young people. "Because initially," he says, "I made what I made, and I shared it online, and that was helpful. But nothing helped me excel more than connecting with …

1
David Arnold 22:38

1+ y ago22:38

22:38

For New York Times bestselling author David Arnold, reading with intention is a kind of writing prompt. "I think the most important thing about reading a lot is letting yourself become a sponge and soak in the words and soak in the pacing and soak in the stories," he says. "But...occasionally let's look at the mechanics of it, and what is it about …

1
Ashley Blooms 15:22

2y ago15:22

15:22

Ashley Blooms turned to writing prompts as “a way to reconnect” with her writing and “do some creative healing.” She believes that writers can be hard on themselves and prefers to emphasize self-compassion in her writing practice. “I think that creativity grows much better if you are being gentle with it,” she says, “than if you are using shame or …

1
Elizabeth Kilcoyne 18:53

2y ago18:53

18:53

Elizabeth Kilcoyne, author of Wake the Bones, discusses her own complicated relationship to writing prompts. She used to think she was "anti-prompt," but now she appreciates their help with what she calls "the sticky bits of literature." In other words, she continues, "that part of your manuscript that you keep wanting to turn away from and keep wa…

1
Angela Jackson-Brown 13:22

2y ago13:22

13:22

For our twentieth episode, author Angela Jackson-Brown, the keynote speaker for the Carnegie Center's upcoming Books in Progress conference, discusses the importance of writing every day. "That doesn't mean sit down every day and write for three hours," she says. "But it does mean every day pick a time and write for 15 minutes. And then if you have…

1
LeTonia Jones 19:00

2y ago19:00

19:00

For our nineteenth episode, poet LeTonia Jones shares two writing prompts that will help you write more mindfully. She also discusses her initial reluctance to call herself a poet. “The sooner you claim it, that it is true about you, the better it is for all of us,” she says. “Our words are medicine, and we never know when we have just the medicine…

1
Danni Quintos 17:58

2y ago17:58

17:58

For our eighteenth episode, we talk to poet Danni Quintos, who shares a writing prompt from cartoonist and graphic novelist Lynda Barry. Danni describes how both drawing and knitting have influenced her writing practice. Danni also talks about finding people who can provide feedback for your work. "Find your readers and cling to them for dear life,…

1
Andrew Shaffer 17:31

2y ago17:31

17:31

Prompt to Page is brought to you in partnership with the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning. Listen to Episode 17 For our seventeenth episode, we talk to Andrew Shaffer, author of Feel the Bern: A Bernie Sanders Mystery. Andrew describes what it’s like to write fiction about public figures and how studying comedy writing at The Second City h…

1
Marcia Thornton Jones 32:56

2+ y ago32:56

32:56

For our sixteenth episode, we talk to Marcia Thornton Jones, author of more than 135 books for children. Marcia describes her own complicated relationship to writing prompts and how she eventually realized that “every writer writes from prompts.” She explains that “something prompted every one of us to sit down and pour words onto the page. It coul…

1
Katerina Stoykova 22:11

2+ y ago22:11

22:11

For our fifteenth episode, we talk to Katerina Stoykova, author of Second Skin and Senior Editor of Accents Publishing. Katerina discusses how she uses her journals to create writing prompts for herself and offers advice for doing so with your own journals. She believes that writers should "learn to write when you don't have time for writing." She …

1
Ellen Birkett Morris 16:15

2+ y ago16:15

16:15

Listen to Episode 14 For our fourteenth episode, we talk to Ellen Birkett Morris, author of Lost Girls. Ellen shares three writing prompts: a poetry prompt, a fiction prompt, and a food writing prompt. Ellen began writing creatively when she was in her mid-thirties, and she encourages listeners to “embrace your identity as a writer. If you’re writi…

1
Sarah Combs 23:54

2+ y ago23:54

23:54

For our thirteenth episode, we talk to Sarah Combs, author of Breakfast Served Anytime and The Light Fantastic. Sarah shares her love of writing groups, reading "at whim" and a writing prompt that works for all levels and genres. If you're gearing up for National Novel Writing Month, you may find her prompt especially helpful. "It can be pretty sca…

1
Shawn Pryor 31:33

2+ y ago31:33

31:33

For our twelfth episode, we talk to Shawn Pryor, author of the graphic novel series Cash and Carrie and a guest at this year’s Comic Surge. Shawn describes the collaborative process of writing graphic novels and shares three of his favorite prompts. He explains how he uses writing prompts both when he’s working on books and when he just wants to ha…

1
Claudia Love Mair 24:19

3y ago24:19

24:19

For our eleventh episode, we talk to Claudia Love Mair, author and coordinator of the Carnegie Center’s Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative. Claudia Love discusses the importance of names in her life and shares a prompt that will make you see your own name—and yourself—in a new way. Claudia Love advises all writers to “stay open. All around you ar…

1
David Dominé 22:41

3y ago22:41

22:41

For our 10th episode, we talk to David Dominé, author of A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City. David offers a food-related writing prompt that will have you reaching into the back of your refrigerator. He also talks about his writing process, including how he manages rejection. "It's hard to get a publishing house, even if you have an agent," he says. …

1
Gwenda Bond 13:28

3y ago13:28

13:28

Prompt to Page is brought to you in partnership with the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning. For our ninth episode, we talk to New York Times bestselling author Gwenda Bond. Gwenda shares two writing prompts that will spark your imagination no matter what genre you write. She also explains why writing prompts can help you be more creative. “…

1
Marianne Worthington 18:01

3y ago18:01

18:01

For our eighth episode, we talk to Marianne Worthington, author of The Girl Singerand co-founder and editor of Still: The Journal. Marianne offers tips for submitting your work to literary magazines, discusses her favorite writing prompt books, and shares a prompt that will inspire both poets and prose writers. Marianne also discusses her own path …

1
Tiffany Reisz 24:21

3y ago24:21

24:21

For our seventh episode, we talk to USA Today-bestselling author Tiffany Reisz. Tiffany shares a favorite writing prompt from V.E. Schwab that will help you check in with your characters. She describes her own writing prompt that will help you raise the stakes for your characters and engage your readers. Tiffany also shares her thoughts on writer’s…

1
Mariama J. Lockington 21:41

3y ago21:41

21:41

For the sixth episode of Prompt to Page, we talk to Mariama J. Lockington, author of For Black Girls Like Me. Mariama discusses the process of writing and publishing her debut novel, shares two of her favorite writing prompts, and offers advice for adults who are writing for young readers. Mariama recommends that writers engage with their communiti…

1
Martha Greenwald 19:52

3+ y ago19:52

19:52

For our fifth episode, we talk to Martha Greenwald, the director of the WhoWeLost and WhoWeLostKY projects. The WhoWeLost projects serve as "a sheltering place for remembrance" for victims of COVID-19. Martha offers suggestions for writing memories about loved ones and explains how you can share your stories on the WhoWeLost websites. She also prov…

1
Kayla Rae Whitaker 21:33

3+ y ago21:33

21:33

About Our GuestKayla Rae Whitaker’s work has appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Electric Literature, Buzzfeed, Guernica, Literary Hub, and elsewhere. She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and New York University. Her debut novel, The Animators, was named one of the best debut novels of 2017 by Entertainment Weekly and one of the best book…

1
Jayne Moore Waldrop 16:39

3+ y ago16:39

16:39

About Our Guest Jayne Moore Waldrop is a Kentucky writer and attorney. She is the author of Retracing My Steps, a finalist in the New Women’s Voices Chapbook Series, and Pandemic Lent: A Season in Poems, both published by Finishing Line Press. Her linked story collection, Drowned Town, was published in 2021 by University Press of Kentucky through i…

1
Crystal Wilkinson 15:51

3+ y ago15:51

15:51

About Our GuestKentucky Poet Laureate Crystal WilkinsonCrystal Wilkinson is the award-winning author of Perfect Black, The Birds of Opulence, Water Street, and Blackberries, Blackberries. She is the recipient of a 2021 O. Henry Prize, a 2020 USA Artists Fellowship, and a 2016 Ernest J. Gaines Prize for Literary Excellence. Nominated for the John Do…

1
Kristina Erny and Jeremy Paden 29:56

3+ y ago29:56

29:56

About Our Guests Kristina Erny is a third-culture poet who grew up in South Korea. She holds an MFA from the University of Arizona. Her work has been the recipient of the Tupelo Quarterly Inaugural Poetry Prize and the Ruskin Art Club Poetry Award, and has been published by The Los Angeles Review, Yemassee, Bluestem, and Tupelo Quarterly, among oth…

1
Ozma of Oz Part 2 53:07

4y ago53:07

53:07

Find out how Dorothy, Ozma and friends rescue the Queen of Ev and her 10 children from the devious Gnome King.By Jessamine County Public Library

1
Ozma of Oz (part 1) 43:11

4y ago43:11

43:11

Dorothy Gale embarks on a new adventure - but she's not in Kansas or Oz this time!By Jessamine County Public Library

1
Orbiting Scranton 38:56

4y ago38:56

38:56

Orbiting Scranton Episode 2 of the Electric City Suite by Ed Simpson Characters & Cast Betsy Dennehy - Catherine Haws Paddy Dennehy - Spencer Kingsley Dan McBride - Adam Higginbotham Narrator - Bob MunroeBy Jessamine County Public Library

1
The Amazing Goldin...and the Regeneration of the Punjabs 32:10

4y ago32:10

32:10

The Amazing Goldin...and the Regeneration of the Punjabs Episode 1 of the Electric City Suite written by Ed Simpson Characters and cast Danny McBride - Spencer Kingsley Henry Biddle - Catherine Haws Tommy - Adam Higginbotham Stanley - Les Lehman Dotty - Nike Garlin Helen - Jacqueline Cooper Horace Goldin - Bob Munroe Narrator - Adam Higginbotham…

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