Inside The Writer's Head

In this episode of Inside the Writer's Head, TaraShea Nesbit talks with poet Yalie Saweda Kamara about her new book, Besaydoo, a book that Ross Gay describes as "a prayer for us all" and the New York Times Book Review highlighted the collection as "evoking ecstatic attention and generosity." In addition to sharing her insights about writing poems, Yalie offers listeners a writing exercise to try, one which inspired her terrific poem, "Mother's Rules," and talks about her polyvocal community writing project she is doing in Cincinnati as part of the 2023 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship.This podcast was recorded at the Downtown Main Library MakerSpace using the recording booth that anyone with a library card can reserve to create podcasts, record music, and more.Yalie Saweda Kamara is a Sierra Leonean-American writer, educator, and researcher from Oakland, California in the Cincinnati and Mercantile Library Poet Laureate. This fall, she joined the English Department of Xavi

In the final episode of this season of "Inside the Writer's Head" Manuel Iris interviews renowned British poet and writer Fiona Sampson. They discuss Sampson's musical background informs her writing, how poetry challenges us to read in a different way, the secret coherence that often arises in poems, and more.Fiona Sampson is a leading British poet and writer. Published in thirty-eight languages, she has published twenty-nine books. National honors include an MBE for services to literature, the Newdigate and Cholmondeley prizes, numerous awards from the Arts Councils of England and of Wales, Society of Authors, Poetry Book Society and Arts and Humanities Research Council, and Book of the Year selections. She has been a finalist for the T.S. Eliot and Forward Prizes multiple times. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, of the British Trust for Literary Romanticism, of the English Association, and formerly of the Royal Society of Arts. Alongside international poetry prizes in the US, Bosnia, India

Manuel Iris talks with poet and academic Rossy Evelin Lima-Padilla. In this episode, Rossy shares how she crossed the border as an undocumented minor. Her struggle with the English language, and how her love for writing, literature, and community, gave her the strength to become a poet and professor in the United States. Rossy Evelin Lima-Padilla is a United States-based Mexican writer, scholar, translator and activist. She has published her work in numerous journals, magazines and anthologies in Europe, North America and South America. Lima was recognized by the 2014 International Latino Book Awards for her work on Ecos de barro (2013). In 2015, she was recognized in Venice for her poem, Citlalicue with an International poetry award (Premio Internazionale di Poesia Altino). She was awarded the Orgullo Fronterizo Mexicano award given by the Institute for Mexicans Abroad in 2016. In 2017, she was awarded first place in the Concorso Internazionale di Poesia La Finestra Eterea in Milan in 2017. Poet La

In this episode, Manuel Iris speaks with Latin American cultural studies professor and Director of the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies at City College of the City University of New York, Carlos Aguasaco. Hear about his arrival to the US and how poetry and literature have been part of his immigrant story. This is a conversation on identity, belonging, and creative writing. Carlos Aguasaco has edited twelve literary anthologies and authored several poetry collections, including The New York City Subway Poems / Poemas del metro de Nueva York, recipient of the 2021 Juan Felipe Herrera Award for the best bilingual book of poetry granted by the International Latino Book Awards. The Academy of American Poets awarded him the 2021 Ambroggio Prize, the only national award for an author whose first language is Spanish for his book Cardinal in My Window with a Mask on Its Beak translated by Jennifer Rathbun. Aguasaco is the founder and Editor in Chief of Artepoética Press in NYC. He also coordinates the Amer

Manuel Iris sits down with two internally recognized poets, Tanya Ko-Hong and Tara Skurtu in the latest episode of “Inside the Writer’s Head.” In this episode, Manuel, Tanya, and Tara dive deep into how they define poetry, exploring topics like belonging, otherness, creativity, and the limits of language.Tara Skurtu is the author of "The Amoeba Game” and the upcoming poetry collection "Faith Farm.” She is a two-time U.S. Fulbright grantee and recipient of the Robert Pinsky Global Fellowship, the Marcia Keach Poetry Prize and two Academy of American Poets prizes. She is the founder of International Poetry Circle, and the national steering committee member of Writers for Democratic Action. Dara is based in Brooklyn, where she is a writing coach for clients worldwide.Tanya Ko-Hong is an internationally published poet, translator, and playwright who champions bilingual poetry and poets. She is the author of five books including “The War Still Within” published in 2019. She holds an MFA degree

Poet Jennifer Hambrick joins Manuel Iris on a new episode of "Inside the Writer's Head" ahead of the arrival of the largest and oldest gathering of haiku poets outside Japan to Cincinnati. The biennial conference Haiku North America is organized in part by Hambrick. Listen in as they discuss the lyrical power of haiku, Hambrick's musical lens of poetry, and information about Haiku North America.  A poet hailed for her “brilliant” imagery, “masterful” craftsmanship, and “uniquely musical voice,” Jennifer Hambrick is a six-time Pushcart Prize nominee and the author of the collections "In the High Weeds," winner of the 2020 Stevens Award; Joyride (Red Moon Press), winner of the Marianne Bluger Book Award; and Unscathed (NightBallet Press). Winner of the 2020 Sheila-Na-Gig Poetry Prize, the 2018 Haibun Award Competition of the Haiku Society of America, and the 2021 Martin Lucas Haiku Award, Hambrick has also received awards from Tokyo’s NHK World TV, Haiku Poets of Northern California, the Ohio Poetry Associ

Is identity a cage or freedom? How do authors write for enlightenment and hope in the midst of despair? Is it possible to be a black artist today without being an activist? What is love’s power in poetry?In my inaugural episode of this season of “Inside the Writer’s Head,” I chose to interview two brilliant guests to have a conversation about Black history and love. Listen in to my conversation with MoPoetry Phillips and Yalie Saweda Kamara.

In this episode of “Inside the Writer’s Head,” Pauletta Hansel interviews three Cincinnati residents who have founded projects with community storytelling at their core, and tells a little about her own project as well.

In this episode of https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZbGCz99xF3lIFdh2Ze3pU (“Inside the Writer’s Head,”) Pauletta Hansel, CHPL's Writer-in-Residence, interviews poets Rimel Kamran and Michael Thompson who are impacting society through their art.

 The writer Zora Neal Hurston said, “Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.” In this episode of “https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZbGCz99xF3lIFdh2Ze3pU (Inside the Writer’s Head),” The Library Foundation’s 2022 Writer-in-Residence Pauletta Hansel talks with three Cincinnati authors who have produced remarkable books in three very different genres, each using research as a key ingredient. Listen in as these “curious” authors read from their books and talk about their process. 

In this episode of “Inside the Writer’s Head” podcast, CHPL's Writer-in-Residence speaks with fellow poet laureate emeritus, Manuel Iris and the prolific and award-winning poet Sara Moore Wagner on demystifying the mysterious process of developing a poetry manuscript, a collection of turning individual poems larger than the sum of its parts.

Kari Gunter-Seymour, Ohio’s third poet laureate, is a woman with a mission: “to lift up all voices to spread the gospel of poetry far and wide.” Now in her second term, she is launching her newest project, I Thought I Heard a Cardinal Sing, an anthology of poetry from and about Ohio’s Appalachian communities. A grant from the American Academy of Poets and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will provide a copy of the anthology to libraries throughout Ohio, including the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library.

Cincinnati is bursting with writers’ communities of various types, both old and new. From the venerable Literary Club, founded in 1849, to Hit the Mic, founded in 2019, writers find inspiration and connection by coming together around the written—and spoken—word. In this episode of our “Inside the Writer’s Head” podcast, Writer-in-Residence Pauletta Hansel speaks with representatives of four such literary groups: Joanne Greenway, Greater Cincinnati Writers League President Richard Hague, Literary Club of Cincinnati President MoPoetry Phillips, Hit the Mic Cincy Founder Lisa Cors Rocklin, Women Writing for (a) Change Executive Director Join us for a wide-ranging conversation about finding the balance between solitude and support, growing Cincinnati’s literary community, and more! https://cincinnatilibrary.org/writer-in-residence (https://cincinnatilibrary.org/writer-in-residence)

On this bonus episode of the “Inside the Writer’s Head” podcast, Dani McClain interviews the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library's 2022 Writer-in-Residence Pauletta Hansel. Pauletta is a poet, memoirist, teacher, editor, and the author of nine poetry collections including her newest book, Heartbreak Tree, coming in 2022. She served as the first poet laureate of Cincinnati from April 2016 through March 2018. She received her M.F.A. from Queens University of Charlotte and an M.Ed. from Xavier University. https://cincinnatilibrary.org/writer-in-residence/ (https://cincinnatilibrary.org/writer-in-residence/)

On this episode of the “Inside the Writer’s Head” podcast, Writer-in-Residence Dani McClain interviews poet and professor Felicia Zamora. Join in a wide-ranging conversation ranging from the experiences of having a career in writing to exploring poetry as activism. Dani and Felicia discuss art as a catalyst for change and share their creative writing process. https://cincinnatilibrary.org/writer-in-residence (https://cincinnatilibrary.org/writer-in-residence)

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 poetry’s power to reach moments of honesty and authenticity. https://cincinnatilibrary.org/writer-in-residence/ (https://cincinnatilibrary.org/writer-in-residence/)  

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 insights to support writers of nonfiction. https://cincinnatilibrary.org/writer-in-residence/ (https://cincinnatilibrary.org/writer-in-residence/)  

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. Sheila is a reformed corporate borg (she drank the Kool-Aid but it made her sick), loves to read, listen to music (most kinds), travel, and eat popcorn, preferably served dripping with butter. She lives in northern Kentucky.

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 found her love for working with and for the community around her.  Her previous employment taught her how to speak on panels, teach advocacy, and grass roots organizing. She knows the importance of advocacy and hopes to spend her life working in this sort of field. She has always been a writer and she was incredibly excited when she found out that we were hiring a new editor—she jumped at the opportunity. She feels it’s a privilege to work for this paper as well as an incredible responsibility. She hopes to showcase as many voices from the community as she possibly can.