The Storyteller's Thread Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Storyteller's Thread
The Storyteller’s Thread is a monthly podcast for compulsive readers, aspiring writers, teachers, book lovers, librarians, and anyone else who loves or works with young adult literature. In each episode, host Sean Connors talks with young adult authors about their writing process; social and political topics that influence their work; and their motivation for writing for young readers.
YA author, academic, and all-around superwoman Sarah Raughley reflects on her journey to writing fiction for publication, the value of perseverance, and her forthcoming book, "The Bones of Ruin."
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Author Kalynn Bayron discusses her motivation for writing "Cinderella is Dead," a Black, feminist, and queer retelling of the Cinderella story, and the importance of reimagining fairy tales in ways that reflect the diversity of contemporary society.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Candace Fleming, whose book "The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh" won the Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award, reflects on what she learned about Lindbergh and his wife, the writer Anne Morrow, as a result of conducting research for the book, and shares her process for writing narrative nonfiction.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Jeff Henigson discusses his YA memoir "Warhead: The True Story of One Teen Who Almost Saved the World," which recounts his teenage battle with cancer, his estranged relationship with his father, and his journey to Soviet Russia to meet with Mikhail Gorbachev in hopes of ending the nuclear arms race.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Illustrator and cartoonist Shannon Wright reflects on the path she's taken to become a visual artist, her interest in exploring feminist and political themes in her artwork, and her first graphic novel, "Twins", which she co-created with Varian Johnson.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Portland-based political cartoonist and "Hereville" author Barry Deutsch talks about his motivations for writing a series of graphic novels about a young girl growing up in an Orthodox Jewish community and his creative process for making comics.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Andrew Smith, the author of "Grasshopper Jungle" and "The Alex Crow", reflects on his journey into writing for publication, postmodern fiction's ability to capture life's absurdities, and his newest middle grade novel, "Bye-bye, Blue Creek".
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
YA and children's book author Dashka Slater discusses her "New York Times" bestselling true crime narrative, "The 57 Bus", her motivation for writing across genres, and the unexpected complexity of picture books.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Award-winning author Deborah Heiligman, the author of "Vincent and Theo" and "Charles and Emma," talks about the challenge of writing nonfiction for teenagers, how she approaches researching historical figures and events, and the incident that inspired her most recent book, "Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of 'The Children's Ship'."
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
John Corey Whaley, the author of "Where Things Come Back" and "Noggin," talks about his strained relationship with fiction, his appreciation for Kurt Vonnegut, and how his experience growing up in a small Southern town inspired an award-winning novel and shaped his perspective as a writer.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Francisco X. Stork, the author of "Marcelo in the Real World" and "Disappeared", reflects on his childhood experiences as an immigrant in El Paso, Texas, his motivation for writing his newest novel, Illegal, and the role that writing and creativity play in his life.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Award winning author Phillip Hoose, whose book "Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice" remains the only work of nonfiction to receive the National Book Award, discusses his motivation for writing about young activists, and what adults sometimes fail to understand about young people.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
New York Times Best Selling author Kiersten White, whose books include The Conqueror’s Saga, "The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein," "The Guinevere Deception," and "Slayer," discusses her superhuman work schedule, her interest in literary adaptation, and her motivation for using feminist retellings of well-known stories to explore the inner-workings of power.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Award winning cartoonist Gene Luen Yang reflects on the appeal that comics holds for him as a mode of self expression, and discusses his first work of graphic nonfiction, "Dragon Hoops", which chronicles the Bishop O’Dowd men’s basketball team's quest to win its first-ever California State Championship.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Comics scribe, screenplay writer, and filmmaker Joe Kelly, whose graphic novel "I Kill Giants" was adapted for the screen in 2017, talks art, creativity, and the challenges associated with living a creative life.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Christine Day, author of "I Can Make This Promise" and a member of the Upper Skagit tribe, recalls her journey to find her voice as a storyteller, and discusses the on-going need for middle grade and young adult fiction that depicts Native American characters in a broad range of contexts, including contemporary urban settings.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Award winning children’s picture book author Lita Judge reflects on her creative process and her inspiration for writing "Mary’s Monster," a moving biography of Mary Shelley told in free verse and black-and-white watercolor illustrations.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Blogger, journalist, activist, and science fiction author Cory Doctorow ("Little Brother") talks about the intersection of technology, young adult literature, and youth activism, and how he believes schools could do a better job of teaching technical and privacy literacy.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Francesca Zappia, author of "Eliza and Her Monsters" and "Now Entering Addamsville," reflects on her motivations for writing books about teenagers experiencing anxiety, depression, and other forms of mental illness.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Ashley Poston, author of "Geekerella," reflects on her path into publishing, the value of fan fiction, and challenges associated with adapting popular stories for young readers.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Cartoonist Jerry Craft reflects on his career in comics and his inspiration for writing "New Kid," the first graphic novel ever to receive the Newbery Award.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Printz Award winning author A.S. King talks about her critically acclaimed novel "Dig," which examines the corrosive affects of polite, affluent white supremacy.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Jennifer Donnelly, author of "A Northern Light" and "Stepsister," talks about her passion for stories, her interest in writing historical fiction, and the cathartic role that art and literature play in her life and the lives of her characters.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Varian Johnson talks about his newest novel, "The Parker Inheritance," and the importance of diversifying genre fiction for young adults.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Chris Crutcher reflects on a writing career that has spanned 36 years and 15 books and explains why he trusts young readers to process the difficult subject matter he writes about.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Cartoonist P. Craig Russell talks about his interest in literary adaptation, his creative process, and his newest graphic novel, an adaptation of Lois Lowry's classic novel "The Giver."
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
An Na, author of "A Step From Heaven," talks about the inspiration for her haunting new YA novel, "The Place Between Breaths," and the emotional demands writing it placed on her.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Newbery Award winning author Matt de la Peña ("Mexican Whiteboy," We Were Here," "Last Stop on Market Street") reflects on the challenges of writing picture books and the need for more diverse representation in literature for young adults and children.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Sherri L. Smith, author of "Flygirl" and "Orleans," discusses her path to writing fiction for young adults, her interest in writing fiction about the World War era, and her forthcoming Avatar comic book series.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Award-winning author Kenneth Oppel reflects on the ever-changing children’s book market and his interest in writing books that invite readers to lose themselves in fantastic story worlds.
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).
Eliot Schrefer discusses his interest in conservation, his creative process, and his latest novel, "Orphaned."
This podcast features Creative Commons Licensed Music by Adam Henry Garcia (freemusicarchive.org/music/Adam_Hen…ersey_basement) and Jason Shaw (freemusicarchive.org/music/Jason_Sh…IC_GUITAR_3-11).