The night before Halloween, Word Carver gathered with friends, family, and fans at Kafé Kerouac, one of our beloved local haunts (pun intended) for a night of sharing scary stories, both old and new. Trent McMahon’s story, “The Something Else,” considers elements of hell on earth; while Cynthia Rosi’s non-fiction story “Smoke in My Hands”…
Deeply rooted in place, Sycamore Poems follows two conversations as filigree-fine as cloisonne beads: one with the long-lived sycamores of Ohio, and the other about the loss of love. Kathy Fagan, Director of the Creative Writing MFA at Ohio State University, speaks of place, art, and the construction of her poems with Word Carver host…
Excellent professors like Dinty W. Moore teach at three levels: at Ohio University he lectures to undergraduates and graduate students, including mentoring PhD students in Creative Writing, and at summer workshops he works with adults in their 40s or older. It was for this audience that he conceived The Story Cure: A Book Doctor’s Pain-Free…
Maggie Smith’s lasting and resonant poems live up to the wide popularity of the eponymous “Good Bones.” Internationally-renowned Smith discusses living in Columbus, the place where she grew up, and the influence of crankies — traditional storytelling with shadow puppets which pre-dated movies — on one of the narrative themes, plus handling emotionally hot material,…
Columnist Pat Snyder Hurley talks with show host Cynthia Rosi about her forthcoming book of poetry from Night Ballet Press entitled Hard to Swallow, co-written with her husband Bill Hurley. The pair embarked on the poetic journey when Bill was diagnosed with cancer, and it formed a central part of their mindfulness work during that…
Paging Columbus founder Hannah Stephenson speaks with Word Carver reporter Amy Dalrymple at the OSU Urban Art Space. Paging Columbus moves to the new Two Dollar Radio location on Parson’s Avenue in November. Slam poet champ Barbara Fant reads from her stunning work. Amy explores the whimsy and wonder of words at amydalrymple.net Listen to…
How many of you feel this alienation and discomfort almost as soon as you open the screen in your cellphone, dip into social media, answer email, or listen to the news? The sages from India called illusion maya and they pray: “from delusion lead me to truth.“ Literature helps us to deal with a society…
Minnecojou Lakota poet Trevino Brings Plenty discusses two poems from his volume Ghost River, as well as Native culture, writing, and the protests at Standing Rock. You can buy Wakpa Wanagi, Ghost River, on Amazon or order it through your local bookstore. Music by Rise and Shine (2015), Seastock from Jamendo.com. Artwork from a mural…
Linda Kass, owner of Gramercy Books in Bexley, talks about her journey into creating a bookstore which offers a vibrant space for authors and artists, as well as a children’s area and inviting Kittie’s coffee shop to be a (very close) neighbor. Behind-the-scenes information on researching a successful bookstore as well as Kass’ favorite books…
Nita Sweeney writes the blog Bum Glue and puts out Write Now Newsletter a comprehensive listing of writer and reader events in central Ohio, through her writer website www.nitasweeney.com. She’s also a student of Natalie Goldberg, and teaches Goldberg’s work in Upper Arlington. Word Carver host Cynthia Rosi talks with Sweeney about using Goldberg’s technique…