Shows
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassSonja Mongar: Harmonic(a) Convergence – The Story Chooses its GenreAward-winning novelist Sonja Mongar chats with Darlyn about her novel, Two Spoons of Bitter, and explains why she always travels with a harmonica in her pocket. Support the show2020-10-0147 min
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassAdam and Monique Madrid: Building a Creative CommunityLaughing comes easily for this husband and wife creative team, who founded the LOL JAX FILM FESTIVAL in 2016 and more recently took over as Jacksonville city producers for the 48 Hour Film Project. But the work they're doing is serious business. Running film festivals, while both working full-time jobs, producing a vlog, and making time to be a couple, is hard work, but they wouldn't have it any other way. Although neither is a Jacksonville native, the couple met here and became high school sweethearts. They stopped by Scribbler's Corner at River of Grass to talk about living their best...2020-01-2957 min
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassBen Atkinson: Science AND the Arts — You Don't Have to ChooseBen Atkinson grew up in western Pennsylvania and currently resides in Jacksonville, Fla., with his wife and two young children. A poet with a PhD in wildlife ecology and conservation, he struggled to strike a balance between his scientific research and artistic pursuits. As a young father and husband, he set aside his passion for poetry for more than a decade, under the mistaken belief that he had to choose between a career in science and one in the arts. He rediscovered his poetic voice three years ago, and after reading his debut collection, Spider Lightning, you will be...2020-01-1357 min
Completely Booked - Official Podcast of the Jacksonville Public Library#23 JaxbyJax Literary Arts Festival - Darlyn and Brad KuhnEach year JaxbyJax hosts a literary arts festival highlighting Jacksonville stories and settings, and this year one of its main venues is the Main Library! On this week's episode of Completely Booked, we chat with the driving forces behind JaxbyJax, Darlyn and Brad Kuhn, about everything you need to know for the upcoming festival on Saturday, November 16.2019-11-0437 min
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassSharon Y. Cobb: Writing for TV and Movies"I was living in Key West, and there were a lot of writers there. When I decided maybe I wanted to become a writer, I didn't know anything about writing, so I asked my neighbor, Tom (Tennessee) Williams, for his advice . . . He said, well, 'Just write.'" So begins a fascinating hour with Sharon Y. Cobb, an accomplished screenwriter, former UNF professor, and generous mentor, whose career has taken her from Jacksonville to Key West, to Hollywood, and back to Jacksonville. After "retiring" from the advertising business to become an artist in Key West at 31, she took old Tom's a...2019-10-0256 min
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassEmily K. Michael: Slow Down; Quiet Down; Pay AttentionEmily K. Michael is a blind poet, musician, and writing instructor from Jacksonville, FL. Since 2016, she has worked as the associate poetry editor for Wordgathering: A Journal of Disability Poetry and Literature. Her poetry and essays have appeared in Wordgathering, The Hopper, Artemis Journal, The South Carolina Review, The Deaf Poets Society, Nine Mile Magazine, Bridge Eight, Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics, BREVITY’s Nonfiction Blog, Barriers and Belonging, and AWP Writer’s Notebook. Her first chapbook manuscript Natural Compliance won Honorable Mention in The Hopper’s 2016 Prize for Young Poets. Her first chapbook, Neoteny is available for pre-order from Finish...2019-09-1554 min
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassKaty Yocom: Finding Inspiration in the Natural WorldA forbidden love affair, a suggestion of magical realism, a collective of village women lifting themselves out of poverty, and a family of Bengal tigers struggling to survive; Katy Yocom's debut novel, Three Ways to Disappear transports readers to India, where they are surrounded by the sights, the smells, the sounds, and amazing people. A lot has been written about the India of cities and slums. Yocom writes about rural India, where villagers compete with endangered tigers for food and water. Yocom stopped by Scribbler's Corner at River of Grass during the Jacksonville leg of her book tour, to...2019-08-1558 min
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassVictor Hess: Bitten by the Writing BugNew Orleans novelist Victor Hess has been a lot of things, but he only came to writing recently. His first novel, Jesse Sings, was a finalist in the William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing competition in 2015. It was also recognized as a finalist in the Fiction: Inspirational category of the 2018 Best Book Awards sponsored by American Book Fest. His short stories received Honorable Mention in a recent Glimmer Train competition and one made the shortlist for the 2017 Faulkner competition. He is currently working on a third novel featuring Jesse Hall, the main character of his first two books. A su...2019-08-0552 min
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassLynn Skapyak Harlin: Tough Love For Writers From Jacksonville's Sweetest MeanieA coach wouldn't be much good if they always agreed with you. Lynn Skapyak Harlin has been punching writers in the face to make them better since 2001. She likes to talk about how "mean" she is, but that's not how workshop participants describe her. And that's certainly not why they keep coming back, year after year. Jacksonville's favorite literary curmudgeon, The Shantyboat Lady, ties the ghost of her dear, departed shantyboat up to the dock at River of Grass, for an hour of poetry and tough talk from a tender heart.Support the show2019-07-2955 min
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassSohrab Homi Fracis: An Immigrant's Perspective on PlaceSometimes it's hard to know who your friends are, even when there aren't any cultural barriers to overcome. In his work, Sohrab Homi Fracis documents his experience as an Indian immigrant adapting to American culture—the good, the bad, and the ugly—in the 1980s. Fracis, who now calls Jacksonville home, has gone on to gain recognition for his excellent work, but he walks through life with a perspective inextricably tied to his Asian roots, and the hostility of some Americans to anyone who looks or speaks differently than them.Fracis was the first Asian author to win...2019-07-0855 min
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassHope McMath: Art as ActivismHope McMath grew up in Jacksonville, so being named executive director of The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens was a dream come true. Her departure, in 2016, was a gut-wrenching inflection point. Opening her own gallery took even more courage. Anyone who has never been inside Yellow House, at 577 King Street, in the CoRK Arts District, need look no further than the backyard. The psychedelic school bus with Rosa Parks at the wheel tells passersby everything that McMath's Yellow House is about. The space, which doubles as her personal studio, was created to showcase provocative work on topics including...2019-06-2558 min
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassYvette Angelique Hyater-Adams: Transformative Narrative - Unpacking Core TruthsYvette Angelique Hyater-Adams is a poet and essayist, teaching artist, and narrative practitioner in applied behavioral science. A passionate mixed-media artist, she uses collage and fiber arts to express stories. Her work spans a wide range of corporate and private projects, but her passion is working with young African American women to help them find their voices and develop their own transformative narrative. She stopped by Scribbler's Corner at River of Grass to talk about how writing and storytelling can change lives, communities, and even the world.Support the show2019-06-111h 01
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassFred Zara: Life as Art – Making Movies From MemoirFilmmaker, director, writer, actor—Fred Zara lives in Orlando, but stopped by Scribbler's Corner at River of Grass while he was in Jacksonville for the Southeast Regional Film Festival, where his latest film, The Suicide of James Rider, was being screened.Fred grew up in New Jersey, where, at 15, he got kicked out of the 9th grade for fighting with a teacher. He played drums in a Trenton-based punk band under the name of Fred Fatal – a wild ride he documented twenty years later in his award-winning documentary, Average Community. So how does a 15-year-old high...2019-06-031h 01
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassJenn Chase: Bad Choices and the Gift of FailurePlaywright, musician, professor, Jenn Chase’s creative journey has taken her from her childhood home in Cape Cod to Dakar, Senegal, before bringing her here to us in Jacksonville where she works out of her studio in the CoRK Arts District, and as a professor teaching writing and humanities at FSCJ. A free spirit, who has failed as spectacularly as she has succeeded, and persevered to produce a significant body of work, including five albums, six theatrical productions and a variety of film and television projects on three continents. She joins us on Scribbler's Corner to talk about how ba...2019-05-2251 min
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassNikesha Elise Williams: The Power of PassionNikesha Elise Williams is an Emmy award winning news producer and author. She was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and attended Florida State University where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication: Mass Media Studies and Honors English Creative Writing. Nikesha’s debut novel, Four Women, was awarded the 2018 Florida Authors and Publishers Association President’s Award in the category of Adult Contemporary/Literary Fiction. Four Women, was also recognized by the National Association of Black Journalists as an Outstanding Literary Work. She has subsequently published two additional novels: The Appeal of Ebony Jones, and her latest...2019-04-3043 min
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassAndres Rojas: Firing Your Inner CriticTo celebrate National Poetry Month, Scribbler's Corner caught up with one of Jacksonville's rising stars. Andres Rojas was born in Cuba and came to the U.S. at age 13. He attended Florida Junior College, now FSCJ, here in Jacksonville and went on to earn an M.F.A. and a J.D. from the University of Florida. His work has been featured in numerous literary magazines and included in the 2017 edition of Best New Poets. His first chapbook, Looking for What Isn’t There, is forthcoming from Paper Nautilus.For all of that success, however, Ro...2019-04-1652 min
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassTricia Booker: Writing About Family Without Losing Your FamilyTruth telling isn't always easy, especially when those truths involve airing family secrets. Tricia Booker, author of The Place of Peace and Crickets somehow manages to tell hard truths in a way that is both caring and unsparing. She stopped by Scribbler's Corner at River of Grass this week with her constant companion: Buddy the wonder dog. Support the show2019-03-2551 min
Scribbler's Corner at River of GrassTim Gilmore: Psychogeography – The Personality of PlaceTim Gilmore writes about the haunted South.Gilmore is the author of 17 books, including a historical novel about the founder of Jacksonville, The Book of Isaiah: A Vision of the Founder of a City, illustrated by his colleague Shep Shepard, and creative nonfiction such as Goat Island Hermit: The State of Florida vs. Rollians Christopher, The Devil in the Baptist Church: Bob Gray’s Unholy Trinity, In Search of Eartha White: Storehouse for the People, The Mad Atlas of Virginia King, and Stalking Ottis Toole: A Southern Gothic. Gilmore adapted Stalking Ottis Toole as a play, which FS...2019-03-1154 min
The Drunken Odyssey with John King: A Podcast About the Writing Life250: Loose Lips Live Show!Episode 219 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature is available on iTunes, or right click here to download. In this week’s episode, I share a recording of Loose Lips, the monthly current events literary thing hosted by the inestimable Tod Caviness, with special guests Josh Dull, Racquel Henry, Darlyn Finch Kuhn, and me. 2017-03-1156 min