Victoria Christopher Murray: Finding the Past

Posted on July 14, 2025 by Doug Dangler

New York Times bestselling author Victoria Christopher Murray has written or cowritten more than 30 novels, including Stand Your Ground and The Personal Librarian. In our discussion, Murray discusses her latest book, Harlem Rhapsody, a historical fiction novel about Jesse Redmond Fauset, a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Murray shares her extensive research process, which involved moving to Harlem and reading numerous editions of Crisis Magazine, as well as her discovery of a romantic affair between Fauset and W.E.B. Du Bois. We discuss how she navigates blending historical facts with fiction and she recounts her first story (in elementary school!). She will be at the Columbus Book Festival on July 12 and 13.

Image credit: Three African American women in Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance, ca. 1925. From http://www.blackpast.org/perspectives/passing-passing-peculiarly-american-racial-tradition-approaches-irrelevance

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Steve Hofstetter: Getting to Know Comedians

Posted on July 8, 2025 by Doug Dangler

No insects were injured in comedian Steve Hofstetter’s new comedy special, “Kill the Butterflies.”

Instead, Hofstetter combines stand-up comedy with documentary interviews exploring comedians’ experiences with anxiety and mental health. He discusses his own mental health journey, along with more than a dozen comics.

His career has offered plenty of material for comedy and mental health issues, from hecklers to an audience member collapsing during his set. We discuss how he keeps his comedy fresh, what kind of dog is best for travel (think small), and what happens when a comedian unaccustomed to edibles tries one on stage.

Catch Steve Hofstetter on July 15 at the Columbus Funny Bone.

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Gregg Hurwitz: The Upside of Getting Choked Out

Posted on July 8, 2025 by Doug Dangler

How do you ensure authenticity as a writer? Some authors do a lot of library research. Others write what they already know about life.

Gregg Hurwitz “introduces [his] face to the training mat repeatedly and …gets choked out.”

It’s all in the service of ensuring that he knows intimately what his characters endure. Hurwitz is the bestselling author of 36 novels, including his latest, Nemesis, part of the Orphan X series. In this installment, his protagonist, the assassin Evan Smoke, tries to reclaim his humanity while dealing with betrayal.

We also discuss Hurwitz’s efforts to combat political and cultural polarization through thoughtful discourse, so listen in and then see Hurwitz when he appears at the Columbus Book Festival, July 12-13!

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Amal El-Mohtar: This is How You Win the Writing Game

Posted on June 25, 2025 by Doug Dangler

The award-winning fiction, poetry, and criticism of writer Amal El-Mohtar have appeared in publications ranging from Tor.com, Fireside Fiction, Lightspeed, Uncanny, and Strange Horizons, and in her own collection, The Honey Month. With Max Gladstone, she co-authored the multiple award-winning This is How You Lose the Time War. Her most recent book is The River Has Roots. She is one of 4 featured authors for the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Columbus Book Festival, which will be held at the main library on July 12-13.

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Grady Hendrix Casts a Spell

Posted on May 16, 2025 by Doug Dangler

Author Grady Hendrix‘s latest book is Witchcraft for Wayward Girls and we discuss both witchcraft and wayward. Set in the 1970s, the book follows four teenage girls in a Florida home for unwed mothers who discover a book that actually teaches them witchcraft. The book explores themes of power and control, often as described by 70s activist literature.

Years ago, Hendrix grew bored with traditional book events and now performs fast-paced book events with hundreds of images and Hendrix’s well-honed wit. I ask the age-old questions every author fears: when will you write a sequel and when will your books become movies?

Check out Grady Hendrix at the Westerville Library on May 28th!

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From Animorphs to Odd Otters, Katherine Applegate Brings the Talent

Posted on May 9, 2025 by Doug Dangler

New York Times bestselling author Katherine Applegate has written or cowritten an impressive number of books from the 54-volume Animorph series to her latest, Odder. We discuss the inspiration behind Odder, the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s surrogate mother program for orphaned otters.

Applegate co-wrote the Animorphs series with her husband, and we discuss the challenges and rewards of collaborative writing versus solo writing. We finish our delightful talk with insights into why she incorporates complex themes in children’s books and her experiences with book-to-movie adaptations. Applegate will appear at the Dublin branch of the Columbus Library on May 10th.

Image by KnipsKaline from Pixabay

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Iris Dement is Workin’ on a World, and We’re the Better for It

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Doug Dangler

Singer-songwriter Iris Dement has released seven albums since 1990, including her latest, Workin’ on a World. Her songs sometimes juxtapose heavy lyrics with upbeat music, letting the listener feel energized while contemplating the difficulties of life. While she doesn’t see herself as a political singer songwriter, her lyrics engage with the politics of the times, like “How many more people of color are we gonna let be gunned down by police/How many more perpetrators are we gonna sit back and watch walk free?

She’s had many memorable duets, especially with John Prine, including their song “In Spite of Ourselves,” a clever lyrical triumph that you should quickly listen to if you haven’t heard it before. Then, get tickets to see her with Six String Concerts on May 16.

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Dr Kelly Fishman Asks “Is Your Dog a Ninja Warrior?”

Posted on April 15, 2025 by Doug Dangler

Dr. Kelly Fishman is a veterinarian specializing in canine sports medicine, mobility, and rehabilitation. On this episode of Craft, she tells me about the importance of keeping dogs active to prevent arthritis and maintain muscle strength. She emphasizes using natural compounds like Myos Pet Supplements to build muscle and suggests exercises, like turning your dog into a ninja warrior by incorporating “different types of environments to build and maintain balance.” Or you can “ask them to put their front paws up on a park bench, stretch out their hips, and …do things like side steps and backwards walking with a dog.” Whatever it takes to get your dog in motion.

Just imagine how impressed the other canines at the dog park will be by your pooch when she creeps up in an all-black outfit and spin kicks that mean Chihuahua.

Listen in for more great ideas to keep your dog healthy and happy (even if there is no ninja training).

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Nora Neus: Writing “People-Centered Stories for a More Equitable World”

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Doug Dangler

Emmy-nominated producer, writer, and freelance journalist Nora Neus will visit the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s South High Branch on April 11 as part of the Authors at the Library series.

Her most recent book is “Renegade Girls,” a young adult graphic novel that fictionalizes the 19th-century relationship between reporter Helena “Nell” Cusack and street photographer Alice Austin. Neus worked as a journalist for CNN and other outlets before writing novels, including 24 Hours in Charlottesville: An Oral History of the Stand Against White Supremacy, and Muhammad Najem, War Reporter. We discuss how she researched the novel and how her personal experiences shape her storytelling. Listen in!

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Vashti Harrison: Big Honors for a Great Writer

Posted on April 4, 2025 by Doug Dangler

American writer, illustrator and filmmaker Vashti Harrison is the New York Times bestselling creator of Big, winner of the 2024 Caldecott Medal, both the Coretta Scott King Book Award Author and Book Award Illustrator Honor, and a National Book Award finalist.

Big traces a child’s journey to self-love and shows the power of words to both hurt and heal. I encourage you to share this wonderful book and its powerful ending with your children.

She’ll appear in town as part of the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Authors at the Library on Saturday, April 5 in the Main Library.

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