Hear-Tell heartell

In this episode, Laurie Hertzel, a distinguished professor of practice in the University of Georgia’s MFA Narrative Nonfiction program, interviewed Emily Strasser about her book, “Half-Life of a Secret: Reckoning With a Hidden History.” 
Emily visited Athens in January to speak to our MFA students during their winter residency. In this conversation, she discussed  her 10 years of research and writing about her grandfather’s role in developing the atomic bomb while a scientist in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, home to the top-secret Manhattan Project. She also talked about her growth as a journalist while weaving together family secrets into this propulsive narrative that explores the long-term impact of nuclear weapons.

In this episode, Lookout Books editor and writing professor KaToya Ellis Fleming (MFA '18) reflects on the work of editing the award-winning anthology Bigger Than Bravery: Black Resilience and Reclamation in a Time of Pandemic. Bigger Than Bravery was edited by the late Valerie Boyd who founded the MFA in narrative nonfiction program at UGA. Publishers’s Weekly listed Bigger than Bravery among their Big Indie books of fall, Library Journal named it one of the best books of 2022 and Foreword Indies named it the silver winner for Anthologies. It also won the Georgia Author of the Year Award in the Specialty Book category. KaToya talks about the wonder of editing writers she had long admired and the labor of love in completing the project after Boyd passed away before its publication date. Also in this episode, Lolis Eric Elie, a former mentor in our writing program reads from his essay "A Survivor Looks Back" and program mentor and alumna Rosalind Bentley (MFA '17) reads from her essay "Iron and Brass."

In this episode, renowned speaker, nationally acclaimed educator and former debate coach at Harvard University, Brandon P. Fleming discusses his memoir,  “MisEducated,” (Hachette, 2021). Brandon, who earned his MFA in 2021 and worked primarily with the program’s mentor Pat Thomas, shares the inspirational story of his transformation from a delinquent, drug-dealing dropout to an award-winning Harvard educator  – all by the age of 27. In this show, Brandon talks about how and why it’s so important to tell the truth when writing a memoir, as well as navigating family members who not only question why you’re sharing the story but also may not appear in the best light. More on Brandon here:  https://bpfleming.com/about-me/
Here’s a link to MisEducated: 
https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/brandon-p-fleming/miseducated/9780306925139/?lens=hachette-books

In this episode, poet, educator and environmental writer James Murdock (MFA ‘21) discusses how using poetry, place and the natural world around him informed the reporting and writing of “Orange is the New Peach.” The piece was recently featured in Food Stories: Writing That Stirs the Pot, an anthology published by The Bitter Southerner.
James says good writing is built on the fine art of paying close attention and this article is no exception. Here is the link James’ story, “Orange is the New Peach:” https://bittersoutherner.com/feature/2021/orange-is-the-new-peach
Here are a few of the poets and writers who inspire James that he mentioned during our discussion:    
How to Be a Poet, Wendell Berry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHpU3O63eMg
Matsuo Bashō https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsuo_Bash%C5%8D
Wallace Stegner https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Stegner
Janisse Ray https://janisseray.com/

Moni Basu reads her story, "In Search of Spirits in Cassadaga," originally published in Flamingo Magazine. 
Basu, a member of the Low-Residency MFA in Narrative Nonfiction faculty, travels to the quiet Floridian community of Cassadaga, known as the psychic capital of the world and home, since 1894, to followers of Spiritualism, a faith that believes that we never truly die. Instead, we leave our bodies and become another form of matter and our spirit selves can still interact with the living. 
Over the years, a mysterious shroud surrounded Cassadaga. It's known as a mecca for mystics, a haunted corner of a swampy state. Basu headed to Cassadaga to investigate these mysteries and found herself asking personal questions about the afterlife. 
In addition to her work as an MFA Mentor, Basu, a veteran journalist with CNN, teaches as the Michael and Linda Connelly Lecturer for Narrative Nonfiction at the University of Florida.

In this episode, Shannon McCaffrey (MFA ‘23) and Distinguished Professor of practice Jan Winburn discuss the challenges Shannon ran into while reporting and writing, “Sanctuary,” the love story between a woman named Carol and an elephant named Tarra and their 50- year bond that was published earlier this year in Atavist Magazine. Shannon’s article was described as “lyrical” by Sunday Longform, in part, because of the many beautifully constructed scenes contained in the narrative, as well as the emotion she was able to evoke from her main character.  
Shannon has worked as a journalist for over 20 years and currently is senior editor at The Atlanta Journal Constitution. Jan Winburn has spent more than four decades at local, national and global news outlets, working as a narrative editor, writing coach and investigative editor.