Journey of the Art

Lola Opatayo
  • 5.0 (2)
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  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Journey of the Art is a literary podcast exploring the creative process through author interviews and storytelling. Stay connected Find out more about the show: https://journeyoftheart.com/

  1. 2D AGO

    Ep 39: How a Tumblr post became a novel

    In Episode 39, I’m chatting with Whitney French about her novel in verse, Syncopation, a science fiction novel about two women searching for meaning and purpose in a catastrophic world where memory is currency.  We talk about the musicality of Syncopation, how a random Tumblr post birthed the idea of the book, and what characters can teach us about ourselves. I ask Whitney to don her writing coach cap to share some strategies for achieving writing goals and overcoming popular writing challenges, and we go back in time to find out about Whitney’s Tree Sessions, a writing program she held under trees for writers who wanted to embrace nature while creating art. This was such a fun conversation, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction 1:54 – Tree sessions 6:22 – Describing her year in one word 7:42– How to structure a novel in verse 10:58– Nature eliminating itself in Syncopation  12:58 – How a Tumblr post became a novel 16:42 – What characters teach us about ourselves 19:57 – Musicality in Syncopation 22:28 – Intersections of migration 25:05– Common challenges among writers 29:58– Strategies to help writers 38:39 – About Hush Harbour Press 43:19 – Secret to staying on the journey of her art _____________________ Listen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LW5iwa9qvSw _____________________ Guest’s links Buy Syncopation: https://bookstore.wolsakandwynn.ca/products/syncopation Visit the Hush Harbour website: https://www.hushharbour.com/  _____________________  Host’s links Find out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/ Follow Journey of the Art on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/   Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/

    48 min

  2. FEB 11

    Ep 38: The Pugilist and the Sailor

    In this episode, I’m joined by Nadia Ragbar to discuss her latest work, The Pugilist and the Sailor.  The book follows the lives of conjoined twins, Bruce and Dougie. One an ambitious boxer and the other a bookkeeper. As the brothers pursue their individual desires, a love interest and a boxing championship, they are compelled to consider the true meaning of belonging, independence, and their own place in the world.  __________________________ Show highlights 00:00 - Introduction 1:48 - What’s been making Nadia happy lately  2:49 - Summarizing The Pugilist and the Sailor 5:13 - Starting the book from the last line 8:07 - Boxing as a tool to ground the body and differentiate 10:39 - List making as a way to foster inspiration  16:22 - Connecting to the humanity of characters  18:37 - The road to publication 20:34 - When plotting doesn’t work 22:47 - Navigating the editing process and choosing feedback 24:42 - Lessons from waiting for publication 27:36 - What Nadia needs to write 29:43 - Her writing superpower 31:12 - The secret to staying on the journey of her art _____________________ Guest’s links Buy The Pugilist and the Sailor: https://invisiblepublishing.com/product/pugilist-and-the-sailor/?srsltid=AfmBOooW_oY4TQOoIlGrAnTIwM_WtHSUl5r5-mUzKItlhgZcnbY3Rfgm Follow Nadia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadiaragbar/ Find out more about Nadia: nadiaragbar.com   _____________________  Host’s links Find out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/ Follow Journey of the Art on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/   Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/

    34 min

  3. JAN 29

    Ep 37: Twenty years to publication: Writing through rejection

    In Episode 37, I have the privilege of speaking with three-time Pushcart nominee Bill Gaythwaite about his short story collection, A Place In The World, winner of the 2025 Drue Heinz Literature Prize.  This stunning collection of compelling short stories features regular people battling betrayal, displacement, and loss and will leave you feeling a deep sense of connection with the characters. In A Place In The World, a teenage boy and his family grapple with the harsh realities of his father’s abandonment, a young lady yearns for belonging in the face of dispassionate affection, and a gay hustler’s secret is exposed. Beyond the collection, we discuss Bill’s staying power and his response to strings of rejections. This episode holds a powerful truth about the journey of artistry and is a much-needed reminder that consistency always rewards. Show highlights 00:00 - Introduction 1:22 – Resilience, the secret sauce 1:51 - Being a Pushcart nominee 3:37 - How to weave humour into painful stories 6:38 - Using the element of surprise  10:11 - How not to give up on a story 11:45 - How to know when a story is not working 12:45 - Building cohesiveness in a short story collection 14:16 - The theme of belonging vs. mystery  16:25 - Using the story within the story device  18:17 - How to build a short story collection  20:17 - The stories that didn’t make the collection 22:39 - The sacrifice of publication  24:16 - How to stay on the Journey of the Art  _____________________ Listen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NfrDy4OwIa8 _____________________ Guest’s links Buy A Place In The World: https://upittpress.org/books/9780822948766/ Connect with Bill on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billgaythwaite/ _____________________  Host’s links Find out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/ Follow Journey of the Art on Instagram: ⁠ https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/ Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/

    29 min

  4. JAN 15

    Ep 36: Finding Her Voice As Her Mother Literarily Lost Hers

    In this episode, I have the honour of chatting with Minelle Mahtani to discuss her memoir, May It Have A Happy Ending.  In May It Have A Happy Ending, Minelle travels back and forth in time to investigate the parallels between finding her voice in broadcasting and watching her mother lose hers to tongue cancer.  The book is an exploration of voice, with people, animals, nature, and things speaking vividly about identity, belonging, and the importance of making our own place in the world. It challenges us to examine the impact of our voice, the manner of our questions and the weight of the answers we give others. It’s also an exploration of love. Of love that’s too much, too little, and love that’s just right. May It Have A Happy Ending is out now from Penguin Random House Canada.   Show highlights 00:00 - Introduction 2:09 - Talking about how the book makes me feel 5:57 - Laughing after death happens 10:45 - Keeping the voicemails of loved ones 15:31 - Holding love and the bad memories of the departed simultaneously  17:58 - The scam of false hope and the vulnerability of caregivers 20:51 - Finding home and idea 22:59 - Passing down traditions and sharing the role of matriarch 29:05 - Asking anti-colonial questions on the path to writing the book 34:49 - Knowing the worth of her sound _____________________ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0EbmSKFEpm8 _____________________ Guest’s links Buy May It Have A Happy Ending: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/704247/may-it-have-a-happy-ending-by-minelle-mahtani/9780385675208 Follow Minelle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minellemahtani/   _____________________  Host’s links Find out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/ Follow Journey of the Art on Instagram: ⁠ https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/ Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/

    41 min

  5. 12/03/2025

    Ep 35: Telling Indigenous Stories of Joy and Creativity

    In this episode, I’m joined by award-winning Cree Métis storyteller and multidisciplinary artist Arnolda Dufour-Bowes to discuss her latest children's book, "Maggie Lou Meets Her Match." Arnolda shares her creative strategies, the importance of family and cultural storytelling, and her approach to balancing humor and serious themes in her work. You’ll find the initial part of our conversation deeply motivating as Arnolda talks about plunging headfirst into creative endeavours.   Maggie Lou Meets Her Match is a story about girlhood, creativity, and Indigenous family traditions. But mostly, it’s about joy, healthy competition, and the audacity to discover the world through the balance of joy and pain.   It’s out now from Groundwood Books.   Chapters 00:00 - Introduction  01:22 - Creative strategies and fearlessness  07:31 - The Maggie Lou series 09:01 - Family dynamics and Indigenous storytelling traditions 11:51 - The balance of family love and discipline in Indigenous culture 19:37 - Bringing back stories of joy 21:51 - Celebrating playfulness and audacity in girls 29:05 - Authenticity in writing about non-Western cultures _____________________ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Vmfsd1tJAAQ _____________________ Guest’s links Visit Arnolda’s website: www.arnoldadufourbowes.com _____________________  Host’s links Find out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/ Follow Lola on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/ Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/

    38 min

  6. 11/19/2025

    Ep 34: A journalist's journey to uncovering her mother's past as a war slave

    This moving episode with Halina St James is a conversation about intergenerational trauma, an exploration of a mother-daughter relationship, the Second World War, family secrets, love and forgiveness. Our conversation is centered around Halina’s new book, the Golden Daughter.    The Golden Daughter takes us on a journey with Halina as she tries to uncover her mother’s past after discovering her mother’s secret stash of letters upon her passing. Halina translated these letters and then embarked on a journey that took her back to Germany, where it all began, to put the pieces together to find out who her mother was. This journey led her to her biological father’s grave and into the embrace of long-lost family.  The Golden Daughter is out now from House of Anansi Press.   Show highlights 0:00 - Introduction  2:44 - The beginning of the past: how the book began 7:32 - Managing the emotional toll of writing a painful memoir 12:04- The structure of truth  14:37 - Stark abandonment: Finding family and belonging 19:00 - The irony of secret keepers and the truth teller 26:32-  A journalist’s perspective on visions  30:25 - Finding closure _____________________ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3slKw8v3_7o _____________________ Guest’s links Buy The Golden Daughter: https://houseofanansi.com/products/the-golden-daughter?srsltid=AfmBOoqwfY-cF78zLf3R0rJ84FfYkPp0JHAVwpJ3BAknPoCPQY2no-03 Find out more about Halina: www.halinastjames.com _____________________  Host’s links Find out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/ Follow Journey of the Art on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/ Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/

    45 min

  7. 11/05/2025

    Ep 33: Writing about African children in the diaspora

    In this episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Eddie Kawooya, author of the Ace and the Misfits series. We talk about how immigrant kids can foster friendships and a sense of purpose through sports. Inspired by his own immigrant experiences, Eddie brings to life a community of young boys who thrive through sports and a joint sense of purpose. Upheld by the storytelling traditions of his Ugandan heritage, and specifically, his grandmother’s stories, Eddie’s Ace and the Misfits series is nostalgic and provides crucial insights into the lives of young, immigrant boys.  Ace and the Misfits vs the Soccer Knights is forthcoming in Spring 2026. Show Highlights 00:00 – Introduction 2:31 – Eddie’s journey as an artist 11:29 – Discussing Ace and the Misfits vs The Soccer Knights 14:04 – Drawing from his immigrant experience to write the book 17:09 – Unpacking the challenges of immigration in children 23:04 – Learning from his grandmother and drawing from Ugandan storytelling traditions  28:40 – The hardest part of the book to write  31:27 – Addressing the challenges of young, immigrant boys  32:37 – Writing in the language of Gen Alphas 35:12 – Tips for writing for African children in the diaspora 37:55 – Full circle: Describing how he feels about his writing now _____________________ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fmydDmFEuPY _____________________ Guest’s links Pre-order Ace and Misfits vs The Soccer Knights: https://lernerbooks.com/shop/show/26221   Follow Eddie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boundless_kawooya/ _____________________  Host’s links Find out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/ Follow Journey of the Art on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/ Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/

    41 min

  8. 10/22/2025

    Ep 32: Writing at 80, being Jewish in the South, & family complexities

    I’m truly honored to share this episode with Summer Brenner, fiction writer, poet, and the oldest guest on the show (Summer turned 80 this year)! In this episode, we step back in time to the 1950s through her memoir, DUST. We discuss her encounters with racism and being Jewish in the South, caring for her brother who suffered from schizophrenia, dealing with her father’s suicide, other complexities with her family, and her thoughts on writing for over fifty years. As I said on the show, this episode was as meaningful as I hoped it would be, and I hope you find it as meaningful too. Show highlights 00:00 – Introduction 02:08 – Summer on turning 80 03:33 – On discovering writing and poetry 7:15 – On freedom and happiness 09:25 – Looking back after fifty years of writing  11:47 – The impact of encountering racism on her life and her writing  17:05 – On her father and his influence on her writing  21:28 – On leaving to live and caring for her brother later in life  30:36 – The hardest part of the book to write   34:33 – Writing about family complexities and the family’s response  42:08 – On being a multidisciplinary artist and finding fulfillment  46:17 – Her secret to staying on the journey of the art _____________________ Listen on Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/journey-of-the-art _____________________ Guest’s links Buy DUST: https://www.amazon.com/Dust-Summer-Brenner/dp/1959556460/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=uPJ8A&content-id=amzn1.sym.a7785aa2-ac28-4769-b3eb-cff7b9738627&pf_rd_p=a7785aa2-ac28-4769-b3eb-cff7b9738627&pf_rd_r=140-8988532-3141708&pd_rd_wg=OtiJq&pd_rd_r=29f6d760-a810-4611-8e6f-4baae3cfc550&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk Visit Summer’s website: http://summerbrenner.com _____________________  Host’s links Find out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/ Follow Journey of the Art on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/    Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/

    51 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Journey of the Art is a literary podcast exploring the creative process through author interviews and storytelling. Stay connected Find out more about the show: https://journeyoftheart.com/

Information

  • Creator
    Lola Opatayo
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    39
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Lola Opatayo
  • Show Website
    Journey of the Art