Write About Now Jonathan Small

When Ithaca College's president asked Jason DeLand to give this commencement address at his alma mater, he didn't hesitate for one second. DeLand, the co-founder of a big-time advertising firm called Anomaly, has quite the inspiring, rags-to-riches story. He grew up penniless on a street called Swamp Road. But he put himself through college and established an agency known for its viral Super Bowl ads. In the episode, DeLand talks about the process of writing his commencement speech, the profound role of teachers in his life, what makes advertisements stick, how that industry is changing, and what he's learned about life and writing over the years. 
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There has been a worrisome escalation of anti-Semitism over the past few months around the world. But what's behind it? Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza or something deeper, more complex? Jonathan Small sits down with Gavriel Rosenfeld, President of the Center for Jewish History and author of "Fascism in America, Past and Present," to delve into the historical roots and modern manifestations of this enduring prejudice. Rosenfeld offers insights into the nuanced interplay between anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, shedding light on a complex but important topic. 
 

Does it make your skin crawl when people use words like "like," "um," and "dude," like literally every hella second? You're not alone. But guest Valerie Fridland argues that these linguistic ticks are actually useful and important ways of communicating. Fridland is a sociolinguist at University of Nevada Reno, and the author of Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English. On the pod, she talks about the history and psychology behind these filler words and why they are far from the end of the world as we know it. 
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On this episode, we go behind the scenes with author Trish Lundy to find out what it takes get a YA novel written, sold, and published by a major house. Trish just released her eminently readable debut YA Thriller novel, “The One That Got Away with Murder.” She talks about the process of writing multiple manuscripts before getting it right, her journey in finding an agent, tips and tricks for finding a story and characters that jump off the page, and what she's learned about the craft by going through the process. 
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Molly Roden Winter wouldn't seem like the poster child for polyamory. But the married, middle-aged mom's new book, More: A Memoir of Open Marriage, has caught fire, moving the controversial topic from the margins to the mainstream. Winter joins the show to talk about her unexpected open marriage and, with it, a life-changing journey of self-discovery. She also talks about the process of writing her first book, from a vision that came to her during meditation to the arduous trial-and-error journey of getting the story right—and then getting it sold. 
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release date—sign up @  https://bit.ly/3vD4s0B 

Catherine Coldstream shares the extraordinary tale of joining an ancient and secretive Carmelite monastery in the UK, surrendering completely to a life of poverty, chastity, and obedience. But years into leading this sheltered and isolated life of a silent nun, she started to realize the complexities and dangers of the life she vowed to live. Her experience is captured beautifully in a new memoir called Cloistered: My Years as a Nun. She joins host Jonathan Small to talk about why she gave up her  carefree, bohemian life to become a cloistered nun, what life was like inside the monastery, her views on celibacy and isolation from the outside world, and the similarities between her experience and those of cult members. 
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