Episodes — Truer Words

Amy Spalding

In the 29th episode of Truer Words, we speak with author Amy Spalding about musical theater, writing dual timelines, and why she isn’t “normalizing” queer kids because they’re already normal! Amy can be found on Twitter @theames, Instagram @thatames, and her website is theamyspalding.com.

Mentioned in this Episode:

The Last Five Years (musical)

The Last Five Years (movie) streaming on Amazon Prime

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen

Abigail Hing Wen

Our episode with Abigail Hing Wen

Know My Name by Chanel Miller

Agnès Varda: A Retrospective

Jacques Demy

Jacquot de Nantes

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

Schitt’s Creek

In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried by Amy Hempel

Amanda (A.M.) Jenkins

Jason Robert Brown

Merrily We Roll Along

Hairspray (movie)

Hairspray (musical)

Hairspray (movie musical)

Christie Baugher

The Fitzgeralds of Saint Paul

Norbert Leo Butz

Sherie Rene Scott

Lauren Kennedy

“They Didn’t Speak for a Decade. Then They Made a Show About it.” - article about Norbert Leo Butz and Sherie Rene Scott in the NY Times

The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy

Sweet Valley High

Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

UCB

Mad Men

Watchman on HBO

Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino

Rebecca Traister

Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett

Oklahoma!

Our episode with Ally Hord

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonJanuary 5, 2020

We Survived 2019! (Year in Review)

*Phoebe Waller-Bridge basks in her brilliance after the Emmys*

In the 28th episode of Truer Words, we reflect on 2019: the state of the podcast, how our art and work have evolved, and the works of art we loved.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Christina Bryza

Our episode with Christina

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Stuff You Missed in History Class

Our episode with Jessie

You’ve Got Mail walking tour

Adrienne Kisner

Our episode with Adrienne

Jennifer (J. Albert) Mann

Our episode with Jen

Marianne Murphy

Our episode with Marianne

Vermont College of Fine Arts

Nova Ren Suma

Our episode with Nova

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

She Said by Jodi Kantor and Meghan Twohey

Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow

Casey McQuiston

Kerry Winfrey

Our episode with Kerry Winfrey

Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall

Booksmart

To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You

Varda by Agnès

New York Film Festival

Varda: A Retrospective at Film at Lincoln Center

The Truth About Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh

Robyn dance party on the subway

The Worst Bestsellers

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Thirst Aid Kit

Fuckbois of Literature

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonDecember 22, 2019

Abigail Hing Wen

In the 27th episode of Truer Words, we speak with author Abigail Hing Wen about dance, bias in AI, and being a debut author.

Abigail is the author of Loveboat, Taipei, which will be released on January 7th, 2020. She can be found on Twitter @abigailhingwen and Instagram @abigailhingwen. Her website is abigailhingwen.com.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Vermont College of Fine Arts

Shelley Tanaka

Vermont College of Fine Arts

Loveboat, Taipei documentary

Mulan (animated, 1998)

Mulan (live-action, 2020)

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonDecember 8, 2019

We Did The Artist's Way!

In the 26th episode of Truer Words, we conclude our Artist’s Way journey by speaking with Denise Santomauro and Marianne Murphy about their experience with Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way.

Denise is a teaching artist, actor, and writer/editor who works with arts integration and arts program management. Denise is on Twitter at @dasantamouro and Instagram @denisesantomauro. Her editing services are available at Angellela Editorial and Story Studio Chicago. Denise’s website is https://www.denisesantomauro.com/.

Marianne is a teaching artist, poet, performer, animator and modern day da Vinci (per Melissa). Her classes are available at The Writing Center. Marianne can be found on Twitter @flamingoboots, Instagram @flamingoboots, and her website is flamingoboots.com. You can also buy her prints at Society6.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Hebru Brantley

Nevermore Park

Inside Nevermore Park

L’Atelier des Lumières
Carrières des Lumières

Georges Méliès

Hieronymous Bosch

Argosy Book Store

Mrs. Astor’s New York

Atlas Obscura

Martini Junction Train in the woods

Jim Henson

Leonardo da Vinci

Our episode with Christina Bryza

Oklahoma! revival on Broadway

Daniel Fish’s Dark Take on “Oklahoma!" in The New Yorker

Jud Fry the Incel? in Theatermania

Patrick Vaill

Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month)

Making Comics by Lynda Barry

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonNovember 24, 2019

Kathryn Ormsbee

In the 25th episode of Truer Words, we talk to Kathryn (K.E.) Ormsbee about spooky stories, podcasting, and creating writing boundaries! Kathryn is the author of the young adult novels Tash Hearts Tolstoy, The Great Unknowable End, and The Sullivan Sisters, as well as the books for young readers The Water and the Wild, The Doorway and the Deep, The Current and the Cure, The House in Poplar Wood, and Midnight on Strange Street. Kathryn can be found on Twitter @kathsby and Instagram @kathsby. Kathryn’s website is keormsbee.com.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Our episode with Ally Hord

Dave Holstein

Kidding on Showtime

Jena Friedman

Late Show with David Letterman

The Daily Show

Ted & Gracie

Our episode with Christina Bryza

Stephenie Meyer

Beth Phelan

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

The Crown on Netflix

Nanowrimo

A Christmas Duet

Christmas at Dollywood

Plus One movie on Hulu

Blake Edwards

The Pink Panther

Jessica Lange

Alfred Hitchcock presents

Good Evening: An Alfred Hitchcock Presents podcast

The Haunting of Hill House on Netflix

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

The Innocents film co-written by Truman Capote

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

His Hideous Hearts edited by Dahlia Adler

The Mask of the Red Death

The Monkey’s Paw by W. W. Jacobs

The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe

The Adventure Zone podcast

My Brother, My Brother, and Me podcast

Oh no, Ross and Carrie! podcast

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonNovember 10, 2019

Ally Hord

In the 22nd episode of Truer Words, we talk to Ally Hord! Ally is a comedy writer for Late Night with Seth Meyers. Ally can be found on Twitter @hordie.

Mentioned in this Episode:

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Varda by Agnès

New York Film Festival

Tulsa Artist Fellowship

Molly Backes

Our episode with Molly Backes

A Closer Look on Late Night with Seth Meyers

Sal Gentile

Pod Save America

Crooked Media

Impeachment sketch on Late Night with Seth Meyers

Nixon-Kennedy first televised debate

Women’s March sketch from Late Night with Seth Meyers

Woman Scouts (Ally’s pilot)

Christina Bryza

Our episode with Christina

Jake Szymanski (director of Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates and the greatest Robyn tribute ever)

Dave Holstein (creator of Showtime’s Kidding)

Broad City

Stick Figure Productions

#1 Single on E!

Studio 22
Late Show with David Letterman

UTA job list

UCB Theatre

Harvey Weinstein sketch on Late Night with Seth Meyers

Tarana Burke

Unscripted by Nicole Kronzer

ICE Raids followed a massive sexual harassment settlement at Mississippi plants

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee

I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman on Hulu

The Break with Michelle Wolf on Netflix

RuPaul’s Drag Race on VH1

Pose on FX

Succession on HBO

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich by Norman Ohler

Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach

Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire by Kurt Andersen

The Dream podcast

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonOctober 20, 2019

Cate Berry

In the 23rd episode of Truer Words, we talk to Cate Berry about poetry, humor in picture books, and The Artist’s Way! Cate is the author of the picture books PENGUIN AND TINY SHRIMP DON’T DO BEDTIME and the upcoming CHICKEN BREAK. Cate can be found on Twitter & Instagram @cateberryatx. Her website is CateBerry.com

Mentioned in this Episode:

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Podraland

Podraland article about Truer Words!

Our episode with Jen Doll

The Secret

Laws of Attraction

Prosperity Gospel

The Prosperous Heart by Julia Cameron

Leonardo da Vinci’s Saint Jerome at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Dance Me to the End of Love by Leonard Cohen (with Matisse illustrations)

The Iridescence of Birds by Patricia MacLaughlan

Kwame Alexander

Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything exhibit at the Jewish Museum

Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry

K.A. Holt

House Arrest by K.A. Holt

One by Sarah Crossan
AWP

Mary Quattlebaum

Marianne Murphy

Meg Cook

Jen Mann (aka J. Albert Mann)

Our episode with Jen (J. Albert Mann)

Guess Again! by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Adam Rex

Martha Brockenbrough

Tammi Sauer

Sudipta Barhan-Quallen

Vermont College of Fine Arts

Nova Ren Suma

Our episode with Nova

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

Tom Birdseye

Nina LaCour’s Keeping a Notebook podcast

Shadow Artist concept from The Artist’s Way

Ira Glass quote about beginners

Liz Garton Scanlon

Kelly Barnhill

Deep Creek by Pam Houston

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonOctober 6, 2019

Bristol Ivy

In the 22nd episode of Truer Words, Kathryn talks to Bristol Ivy about knitting, WWOOFing in New Zealand, and revisiting The X-Files.

Bristol is a hand-knitting designer and teacher. Her website is bristolivy.com and she can be found on Twitter: @bristolivy and Instagram: @bristolivy. Her designs can be found and purchased on Ravelry.

Mentioned in this Episode:

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Our episode with Nova Ren Suma

Our episode with Robin Benway

Raise Your Hand by Alice Paul Tapper

Goethe

The Secret

Our episode with Kerry Winfrey

Law & Order: SVU

WWOOF

Brooklyn Tweed

Bristol’s designs on Ravelry

MyBluprint

Lovecrafts

Knitting Outside the Box by Bristol

Ravelry

New York Sheep and Wool Festival

The X-Files

The Dark Tower series by Stephen King

Future Night of the Living God by Louise Erdrich

The Beet Queen by Louise Erdrich

How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price

Deep Work by Cal Newport

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonSeptember 22, 2019

Lauren Spieller

In the 21st episode of Truer Words, Melissa talks to author and agent Lauren Spieller about book scouting, agenting, and writing what you know as “reverse research.”

Lauren is the author of two YA novels, YOUR DESTINATION IS ON THE LEFT and SHE’S THE WORST, and an associate literary agent at TriadaUS. Her website is LaurenSpieller.com and she can be found on Twitter: @laurenspieller and Instagram: @laurenspieller.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Forever 35 podcast episode with Gretchen Rubin

Gretchen Rubin

Co-Star Astrology App

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything exhibit at the Jewish Museum in NYC

The Mount: Edith Wharton’s house

Kripalu

Fleishman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

Hamilton

“Hurricane” from Hamilton

Tiffany Schmidt, author of Bookish Boyfriends series

Follow your curiosity - Elizabeth Gilbert

Dessert First by Dean Gloster

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Marc Maron

Glow

Alison Brie

Jim McCarthy (Lauren’s agent)

City of Bones by Cassie Clare

Nova Ren Suma

Our episode with Nova Ren Suma

Fleabag

The Great British Baking Show

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Sawkill Girls by Claire LeGrand

Vita Nostra by Sergey and Marina Dyachenko

The Wolf of Cape Fen - Juliana Brandt

Lauren’s manuscript wish list #mswl

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonSeptember 8, 2019

Special Episode: Intro to The Artist's Way

In the 20th episode of Truer Words, we talk about Julia Cameron’s life-changing book, The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity, our previous experiences with it, and our plans to work through the book this fall as a way of jump-starting our creativity. We hope you will join us!

Mentioned in this Episode:

Julia Cameron

Julia Cameron Wants You to Do Your Morning Pages by Penelope Green, The New York Times

The Artist’s Way in an Age of Self-Promotion by Carrie Battan, The New Yorker

Our interview with Christina Bryza

Micol Ostow

Viacom Permalance Slave System from Gawker (R.I.P.)

The Artist’s Way Every Day: A Year of Creative Living by Julia

The Right to Write by Julia

Finding Water by Julia

Elizabeth Gilbert Facebook post about The Artist’s Way

Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

The Secret

The Laws of Attraction

The Worst Bestsellers episode on The Secret

Courtney Sheinmel

Leonard Cohen: A Crack in Everything at the Jewish Museum

Drawing the Curtain: Maurice Sendak’s Design for Opera and Ballet at the Morgan Library

Djerassi Resident Artist Program

Corey Ann Haydu

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonAugust 25, 2019

Kerry Winfrey

In the 19th episode of Truer Words, we talk with writer Kerry Winfrey about romcoms, making the jump from YA to adult romcoms, and incorporating her obsessions into her books.

Kerry is the author of the YA novels Love and Other Alien Experiences and Things Jolie Needs To Do Before She Bites It and the adult romcom Waiting for Tom Hanks.

Find Kerry on Twitter: @kerryann and Instagram: @kerryann. Her website is kerrywinfrey.com.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Just Wright

Rosie’s Theater Kids

U.N.I.T.Y. by Queen Latifah

Billy Wilder’s Rules of Good Filmmaking

Conversations with Billy Wilder (Vanity Fair excerpt here) by Cameron Crowe

Margaret Bechard

Made of Honor - Patrick Dempsey / Michelle Monaghan movie

The Wedding Date - Debra Messing movie

Ghostbusters

How Red, White, and Royal Blue Became the Unlikely Book of Summer

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery

The Last Holiday

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

You’ve Got Mail

Sleepless in Seattle

I’ll Have What She’s Having by Erin Carlson

“Instant Messenger May Be Dead, but You’ve Got Mail is Forever” by Hilary Weaver

A Year of Romcoms tumblr

Meg Cabot

Nora Roberts

You’ve Got Mail walking tour

Cafe Lalo

Boat Basin

Books of Wonder

Colson Whitehead quote from The Colossus of New York

Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead

Fitzgerald as Screenwriter: No Hollywood Ending

HelloGiggles

Glasstown Entertainment

Lauren Oliver

Lexa Hillyer

"Why is Gen Z Obsessed with The Office?" by Sonia Saraiya

Jen Maschari

Jody Casella

The Book Loft

Tom Hanks and the Great Lakes Theater Festival

Rainbow Rowell

"Real Romance" - Nora Roberts profile in The New Yorker by Lauren Collins

Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

The Holiday

Our interview with Jasmine

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonAugust 11, 2019

Salima Alikhan

In the 18th episode of Truer Words, we talk with writer and illustrator Salima Alikhan about fairy tales, illustration, and writing historical fiction on a very tight deadline.

Salima is the author of Emmi in the City and the illustrator of many picture books, including Rocky Mountain Night Before Christmas and Pieces of Another World.

Find Salima on Twitter: @salimaalikhan and Instagram: @salimaalikhan. Her website is SalimaAlikhan.net.

Subscribe to Truer Words on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher.

Mentioned in this Episode:

SCBWI: Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators

Rocky Mountain Night Before Christmas, by Joe Gribnau and illustrated by Salima

Pieces of Another World by Mara Rockliff and illustrated by Salima

Puss in Boots

The Pied Piper of Hamelin

The Emperor’s New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen

The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen

The Princess and the Pea by Hans Christian Andersen

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

All Dogs Go to Heaven

Cynthia Leitich-Smith

BookPeople bookstore

Texas Book Festival

Austin Teen Book Festival

Vermont College of Fine Arts

St. Edward’s University

Capstone Publishing

Scholastic “I Survived” series

Lauren Tarshis

Chicago History Museum

Chicago Architecture Tours

Emmi in the City by Salima

Jake Maddox series

Kar-Ben publishers

Feivel’s Flying Horses by Heidi Smith Hyde

Jessie Janowitz

Jessie’s episode of Truer Words

Vincent & Theo by Deborah Heiligmann

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

Rick Riordan Presents

Percy Jackson series

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonJuly 28, 2019

Jen Doll

In the 17th episode of Truer Words, Melissa talks with Jen Doll about Sassy magazine, writing and reading advice columns, and her freelance writing career.

Jen is the author of a memoir, Save the Date, a YA novel, Unclaimed Baggage, which is currently being adapted for television. She also has an advice column for WeWork, writes for many publications and is working on her second novel.

Find Jen on Twitter: @thisisjendoll and Instagram: @thisisjendoll. Her website is JenDoll.com.

Subscribe to Truer Words on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher.

Show Notes:

Books, authors, movies, TV, specials, and other media or institutions mentioned include:

Taffy Brodesser-Akner profile in Cosmopolitan by Jen Ortiz

A response to the Taffy profile in Longreads by Soraya Roberts

Roxane Gay’s WealthSimple essay

Ella Dawson’s tweet about Jen’s Harper’s story

Why Does It Feel Like Everyone Has More Money Than You? by Jen Doll in Harpers Bazaar

Abigail Disney Has More Money Than She’ll Ever Spend by Sarah McVeigh

Make Art, Make Money: Lessons from Jim Henson on Fueling Your Creative Career by Elizabeth Hyde Stevens

WeWork column

The Real Ramona by Sarah Jaffe

A Girl from Yamhill by Beverly Cleary

Dear Prudence

Dear Sugar / Cheryl Strayed

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonJuly 14, 2019

Leda Hoffmann

In the 16th episode of Truer Words, Kathryn talks with Leda Hoffmann about directing theater, the perks and downfalls of freelancing, and niche museums in Texas.

Leda is the artistic director of the Strawdog Theatre Company in Chicago.

Find Leda on Twitter: @ledahoffmann and Instagram: @ledahoffmann. Her website is ledahoffmann.com.

Subscribe to Truer Words on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher.

Show Notes:

Books, authors, movies, TV, specials, and other media or institutions mentioned include:

Milwaukee Repertory Theater

The Island by Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Nshona

Mr. Burns, a post-electric play by Anne Washburn

Hadestown

Hadestown director Rachel Chavkin’s Tony speech

The Cat in the Hat

Texas Ranger Museum

New London Texas School Explosion Museum

Stuff You Missed in History Class about the New London Texas School Explosion

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonJune 30, 2019

Molly Backes

Molly and Alfie in their Tulsa Artist Fellowship office

In the 15th episode of Truer Words, we talk with Molly Backes about fellowship programs, writing in the midwest, and her Twitter-famous dog, Alfie.

Molly is the author of THE PRINCESSES OF IOWA and a 2019 Tulsa Artists fellow.

Find Molly on Twitter: @mollybackes. Her website is mollybackes.com.

Subscribe to Truer Words on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher.

Show Notes:

Books, authors, movies, TV, specials, and other media or institutions mentioned include:

Alliance of Artist Communities

School segregation in NYC in the New York Times

George Kaiser Family Foundation

Tulsa art article in the New York Times

Wisconsin art fellowship

Cornell College fellowship

Route 66 Museum

Molly’s Route 66 Adventure by Dottie Raymer

Ragdale Foundation residency for artists

The Time-Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

“Anybody who has survived his childhood has enough information about life to last him the rest of his days.”- Flannery O’Conner, from Mysteries and Manners: Occasional Prose

Iowa almond milk tweet story

Field of Dreams

Iowa Writers’ Workshop

NaNoWriMo

Candlewick Press

The Animators by Kayla Rae Whitaker

Alex Awards for adult books with YA crossover appeal

Linda Holmes

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonJune 16, 2019

Robin Benway

Robin is the National Book Award-winning author of FAR FROM THE TREE, as well as: EMMY & OLIVER, ALSO KNOWN AS, GOING ROGUE, THE EXTRAORDINARY SECRETS OF APRIL, MAY, AND JUNE and AUDREY, WAIT!

Find Robin on Twitter: @robinbenway and Instagram: @robinbenway. Her website is robinbenway.com

Subscribe to Truer Words on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, and Stitcher.

Show Notes:

Books, authors, movies, TV, specials, and other media or institutions mentioned include:

The Confusion of Laurel Graham by Adrienne Kisner

Dear Rachel Maddow by Adrienne Kisner

Rachel Cohn

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Ramona books by Beverly Cleary

Beverly Cleary

Mitch and Amy by Beverly Cleary

Ribsy by Beverly Cleary

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary

Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary

Bianca Turetsky

Baby-Sitters Club Netflix reboot

Lucia Aniello Architectural Digest story

Lucia Aniello

Gingerbread by Rachel Cohn

Audrey, Wait! by Robin

Katy Perry The Movie: Part of Me by Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz

It Might Get Loud by Davis Guggenheim

Paul McCartney: The Love We Make by Albert Maysles and Bradley Kaplan

Blackbird by Paul McCartney

Heartbreaker by Mariah Carey

Los Lobos

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June by Robin

Going Rogue by Robin

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

The Quibbler podcast

Emmy & Oliver

Far From the Tree

Cosmic Love - Florence and the Machine

National Book Foundation / National Book Awards

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Lisa Kudrow interview on Nerdist

Meg Medina

Noah Centineo

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

Rob Sheffield at Rolling Stone

Wifey by Judy Blume

Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself by Judy Blume

Forever … by Judy Blume

Hasan Minhaj

Molly Ringwald

Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

Bright Lights by Alexis Bloom and Fisher Stevens

Becky Albertalli

The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M.T. Anderson (Illustrated by Eugene Yelchin)

Deep Creek: Finding Hope in High Country by Pam Houston

Stevie Nicks

Five Seconds of Summer

Shrill

Salt Fat Acid Heat

Amy Spalding

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonJune 2, 2019

Jessie Janowitz

In the 13th episode of Truer Words, Melissa talks with author Jessie Janowitz about writing middle grade fiction that readers can curl up with, and empowering kids through entrepreneurship.

Jessie is the author of the middle grade novels THE DOUGHNUT FIX and THE DOUGHNUT KING.

Find Jessie on Twitter: @jessiejanowitz and Instagram: @janowitzjessie. Her website is jessiejanowitz.com.

Show Notes:

The Baby-Sitters’ Club

Glazed Over Donuts in Beacon, NY

Fulbright Scholarship

Norma Klein

You’re Wrong About . . . podcast Preppy Murder episode

SCBWI - Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators

Jandy Nelson

I’ll Give You the Sun

R.J. Julia bookstore in Connecticut

The Bookworm bookstore in Omaha

The Bookmark Shoppe bookstore in Brooklyn

The King’s English bookstore in Salt Lake City

There There by Tommy Orange

Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

Killing Eve

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonMay 19, 2019

Yamile S. Mendez

Yamile is the author of Scholastic’s Blizzard Besties, the upcoming picture book Where Are You From? and many more books to come!

Find Yamile on Twitter: @YamileSMendez. Her website is YamileSMendez.com.

Show Notes:

Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet

Samantha Hahn

Coffee is for closers only watercolor by Samantha Hahn

Well-Read Women by Samantha Hahn

Make Art, Make Money: Lessons from Jim Henson on Fueling Your Creative Career by Elizabeth Hyde Stevens

Marianne Murphy’s Society6 page (flamingoboots)

Vermont College of Fine Arts

Random Acts of Kittens by Yamile

On These Magic Shores by Yamile

Furia by Yamile

NaNoWriMo

Harry Potter

Martine Leavitt

Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers

Carol Lynch Williams

Cynthia Leitich-Smith

Mary Quattlebaum

Cynsations - Cynthia’s blog

Yamile’s agent Linda Camacho’s interview on Cyn’s blog (note: she has since switched agencies and has a newer interview here)

Lee & Low

New Visions Award for Authors of Color

Uma Krishnaswami

Jaime Kim - illustrator of Where Are You From?

Clarissa Wong editor of Where Are You From?

Nova Ren Suma

Elise Howard at Algonquin Books

Council of 100

Christina Bryza (Our Episode 9 guest!)

Write Out Camp

Ally Condie (Our Episode 7 guest!)

Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey

Las Musas

Robert Polk (Inteview via Bookish Babes)

The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe by Ally Condie

Game of Thrones

Avengers: Endgame

About Us:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast. Contact us via our website, truerwordspodcast.com, or email us at truerwordspodcast@gmail.com.

Kathryn BensonMay 5, 2019

Julia Kelly

In the 11th episode of Truer Words, Kathryn talks with author Julia Kelly about writing romance and historical fiction, how a writing career can complement a day job with transferable skills, and how to move to London (tip: have a British mom).

Julia is the author of several romance and historical fiction novels and co-host of the podcast, You’re Never Going to Read This.

Find Julia on Twitter: @the_julia_kelly and Instagram: @juliakellywrites. Her website is juliakellywrites.com.

Show Notes:

Books, authors, movies, TV, specials, and other media or institutions mentioned include:

The Light Over London by Julia

The Matchmaker of Edinburgh series by Julia

You’re Never Going to Read This - Julia’s podcast with her sister

The Martian by Andy Weir

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins-Reid

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

About Truer Words:

Truer Words is created and produced by Melissa Baumgart and Kathryn Benson. Our music was composed by Mike Sayre, and our logo was designed by Marianne Murphy.

You can follow us on Twitter @truerwordspod and on Instagram @truerwordspodcast.

Kathryn BensonApril 21, 2019

Christina Bryza

In the 10th episode of Truer Words, Melissa talks with Christina Bryza about working in journalism and publishing, advocating for herself as an unagented author who also worked at her publisher, and her shift into intuitive work.

Christina is the author of the picture book parody, ARE YOU MY BOYFRIEND?

Find Christina on Twitter: @christinabeane and Instagram: @christinabeane. Her website is christinabryza.com.

Subscribe to Truer Words on Apple Podcasts.

Show Notes:

Books, authors, movies, TV, specials, and other media or institutions mentioned include:

The Artist’s Way

Julia Cameron

A recent profile of Julia Cameron in NYTimes

The Daily Northwestern

How to Change Your Mind, by Michael Pollan

Medill diplomas misspelled

The Wizard of Oz