Growing Inspiration

Dr. Matt Ponesse set out to become a lawyer but realized he really preferred medieval history. Could he get paid to study that? Well, today he is a professor of history at Ohio Dominican University, where he specializes in the monastic education of the 8th and 9th centuries and teaches Latin and the liberal arts. In this conversation, Matt traces that unlikely path and explains why he believes the Middle Ages, far from being a dark and dreary era, show us a world that is bright, funny, hopeful, and deeply human.

Matt is also “Medievalist Matt,” the creator of a following-rich collection of memes that pair medieval manuscript art with the everyday absurdities of modern life. He shares how it began as a way to stay connected with students over the summer, why he writes his posts in a caffeine-fueled haze at six in the morning, and what medieval artists were up to when they filled manuscript margins with knights fighting snails and animals dressed as bishops. We also explore florilegia that medieval scholars compiled as practical guides to the best of the classical and spiritual traditions.

From there, the conversation widens to the value of a liberal arts education, why grades may get you the interview but soft skills get you through the door, and how to keep learning long after graduation by following your curiosity. Matt also gives us a peek at his upcoming coffee table book of memes and what he learned about copyright along the way.

You’ll learn:

00:22 Introduction to Dr. Matt Ponesse

01:07 Liberal arts education at Ohio Dominican University

03:12 From pre-law to medieval history

10:13 Why the Middle Ages weren’t a “dark age”

12:35 How the Medievalist Matt memes began

21:39 When illuminated manuscripts were made, and who commissioned them

23:01 Marginalia: knights vs. snails, satire, and medieval humor

26:55 Florilegia and the Hortus Deliciarum

33:14 Selling the liberal arts to modern students

40:07 Lifelong learning after college

45:09 The upcoming coffee table book of memes

49:44 Where to find Matt online

Links:

https://www.ohiodominican.edu/index.html

Instagram: @medievalistmatt

Facebook: Medievalistmatt

X: @medievalistmatt

Jessica Roux never set out to be an illustrator — she started as a journalism major at UNC Chapel Hill before realizing that her real passion lived in the sketchbook, not the newsroom. A transfer to the Savannah College of Art and Design opened her eyes to just how many directions illustration could take, from textiles and housewares to editorial work and, above all, books. In this conversation, Jessica traces that path from student to the author of Floriography and Ornithography and illustrator of the New York Times bestseller The Wheel of the Year.

Jessica's signature style — muted, old-world, Victorian — draws directly from the artists and movements she loves: William Morris's decorative patterns, the moody earth tones of the Pre-Raphaelites, the intricate detail of Beatrix Potter, and the naturalist studies of Audubon and Maria Sibylla Merian. That same fascination with history, mythology, and folklore runs through her books, including the Victorian language of flowers she explores in Floriography — a thread she traces back through Ophelia's flower speech in Hamlet.

We also get into the mechanics of the work: how her process shifts (or doesn't) between passion projects and client commissions, her half-traditional, half-digital workflow, and the unexpected year she spent illustrating for Pottermore. Jessica shares how she balances teaching and public speaking with an increasingly full plate of book projects, including a personal garden memoir, a second collaboration with Wheel of the Year author Fiona Cook, and a sequel to her children's book Thank You for This Day.

Links:

Timestamps:

00:05 The Process of Creation

01:01 The Journey to Illustration

03:44 Artistic Influences and Inspirations

06:49 The Process of Creation

09:28 Client Work vs. Personal Projects

12:37 The Impact of Reading on Creativity

15:31 Teaching and Public Speaking

18:38 Artistic Techniques and Media

21:24 Collaborations and Future Projects

24:22 Upcoming Works and Personal Reflections

Kara Cunzeman has spent her career solving problems across engineering, space policy, and national security, and she has come to believe that the single most dangerous habit in American life is also the most ordinary one: we refuse to look ahead. In this episode, I sit down with Kara, rocket scientist turned futurist and founder of the Federal Foresight Advocacy Alliance, to talk about her first book, Unconstrained, and what it means to think long in a culture that rewards the near term at every turn.

Kara describes futures thinking not as prediction but as a discipline of agency, a practice of asking what choices we can make right now so that the path we want becomes the one we are actually on. Her book opens by naming the constraint she finds most consequential: America's relentless short-termism, baked into quarterly earnings, election cycles, performance reviews, and school grades alike.

Kara’s experiences convinced her that foresight is not a partisan project. Agreement on where we want to go does not require agreement on ideology. It just requires the willingness to look far enough ahead.

Unconstrained launches in Washington, D.C. this December. Find Kara at unconstrainedfutures.com/book.

You'll learn:

Timestamps

Resources & Links

Kara’s book: https://www.unconstrainedfutures.com/book

Federal Foresight Advocacy Alliance: https://www.ffaa-us.org/

Connect with Kara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kara-cunzeman-0089063b/

Discover how award-winning author Leslye Penelope blends genres, harnesses inspiration from diverse sources, and organizes her writing process to craft compelling stories. Whether you're an aspiring writer or a seasoned creator, her insights on character development, world building, and staying motivated are invaluable.

Leslye Penelope has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. She is an award-winning author of fantasy and paranormal romance. Equally left and right-brained, she studied filmmaking and computer science in college and sometimes dreams in HTML. She hosts the My Imaginary Friends podcast, co-hosts the Ink & Magic podcast, and lives in Maryland with her feline dependents. Visit her online at https://www.lpenelope.com/.

Key topics

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction to Leslye Penelope and her literary achievements

Resources & Links

C.C.Fuller (Cammie) is the owner of an independent bookshop, The Open Book, in Warrenton, Virginia. She is the co-leader and founder of The Book Club for Writers. She writes nonfiction and poetry. Her work can be found in Taproot Magazine, The Intima, and Poetry on the Trail, as well as the Tupelo 30/30 Project.

Show Notes:

A bookstore is, before anything else, an act of faith that a community will show up for it. Cammie Fuller had that faith in Warrenton, Virginia, and seven years later, the Open Book is still here, having survived a pandemic that arrived almost to the day of its first anniversary. In this episode, I sit down with Cammie in her shop to talk about what it has taken to build not just a bookstore, but a writing community around it.

Cammie tells the story of choosing to open a bookstore rather than move to find one, her “baby” - the Book Club for Writers, and Cammie's own writing life. While poetry is her first love, she tells us about Tickles the Mouse, her community-rooted picture book, and previews the nonfiction book she is currently drafting, a lifetime of questions about flowers, love, and environmental stewardship on the farm where she met her husband.

You'll learn:

Cammie Fuller on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/c_c_fuller/

**Visit the Open Book in Warrenton, Virginia, to find Cammie's recommendations, local authors, and a calendar full of book clubs. https://openbookwarrenton.com/

The Open Book on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/openbookwarrenton

The Open Book on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openbookwarrenton

**Tickles the Mouse: A Warrenton Tall Tale https://openbookwarrenton.com/item/VTxXsQh_ByT3fUbic7EUbQ

** Learn more about the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference (https://www.middlebury.edu/writers-conferences/writers-conference) and Environmental Writers’ Conference (https://www.middlebury.edu/writers-conferences/environmental-writers-conference)

**Join my email list for more inspirational interviews and connections to knowledge across disciplines: https://www.gardenofmydelights.com/

** Feeling like you don’t have time to pursue the things that light you up? Download my free guide to checking in with your schedule and finding more time than you thought you had. Get my Big Rocks Weekly Tracker HERE**

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Cammie Fuller and the Open Book

01:10 The decision to open a bookstore in Warrenton

01:59 Impact of the pandemic on the bookstore

04:37 The Book Club for Writers and its evolution

07:54 The success and longevity of the writing groups

09:18 Cammie's work in children's literature and illustration

13:19 Cammie's poetry and creative inspiration

16:28 The role of community in nurturing creativity

18:56 Stories of breakthrough moments in writing

24:06 The bookstore's contribution to the local arts scene

25:29 Innovative community programs like audiobook walks

26:52 Upcoming projects and summer events at the bookstore

28:56 Cammie's upcoming writing and community plans

Do you feel like there is never enough time for the things that actually matter to you? In this episode, Shana introduces the Big Rocks Framework and the Big Rocks Weekly Tracker: a practical two-step system to help you discover where your time is really going and design a weekly schedule that fits your actual life. You will learn why the problem is not a lack of time but what author Brigid Schulte calls "time confetti," and how gathering those scattered pockets of time can transform your knowledge practice. Plus: details on the Make Time for What Matters workshop, opening April 25th.

Free download: Big Rocks Weekly Tracker: https://gardenofmydelights.myflodesk.com/bigrockstracker

Make Time for What Matters Workshop (April 25th): https://gardenofmydelights.myflodesk.com/maketimeforwhatmatters

Website: https://gardenofmydelights.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/GardenofMyDelights

YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@GardenofMyDelights

Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/gardenofmydelights

Are you feeling overwhelmed by life's responsibilities yet craving a richer, more creative, and interconnected intellectual life? In this episode, host Shana McLean explores the origins, significance, and modern relevance of the liberal arts, emphasizing their role in fostering creativity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning—even in busy schedules.

Key Topics:

Resources & Links:

Connect with Shana McLean:

Have you ever wondered what it takes to transform a hillside into a world-class vineyard… or how a biochemist ends up making award-worthy sparkling wine in Virginia's emerging wine country?

Maybe you've tasted Virginia wine and been curious about what makes it so different from Californian or European wines. Or perhaps you're fascinated by the intersection of science and creativity—how chemistry, terroir, and artistic vision come together in a bottle.

You're not alone. So many wine lovers appreciate the final product but have no idea about the journey from grape to glass, or the challenges winemakers face in a region that's still defining itself.

The missing ingredient is almost always the same: understanding from someone who's actually doing the work—farming the land, making the wine, and building a sustainable winery from the ground up.

In this interview, I sit down with Theo Smith, owner and winemaker at Capstone Vineyards in Linden, Virginia, to talk about his journey from cancer research to winemaking, how he's building a premier wine destination, and the unique challenges and opportunities of Virginia viticulture.

## You'll learn:

✨ How a butterfly net changed Theo's career trajectory from veterinary medicine to winemaking

✨ Why Virginia's climate and collaborative culture make it fundamentally different from California wine country—and why that's a good thing

✨ The three methods of making sparkling wine (traditional/Champagne method, Charmat method, and forced carbonation) and why Theo focuses on the first two

✨ How Capstone's unique soil composition allows for precise varietal placement across the property

✨ The reality planting as "a very expensive game of trial and error"

✨ The philosophy behind staying 100% estate-grown and direct-to-consumer only

✨ What "bottle shock" really means and why Theo's new Blanc de Franc (white Cabernet Franc) is so exciting

✨ Why Theo would rather make sparkling and white wines than reds (but makes incredible reds anyway)

If you're a wine enthusiast curious about what really goes into winemaking, or you're dreaming of understanding Virginia wine beyond the tasting room, this episode will give you an insider's perspective on building a winery from the ground up in one of America's most exciting emerging wine regions.

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**Visit Capstone Vineyards** https://www.capstonevineyards.com/

https://www.instagram.com/capstone.vineyards/

https://www.facebook.com/capstonevineyards/

**Learn more about Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute** https://brocku.ca/ccovi/

**Join my email list for more wine country interviews and behind-the-scenes content!** https://www.gardenofmydelights.com/

** Feeling like you don’t have time to pursue the things that light you up? Download my free guide to checking in with your schedule and finding more time than you thought you had. Get my Big Rocks Weekly Tracker HERE**

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction to Theo and His Journey

3:47 What Makes Linden Special

7:08 Virginia Sparkling Wine

12:32 Science, Creativity, and Experience in Winemaking

15:53 The Collaborative Linden Region and Future Growth for Capstone

19:39 Wine Education

22:02 Wine Events

27:32 Champagne Method vs. Charmat Method

29:43 Blanc de Franc – White Wine from Red Grapes

32:52 Bottle Shock

33:38 Rosé

35:50 Weather and Insect Challenges

38:26 Cabernet Franc

41:59 Canadian Wines

I’m thrilled that you’ve joined me today for a conversation with Thomas Finch, creator of English Enjoyed, the channel dedicated to exploring formal British English as an art form. Our conversation covers language evolution, the beauty of Victorian prose, the balance between prescriptivism and descriptivism, and how we can all be more intentional with our word choices.

Thomas Finch is an award-winning creative polymath—an actor, writer, and filmmaker who explores the intersection of storytelling, language, and the arts. He is the founder of English Enjoyed, a platform where he treats formal British English as a lived art form, blending ‘elegantly absurd’ grammar lessons with cinematic sketches to guide a global community through the nuances of the language.

An accomplished creator, Thomas’s film work includes the award-winning short Salt and his 2025 SF3 Film Festival finalist Skin Hunger, and he is the author of Victorian Writers Then & Now.

With a linguistic journey that began with French at university and currently includes the study of Spanish, Thomas is also a lover of classical ballet, French cinema, and period dramas. He is dedicated to the idea of using wit and creative performance to make language learning a source of delight.

Links:

Website: www.englishenjoyed.com

YouTube: English Enjoyed

Instagram: @englishenjoyed

TikTok: @englishenjoyed

Facebook: English Enjoyed

Substack: @englishenjoyed

To find the books we discussed: https://bookshop.org/lists/recommendations-from-the-growing-inspiration-podcast

In this podcast episode, Shana McLean engages with a panel of creative writing professors to discuss the significance of creative writing and literature in education and culture. They explore the challenges of teaching creative writing, the importance of humanities in society, and the impact of AI on writing education. The conversation also delves into strategies for engaging students who may not initially be interested in writing, the future of humanities programs, and the personal journeys of the professors as writers. They emphasize the value of storytelling, the writing process, and the importance of community and inspiration in the writing journey.

Matt Ferrence is the author of I Hate It Here, Please Vote For Me: Essays on Rural Political Decay (WVU Press, 2024); Appalachia North: A Memoir (WVU Press, 2019); and All-American Redneck: Variations on an Icon, from James Fenimore Cooper to the Dixie Chicks (U Tennessee Press, 2014). His essays have appeared widely in North American literary journals, including Best American Travel Writing, The Fiddlehead, and Gettysburg Review. He is a professor of literature and creative writing at Allegheny College.

Tracey Lander-Garrett is the editor of The Bridge Lit Journal and author of the Madison Roberts urban fantasy series. An avid gamer and fan of fantasy and science fiction, she holds two degrees in Creative Writing: an MFA from Brooklyn College and a BA from the University of Connecticut. She has had poetry and prose published by Hollow Oak Press, Mid-America Poetry Review, Connotation Press, and others. A former NYC English professor and Teaching Artist with Austin Public Library, she now lives in Oil City, PA with her husband and five cats.

Marc Nieson is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and NYU Film School. His background includes children’s theatre, cattle chores, and a season with a one-ring circus. His memoir, SCHOOLHOUSE: Lessons on Love & Landscape (Ice Cube Press, 2016). He's won a Raymond Carver Short Story Award, Pushcart Prize nominations, and been noted in Best American Essays. He teaches at Chatham University, edits The Fourth River, and is at work on a new novel, HOUDINI’S HEIRS. More @ www.marcnieson.com

Philip Terman’s books include My Blossoming Everything (Saddle Road Press, 2024)) This Crazy Devotion (Broadstone Books, 2020)) Our Portion: New and Selected Poems (Autumn House Press, 2015), and, as co-translator, Tango Beneath a Narrow Ceiling: The Selected poems of Riad Saleh Hussein (Bitter Oleander, 2021).  He directs The Bridge Literary Arts Center, a regional writers’ organization in western, PA. Terman conducts poetry workshops and coaches writing hither and yon. He’s collaborated with composers, visual artists, and performs his poetry with the jazz band Catro.

Links:

Bridge Literary Arts Center http://www.bridgeliteraryartscenter.org/

Allegheny College https://allegheny.edu/

Chatham University https://www.chatham.edu/

Clarion University https://www.pennwest.edu/campuses/clarion/index.php