Page Count

Children’s book author and illustrator Will Hillenbrand discusses his origins as a young artist; why “instant art” is a myth; his attempt to kiss a cow for research; his breakthrough after being diagnosed with dyslexia; how his son inspired the Mole and Bear book series; the power of giving voice to ideas; the literary magic available to us in books; the importance of play and joy in art; and why, as a child, he wanted to grow up to be a fire truck.

Visit willhillenbrand.com to learn more or follow Hillenbrand on Twitter or Facebook.

Books mentioned in this episode:

• MIKE MULLIGAN AND HIS STEAM SHOVEL by Virginia Lee Burton

Produced by Ohio Center for the Book at Cleveland Public Library and hosted by Laura Maylene Walter. For a transcript of this episode, visit the episode page. To get in touch, email [email protected] (put “podcast” in the subject line) or follow us on Twitter or on Facebook.

Negesti Kaudo, author of the debut essay collection RIPE, discusses the art of writing nonfiction; her development as a writer; exploring race, privilege, and the body in on the page; innovative essay structure; embracing work that is uncomfortable; workshop dynamics and etiquette; her job as a Buzzfeed sex toy writer; the joy of writing residencies; and why the popular “write drunk, edit sober” maxim isn’t the best advice for writers.

Find Kaudo on Twitter, Instagram, or at kaudonegesti.squarespace.com.

Writing Residency Resources

• Poets & Writers Conferences and Residencies Database

Produced by Ohio Center for the Book at Cleveland Public Library and hosted by Laura Maylene Walter. For a transcript of this episode, visit the episode page. To get in touch, email [email protected] (put “podcast” in the subject line) or follow us on Twitter or on Facebook.

Celebrated graphic novelist Derf Backderf discusses his latest book, KENT STATE: FOUR DEAD IN OHIO, which documents the fatal May 4, 1970 shooting at Kent State University. Backderf sheds light on this event’s history and its aftermath; his decision to tell the story through the point of view of the four slain students (Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer, and William Schroeder) and a Guardsman; his research and writing processes; the evolution of his career; his view of the current landscape for graphic novels; his favorite independent bookstores; and more.

KENT STATE: FOUR DEAD IN OHIO is the Ohio Center for the Book’s 2022 Great Reads from Great Places selection for adult readers and will represent Ohio’s literary heritage at the 2022 National Book Festival on September 3.

Derf Backderf’s previous books include MY FRIEND DAHMER, TRASHED, and PUNK ROCK AND TRAILER PARKS. Learn more at derfcity.com and buy KENT STATE at your favorite independent bookstore. Mac's Backs sells personalized, signed copies of Backderf's books.

For full show notes and a transcript of this episode, visit the episode page. To get in touch, email [email protected] (put “podcast” in the subject line) or follow us on Twitter or on Facebook.

Children’s book illustrator and author Tracy Subisak discusses JENNY MEI IS SAD, a picture book about the support friends can offer in times of sadness. Subisak shares the genesis of this story, how she became a children’s book author and illustrator, the connection between creativity and vulnerability, how illustrators work with an agents, a preview of some of her forthcoming books, and her advice for young artists.

JENNY MEI IS SAD is the Ohio Center for the Book’s 2022 Great Reads from Great Places children’s book selection and will represent Ohio’s literary heritage at the 2022 National Book Festival on September 3.

Books mentioned in this episode:

• JENNY MEI IS SAD, written and illustrated by Tracy Subisak

Learn about Subisak’s other books at http://tracysubisak.com.

For a transcript of this episode, visit the episode page. To get in touch, email [email protected] (put “podcast” in the subject line) or follow us on Twitter or on Facebook.

This bonus episode celebrates Author Alley, an annual book fair held at Loganberry Books in Cleveland. Harriett Logan discusses the history of Author Alley and provides a preview of some of this year’s offerings. Next, five participating authors (Nicole D. Miller, James Redwood, Megan Neville, Jason Lady, and Tricia Springstubb) share a bit about their books. You can meet these authors but also many others by coming to Loganberry Books on August 6 for the BIPOC showcase; August 13 for the fiction, poetry, and ephemera showcase; and August 20 for the nonfiction and illustrated works showcase. The event runs from noon to 4pm on each day.

Here is the full list of participating 2022 Author Alley authors, and here’s an article about Otis the cat’s retirement from Loganberry.

Finally, mark your calendars for our first-ever live podcast event, which will take place at 3:30pm on Saturday, September 10 at Literary Cleveland’s Inkubator conference. "Page Count Live: Advice for the Career-Minded Writer" will feature an interview with award-winning short story author and NEA Fellow Liz Breazeale. Register for the free Inkubator conference and attend this live taping of Page Count.

For a transcript of this episode, visit the episode page at https://ohiocenterforthebook.org/podcast. To get in touch, follow Ohio Center for the Book on Twitter @cplocfb or email [email protected] and put “podcast” in the subject line.

Eric Obenauf and Eliza Wood-Obenauf discuss the beginnings and evolution of Two Dollar Radio, an independent publisher, bookstore, and vegan café based in Columbus, Ohio. They share insight on starting a small press without a budget or connections; the origin of the “Two Dollar Radio” name; the benefits of being based outside of New York; what they look for when acquiring manuscripts; how they manage submissions; why they accept unsolicited and unagented manuscripts; their publisher mentoring program; publisher consolidation and industry challenges; why bookstore visitors are greeted by a unicorn mural; how a limerick by Lemony Snicket came to grace their menu; and a DIY spirit that extends to the bookstore and café, where Eric and Eliza have had a hand in making everything themselves, from the books to the furniture to the food.

The Book of X by Sarah Rose Etter

They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib

I Will Die in a Foreign Land by Kalani Pickhart

Crapalachia by Scott McClanahan

Binary Star by Sarah Gerard

Two Dollar Radio Guide to Vegan Cooking: The Pink Edition by Jean-Claude van Randy and Speed Dog (with Eric Obenauf)

Purple Palm Press

Akashic Books

For a transcript of this episode, visit the episode page at https://ohiocenterforthebook.org/podcast. To get in touch, email [email protected] and put “podcast” in the subject line. Find us on Twitter @cplocfb.

Author Jyotsna Sreenivasan discusses the power of second-generation stories; Indian American stereotypes in fiction; tips for writing dialogue and expressing the internal thoughts of a character whose first language is not English; writing and publishing without an MFA; freeing herself from the pressure to publish; transforming a novel into a novella; the long road of revision; and how her latest book, the story collection These Americans, came to be.

Mentioned in this episode:

• And Laughter Fell From the Sky (William Morrow)

For full show notes and a transcript of this episode, visit the episode page at https://ohiocenterforthebook.org/podcast. To get in touch, email [email protected] and put “podcast” in the subject line.

We’re getting meta on the pod by talking about page counts in published books and, by extension, word counts in unpublished manuscripts. What is an acceptable word-count range for a novel or memoir, and why does word count matter at all? Writer, speaker, and former Penguin publishing executive Brandi Larsen shares the economic rationale for common page-count ranges in published books and offers tips for writers penning their own manuscripts. While there’s always wiggle room and the occasional exception, there’s a reason why writers might run into trouble when trying to publish a 50,000-word novel or a 200,000-word memoir with a traditional publisher—and this episode will illuminate why.

Brandi Larsen is a writer and speaker building a more inclusive publishing landscape. Her work at Penguin Random House helped create NYT bestsellers, and her journalism pieces earned Emmy nominations. Her talks about publishing, leadership, and grief inspire audiences from Zoom to Harvard. She serves as the board president for Literary Cleveland and writes books and essays. Uncultured: A Memoir publishes September 20, 2022 and is available to pre-order now. Learn more at BrandiLarsen.com and @brandilarsen on social media.

For full show notes and a transcript of this episode, visit the episode page at https://ohiocenterforthebook.org/podcast. To get in touch, email [email protected] and put “podcast” in the subject line.

Christopher Gonzalez discusses his debut story collection, I’m Not Hungry But I Could Eat, as well as his writing process, flash fiction techniques, literary magazine editing, literary Twitter, the art of putting together a story collection, small press publishing vs. the Big 5, revision, reality TV, leaning into your own weirdness as a writer, and more.

Mentioned in this episode:

• “On Chicken Tenders” by Helen Rosner 

Host: Laura Maylene Walter

For a transcript of this episode, visit the episode page at https://ohiocenterforthebook.org/podcast. To get in touch, email [email protected] and put “podcast” in the subject line.

NOTE: At the time of this recording, Devon Halliday was an agent at Transatlantic Agency, but she is now pursuing other opportunities. Stay tuned for additional podcast episodes discussing trends related to agent and editor transitions within the publishing industry. 

Devon Halliday, a former literary agent, discusses how she became an agent, working in publishing outside of New York City, the difference between a scout and an agent, how she manages her queries, and what she looks for in new clients. Next, she critiques query letters from three Ohio writers working on historical fiction, memoir, and YA manuscripts, respectively. Halliday offers advice surrounding the structure and content of these query letters, as well as her thoughts on comparative titles, manuscript word count, book proposals, the role of research in memoir, platforms for nonfiction writers, rhetorical questions in query letters, and more.

Halliday recommends Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron, which publishes December 6, 2022.

For a transcript of this episode, visit the episode page at https://ohiocenterforthebook.org/podcast. To get in touch, email [email protected] and put “podcast” in the subject line.