In this video, Phil Stamper and I celebrate rural queerness and his Whippoorwill award winning book Golden Boys which captures the experiences of four rural friends spending their summers in non rural places during the summer. It was great talking to a fellow rural Midwesterner in a space where both of us could continue to unpack our experiences as rural outmigrants and creatives.

To learn more about Phil Stamper: https://philstamper.com/

For more info on the Whippoorwill Award for Rural YA and MG Literature: https://whippoorwillaward.weebly.com/

In this episode, Whippoorwill Award winner Kevin Dunn and I talk about the importance of rural voices in publishing, the impact that transactions of place have on identity, and the connection between DIY punk and rural culture.

To learn more about Kevin Dunn: https://www.kcdunn.com/

For more info on the Whippoorwill Award for Rural YA and MG Literature: https://whippoorwillaward.weebly.com/

In this episode, I sit down with my buddy, Brian Brady, to talk about the Whippoorwill Award winning Vicious Is My Middle Name by Kevin Dunn which is about Sydney Vicious Talcott and her efforts to derail the construction of an asphalt plant in her new home in Appalachia.

Here’s the jacket copy summary: With a partially-shaved head, purple Doc Marten boots, and the sinking realization that no one in a fifty-mile radius has ever heard of her favorite all-female punk band Lite Brite, thirteen-year-old Sydney Vicious Talcott wants to be anywhere but her new home of Beaver Dam, NC, especially when mean girl Bethany Winters treats her like the punchline to every joke. But just as life begins to seem more tolerable with her two new book-nerd friends and a growing appreciation for the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains, Sydney discovers that a shady corporation is planning to build an environmentally damaging asphalt plant right next to the school. Her attempts to work through the system to stop the plant’s construction fail, so it’s up to Sydney to fight the corporation and their political lackeys the only way she can, using the do-it-yourself tools she has learned from punk rock. But before she can triumph, Sydney, her family, and friends must endure bullying, harassment, immigration raids, and more.

Learn more about Kevin Dunn: https://www.kcdunn.com

Buy the book: https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9781646032808

In this episode, high school junior, Laurel Aronian reads her award-winning poem, “So Long, Schoolhouse” and chats with me about her inspiration for the poem, her writing process, and gives some great advice to fellow young writers and teachers of writing alike.

Check out her poem: https://literacyinplace.com/2024/02/15/so-long-schoolhouse-by-laurel-aronian-runner-up-2023-rural-teen-writing-contest/

Learn more about the Rural Teen Writing Contest: https://literacyinplace.com/inaugural-literacy-in-place-writing-contest/

In this episode, Whippoorwill Award winning Tiffany D. Jackson sits down to chat with me about the importance of representation, her research process, and how to make a book authentic even when it’s about an experience outside of your own.

Let’s just all agree to ignore the number of flubs during her bio – I was starstruck and nervous, ya’ll!

To get the book using my affiliate link: https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9780063029149

To learn more about Tiffany D. Jackson and her work: https://www.writeinbk.com

We’re kicking off Black History Month by acknowledging and honoring the experiences of rural Black folks. Rural America is not a white monolith, and we’d like for everyone to know that.

In this episode, I chat with a former Southern Wells student and current Purdue preservice teacher, Emily McCorkle. We talk about all kinds of tensions that exist in rural towns, including race, and our thoughts on the book. We hope you’ll join us.

Get the book (my affiliate link): https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9780063029149

Learn more about Tiffany D. Jackson: https://www.writeinbk.com

We’re back, after a brief holiday hiatus, with an exciting bonus episode featuring *the* George Ella Lyon. Her poem “Where I’m From” has been used by English Teachers all over the world to invite students to think about who they are and their connections to their own places.

George Ella Lyon is an award-winning poet and author who grew up in Harlan County, Kentucky. She has written more than 35 books for young readers, including the Schneider Family Book Award-winning picture book The Pirate of Kindergarten and the young adult novel Sonny’s House of Spies, as well as numerous books for adults. She lives in Lexington, Kentucky.

In this episode, Lyon reads some of her work, talks about the importance of place to writing, and so much more!

To learn more about George Ella Lyon: georgeellalyon.com

To purchase Many-Storied House (affiliate link): https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9780813142616

In this episode I talk to Gary Eldon Peter about craft, about out-migrant experiences and identity building, and about the importance of never giving up on yourself or your writing.

To buy the book with our affiliate link: https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9781646032532

To learn more about Gary Eldon Peter: https://www.garyeldonpeter.com/bio

With this episode, Reading Rural YAL is starting something new! Rather than just me talking about the book, I’m going to talk about the book with preservice teachers, inservice teachers, and teacher educators.

Grace and Maya are fabulous and have incredible insights into the book as well as geospatial understandings of and in education.

I’m so excited for you to join us! Buy the book with our affiliate link: https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9781646032532

Learn more about Gary Eldon Peter: https://www.garyeldonpeter.com

Find more rural YA recommendations and learn more about rural education: literacyinplacecom Help others find us by sharing this channel and podcast with friends and/or reviewing us on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reading-rural-yal/id1606560033

This episode features four of the contributors to Tori Bovalino’s folk horror anthology The Gathering Dark. These women are so insightful, and I learned so much about folklore, folk horror, and more through our discussion. In this talk, we tackle everything from what defines folk horror to publishing industry categories to what makes rural places scary. That last part was probably my absolute favorite part of the conversation. I hope you’ll join us!

Get the book from my Bookshop.org storefront (and help support the show!): https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9781645676225

Learn more about the authors (with websites) featured in this episode:

Alex Brown – https://www.alexbrownwrites.com

Olivia Chadha – https://www.oliviachadha.com

Hannah Whitten – https://hannahfwhitten.com