The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara

Leah Flickinger is a features editor for Bicycling Magazine, Runner's World, and more. She edited Mitchell S. Jackson's "Twelve Minutes and a Life," which won the Pulitzer Prize in feature writing. Support: patreon.com/cnfpod Social: @CNFPod Show notes/newsletter: brendanomeara.com

Kelly Loudenberg is a filmmaker and journalist and she's here to talk about her piece for The Atavist. In this episode, we also hear from editor-in-chief Seyward Darby. Show notes and newsletter: brendanomeara.com Support: patreon.com/cnfpod Social: @CNFPod

In a departure from your normally scheduled programming, we bring you a new spin on an old favorite. This is a reimagining of the conversation with the unbreakable Laura Hillenbrand. Support: patreon.com/cnfpod Social: @CNFPod Show notes/newsletter: brendanomeara.com

Greg Brennecka is a cosmochemist and studies meteors. He is the auhthor of Impact: How Rocks from Space Led to Life, Culture, and Donkey Kong (William Morrow, 2022). Social: @CNFPod Support: patreon.com/cnfpod Show notes: brendanomeara.com

Dan Schwartz (@danjschwartz) is a freelance investigative journalist based out of Colorado. He's got a new piece in the Atlantic about climate change and how local weathermen are the most trusted people to sound the alarm about it. Social: @CNFPod Support: patreon.com/cnfpod Show notes and newsletter: brendanomeara.com

Matt Bell is the author of the craft book Refuse to be Done: How to Write and Rewrite a Novel in Three Drafts. It's published by Soho. Social: @CNFPod Support: patreon.com/cnfpod Show notes/newsletter: brendanomeara.com

Bill Donahue is the writer behind "The Voyagers," a production of The Atavist Magazine. We also speak to lead editor Jonah Ogles about editing this piece and what makes for a great profile and getting a piece of writing to "that good place." Social: @CNFPod Show notes: brendanomeara.com Support: patreon.com/cnfpod

Get the gig you want with the skills you've got, that's the subtitle of Damon Brown's new book, Career Remix. It's published by Sterling. Social: CNFPod Show notes: brendanomeara.com Support: patreon.com/cnfpod

Neda Toloui-Semnani (@Neda_Semnani) is a journalist and author of They Said They Wanted Revolution: A Memoir of My Parents (Little a, 2022). Social: @CNFPod Support: patreon.com/cnfpod Show notes/newsletter: brendanomeara.com

Debbie Millman (@debbiemillman) is the host of the incredible Design Matters podcast and the author of Why Design Matters: Conversations with the World's Most Creative People (Porchlight Books, 2022). Social: @CNFPod Support: patreon.com/cnfpod Sponsor: West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing Show notes/Newsletter: brendanomeara.com

Come find the meaning of life with Gloria Liu (@thats_my_line) as we dig into her work for Outside Magazine about burnout, among other topics. Social: @CNFPod Sponsor: West Virg. Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing Support: Patreon.com/cnfpod Show notes/newsletter: brendanomeara.com

Christine Grimaldi blends memoir and journalism in her piece for the February 2022 issue of The Atavist Magazine. Social: @CNFPod Support: Patreon.com/cnfpod Sponsor: West Virg. Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing Show notes/newsletter: brendanomeara.com

Rachel Krantz (@RachelKrantz) is the author of Open: An Uncensored Memoir of Love, Liberation, and Non-Monogamy (Harmony, 2022). Social: @CNFPod Support: patreon.com/cnfpod Sponsor: West Virg. Wesley College's MFA in Creative Writing Show notes/newsletter: brendanomeara.com

Sonia Weiser (@weischoice) is a freelancer and the founder of the Opportunities of the Week newsletter. Sponsor: West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing Social Media: @CNFPod Show notes: brendanomeara.com Support: patreon.com/cnfpod

Bradford Pearson (@bradfordpearson) is a journalist, editor, and author of The Eagles of Heart Mountain: A True Story Of Football, Incarceration, and Resistance in World War II America. Sponsor: West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing Social Media @CNFPod Show notes and newsletter: brendanomeara.com Support?: patreon.com/cnfpod

Wil Haygood is the author of nine books. His latest is Colorization: 100 Years of Black Films in a White World (Knopf, 2021). This conversation was part of a live series for Goucher College's MFA in Creative Nonfiction. Sponsor: West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing. Support: Patreon.com/cnfpod Social Media: @CNFPod Show notes and newsletter: brendanomeara.com

Mike Damiano stops by to close out 2021 to talk about his Atavist story "We Wish to be Able to Sing."  Social Media: @CNFPod Show notes and newsletter: brendanomeara.com Support: Patreon.com/cnfpod Sponsor love: West Virg. Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing

Sonya Huber (@sonyahuber) is the author of the memoir Supremely Tiny Acts: A Memoir of a Day (Mad Creek Books).  Show notes: brendanomeara.com Support: patreon.com/cnfpod Social Media: @CNFPod Sponsor: West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing

Chip Scanlan (@chipscanlan) is the author of Writers on Writing. He's a teacher, writer, journalist, novelist, etc. A great dude, too. Patreon: patreon.com/cnfpod Social: @CNFPod Newsletter: brendanomeara.com Sponsor: West Virg. Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing

Mirin Fader (@mirinfader) is a senior staff writer for The Ringer and the author of Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an MVP. She was twice featured as a notable selection in the Year's Best Sports Writing for her piece on Tyler Skaggs and Gigi Bryant.  This episode is dedicated to Kim H. Cross. Sponsor: West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing Support: Patreon.com/cnf Social Media: @CNFPod Show notes: brendanomeara.com

Jesse Springer (@springertoons) is a graphic designer and Oregon-based political cartoonist. His latest book, "Only in Oregon," is a greatest hits collection of his cartoons over the span of 26 years. You can buy the book at springerdesign.biz/books. Patreon: patreon.com/cnfpod Social Media: @CNFPod Show notes and newsletter: brendanomeara.com

For this month's Atavist bonus episode, I speak with Annelise Jolley and Zahara Gomez about their collaboration titled "A Feast for Lost Souls." Show notes: brendanomeara.com Support: patreon.com/cnfpod Social media: @CNFPod

Issue 2 of the audio magazine "Summer" is now available on the public feed! Essays from Jake Gronsky, Matthew Denis, Carrie Hagen, and Krystina Wales, as well as three original poems by Jorah LaFleur. 

Ricky Tucker is a writer, teacher, and voguer. He's the author of And the Category Is ... New York's Vogue, House, and Ballroom Community (Beacon Press). Sponsor love: West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing Social Media: @CNFPod Newsletter: brendanomeara.com Patreon.com/cnfpod

Achy Obejas is an author and poet whose latest collection is Boomerang/Bumeran, poems in English and Spanish that aim to be gender-free (tough in Spanish) while addressing immigration, displacment, love, and activism. Social media: @CNFPod, @creativenonfictionpodcast Up to 11 Newsletter: brendanomeara.com Patreon: patreon.com/cnfpod Sponsor love: West Virg. Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing

Jen Winston is the author behind Greedy: Notes from a Bisexual Who Wants Too Much (Atria). She's @jenerous on the socials, and you can keep the conversation going @creativenonfictionpodcast on IG and @CNFPod on Twitter. Sponsor love: West Virg. Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing Patreon love: patreon.com/cnfpod Up-to-11 Newsletter and show notes: brendanomeara.com

Tony Perrottet is a journalist and historian whose latest piece is "The Butcher of Havana" for The Atavist Magazine. patreon.com/cnfpod @CNFPod Up to 11 Newsletter

Kim H. Cross (@kimhcross) is the author of The Stahl House: Case Study House #22: The Making of a Modernist Icon (Chronicle Chroma). She is a best selling author and her work has been featured in The Years' Best Sports Writing and Best American Sports Writing, among many other places. Sponsor: West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing Patreon: patreon.com/cnfpod Social Media: @CNFPod (twitter) and @creativenonfictionpodcast (IG) Up to 11 Newsletter: brendanomeara.com

Jen A. Miller returns after a near-five-year absence from the show to talk about her new e-book about supercharging your freelance career. She's @byJenAMiller on Twitter. Sponsor love: West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing and Casualty of Words, a writing podcast for people in a hurry. Social: @CNFPod Patreon: patreon.com/cnfpod Newsletter and show notes: brendanomeara.com

Jeannine Ouellette is the author of the memoir The Part That Burns (Split/Lip Press). She can be reached @msjeannineouellette on Instagram and @_elephantrock on Twitter. Show notes and the monthly newsletter are at brendanomeara.com. Social media: @CNFPod on Twitter, @creativenonfictionpodcast on IG Patreon: patreon.com/cnfpod

Susan Orlean is the best selling author of The Library Book, Rin Tin Tin, and The Orchid Thief. She's a staff writer for The New Yorker and her latest collection is On Animals. Show notes and newsletter at brendanomeara.com Social Media: @CNFPod on Twitter and @creativenonfictionpodcast on Instagram.

Laura Todd Carns (@LauraToddCarns) comes by the show to talk about her Atavist feature "Searching for Mr. X." We also hear from the lead editor of the piece Seyward Darby. Visit magazine.atavist.com to read the piece and subscribe to The Atavist. Keep the conversation going @creativenonfictionpodcast on IG and @CNFPod on Twitter. Show notes and to sign up for the Up to 11 Newsletter, visit brendanomeara.com.

Athena Dixon (@AthenaDDixon) is the author of the essay collection "The Incredible Shrinking Woman."  We talk about day jobs, finding the time to write, and stringing together essays for a collection. Sponsors: West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing and the Empathy Prize. Social Media: @creativenonfictionpodcast on IG and @CNFPod on Twitter. Patreon: patreon.com/cnfpod

Jess Phoenix (@JessPhoenix2018) is a volcanologist and the author of Ms. Adventure: My Wild Explorations in Science, Lava, and Life (Timber Press, 2021). Lots of great stuff here. Social Media: @creativenonfictionpodcast on IG and @CNFPod on Twitter. Patreon: patreon.com/cnfpod Sponsor help: mfa.wvwc.edu and thefacingprojectpress.submittable.com

Allison K. Williams returns to talk about her new book Seven Drafts: Self-Edit Like a Pro from Blank Page to Book (Woodhall Press, 2021). She's @GuerillaMemoir on social media. Thanks to West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing for the support. Social Media: @CNFPod Patreon: patreon.com/cnfpod Show notes/newsletter: brendanomeara.com

Earl Swift, author of Across the Airless Wilds: The Lunar Rover and the Triumph of the Final Moon Landings, returns to talk about his latest book. Sponsor help: West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing Membership: patreon.com/cnfpod Social Media: @CNFPod

Nile Capello (@liketheriver) is the writer and reporter behind The Atavist Magazine story 'The Girl in the Picture.' We talk about true crime as self-preservation and how she vets out her stories. We also talk to editor-in-chief Seyward Darby. To read the piece, visit magazine.atavist.com.

Ruby McConnell is the author of Ground Truth: A Geological Survey of a Life and A Woman's Guide to the Wild. She is @rubygonewild on Twitter and Instagram. Show notes are at brendanomeara.com and you can support the show by heading to patreon.com/cnfpod.  Thanks to West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing for the support.

Behold! My #Hippocamp21 talk: In Their Words — Lessons from the Best of the Creative Nonfiction Podcast. Sponsor: West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing Support: Patreon.com/cnfpod Social: @CNFPod

Shanna B. Tiayon comes by to talk about her Pipe Wrench Magazine piece "If We Can Soar," as well as her work in Longreads, and is she training for a Half Ironman? You can her @shannbtiayon on Twitter and @black_suburban_homestead on Instagram. Support: West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing and Hippocamp 2021. Show notes: brendanomeara.com Social: @CNFPod Be a member: patreon.com/cnfpod

Brin-Jonathan Butler's "Giving Up the Ghost" for Hazlitt is part memoir, part criticism, part mediation on suicide, part travelogue, but it's all Brin. An incredible piece of writing. Settle in, CNFers. @CNFPod patreon.com/cnfpod brendanomeara.com  

Daniel Kolitz is a freelance writer whose latest piece for The Atavist Magazine is about Enthusiastic Sobriety and its founder Bob Meehan.  

Cecilia Brown (@cecilbrownn on IG) is a filmmaker based out of Portland, Oregon.  She produced a beautiful piece for This American Life, so we talk about that and her life making pictures. Social media: @CNFPod Patreon: patreon.com/cnfpod Show notes: brendanomeara.com

Alison Herman (@aherman2006) is a critic for The Ringer. Her piece on David Gelb, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, and the Chef's Table industrial complex prompted this great conversation. Social media: @CNFPod Support: Patreon.com/cnfpod Show notes/links: brendanomeara.com

Suzanne Roberts (@suzanneroberts28) is the author of Bad Tourist: Misadventures in Love and Travel (University of Nebraska Press, 2020).  Suzanne talks about: Big wins Writing in community The Wordy Girls Rejection clubs And how not to sound like a douchebag when talking about travel Support for the show: West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing HippoCamp21 Patreon: patreon.com/cnfpod Social Media: @CNFPod Show notes: brendanomeara.com

Kristen Radtke (@kristenradtke on Twitter, @kristenradtke_ on IG) is the author of Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness. Social media: @CNFPod on Twitter. Support: Patreon.com/cnfpod Thanks to sponsors West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing and HippoCamp 2021. Show notes: brendanomeara.com

Ariel Ramchandani (@arielramch) and Seyward Darby (@seywarddarby) stop by the show to talk about "No Place Like Home," the podcast they're producing with The Atavist Magazine and Cadence 13. It tells the story of the stolen ruby slippers.  Social Media:@CNFPod Support: patreon.com/cnfpod Show notes: brendanomeara.com

Rachel Monroe (@rachmonroe) is a freelance journalist whose work appears in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The Oxford American. Keep the conversation going @CNFPod and consider supporting the show by visiting the Patreon page: patreon.com/cnfpod. Show notes at brendanomeara.com.

Michelle Weber (@michelleinchief) and Catherine Cusick (@cusickcatherine) come by to talk about their exciting venture Pipe Wrench Magazine. Social: @CNFPod Patreon: patreon.com/cnfpod Show notes: brendanomeara.com

"I. Will. Write. This. Book. There's no turning back," says Bob Welch, author of Saving My Enemy, and two dozen other books. We dig into the writing process and the passion and desperation that drives him.  Support for The Creative Nonfiction Podcast is provided by: West Virginia Wesleyan College's MFA in Creative Writing and HippoCamp21 (CNFPod21 to save $50!). Patreon.com/cnfpod Social media: @CNFPod Show notes: brendanomeara.com