What Makes a Human Human: Understanding That Everyone Belongs

What Makes a Human Human: Understanding That Everyone Belongs

In this powerful episode of the Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast, Jed welcomes back Mary Keating, lawyer, poet, and author of Recalibrating Gravity, to celebrate Disability Pride Month and reflect on the legacy—and limits—of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Mary shares the story of the car accident at age 15 that left her a paraplegic and completely changed her life in a single moment. With warmth and candor, she recalls how her “can‑do” family refused to sideline her, including her mom’s memorable insistence that she still come downstairs and set the table—an early lesson that she was expected to contribute, not retreat. Jed and Mary dig into the everyday realities of an inaccessible world: housing that can’t be entered, events held up flights of stairs, and public systems designed as if disabled people don’t exist. They highlight how many mainstream conveniences—like curb cuts, captions, touchscreens, and voice control—originated from accessibility innovations that benefit everyone. Mary reads two deeply moving poems from Recalibrating Gravity: “Happily Ever After,” which captures the loneliness and isolation of disability, and “What Makes a Human Human,” written after a dehumanizing moment in a Yale Law classroom. Both pieces illuminate how architecture, policy, and casual language can either erase or affirm someone’s humanity. Throughout the conversation, Mary and Jed return to a hopeful challenge: we can all be “architects of change” by noticing who’s missing, speaking up, and insisting that disabled people are not afterthoughts but full participants in our communities and stories.

Angels, Demons and Detectives

Lee Driftwood joins the Connecticut Book Festivals podcast to talk about his dark urban fantasy series, Forgotten Flame, and the unforgettable city that shapes it—New York. Lee shares how, as a third-generation former New Yorker, he couldn’t imagine setting his fantasy anywhere else. For him, the city is more than a backdrop; it’s a living, listening character that’s always present in the story. We learn about the first two books in the series, When She Walked In and What Was Lost, and meet the central duo: Michael, a private investigator, and Gabby, an NYPD detective who shows up at his door with a life-changing secret—she’s lost her memory. While angels and demons lurk in the shadows of this world, Lee explains that they’re really a metaphor for the spectrum of human nature, not literal supernatural beings. Lee talks us through his decision to craft a five-book arc, inspired by Roger Zelazny’s Nine Princes in Amber. He planned Michael and Gabby’s journeys in advance, but let secondary characters surprise him—some he meant to “knock off” ended up surviving and thriving because he liked them too much to let go. We also hear about Lee’s roots in corporate satire, how frustration with corporate life pushed him to write his first book, and how that experience rekindled his passion for fantasy. Away from the noir-tinted streets of New York, he’s a dad of eight-year-old twins, dreaming up a photography book for kids and wrestling with the challenge of introducing them to classics like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Middle Grade Meets Mental Health: K G Mach’s Powerful WWII Story

In this moving episode of the Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast, Jed sits down with K.G. Mach (pen name of author Kimberly Mach), creator of the middle grade novel Present, Still Missing, to talk about war’s invisible wounds and the power of stories to open hard conversations at home. K.G. Mach introduces us to Irene, a baseball‑and‑football loving girl growing up just after World War II. Irene’s dad returns from the war physically safe but emotionally distant, living with what we now call PTSD. K.G. explains that while PTSD wasn’t officially recognized until 1980, its impact on families has been with us throughout history. She shares fascinating research about Mason General Hospital on Long Island, where doctors were successfully using talk therapy and outdoor activities with veterans in the 1940s—only to see that work sidelined as the Cold War began. Jed and K.G. Mach explore how the book looks at PTSD through a child’s eyes, and why it was important to her that the story remain honest but ultimately hopeful. They talk about Irene’s fierce, sporty spirit (inspired in part by K.G.’s sister‑in‑law), gender expectations in the 1940s, and how friendships and empathy grow over the course of a middle school year. K.G. also shares powerful moments from school visits and book signings, including a veteran father who opened up to his daughters after seeing the book. The conversation branches into intergenerational stories, listening to our elders, and how reading together can spark life‑changing family discussions about trauma, resilience, and mental health.

Book Party over Comedy Clubs: Fatherhood, Reading, and Andrew Ginsburg

In this episode of the Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast, host Jed Doherty welcomes author, stand-up comedian, and personal trainer Andrew Ginsburg to celebrate his powerful picture book, The Colors of My Sky. Andrew shares the story of Lester, a blue butterfly whose mother only lets him play with other blue butterflies. At school, Lester wants to be friends with butterflies of many colors, but his mother keeps insisting that “blue is the finest butterfly.” Finally, Lester invites her to a party and gently shows her that the sky isn’t just blue—it can be gray, pink, orange, and more—each color reflected in his friends’ wings. Through this simple, kid-friendly story, Andrew explores themes of racism, exclusion, and acceptance in a subtle and accessible way. Andrew talks about the real-life inspiration for the book: his children’s blue eyes, his own brown eyes, and a funny (and slightly brutal) comment from his son that got him thinking about how we put certain traits on a pedestal. He and Jed dive into how picture books can spark big conversations about diversity, change, and identity. Listeners also hear about Andrew’s journey from personal training and stand-up comedy to writing for children, his love of school visits, and why reading aloud to his kids—“book party” every night—became more important to him than performing in comedy clubs. The episode is a warm reminder that reading together, embracing change, and celebrating differences can shape kinder, more open-hearted kids—and parents.

Resilience, Faith, and Soul Care: AndreYah Maria Hernandez Black’s Devotional Journey

In this inspiring episode of the Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast, Jed Doherty welcomes AndreYah Maria Hernandez Black, author of the 30-day devotional Revelations for Resilience: Whispers from the Divine for Soul Care. Andrea shares the deeply personal story behind the book—her journey through a devastating season of spousal abandonment in 2015–2016, which led to post-traumatic stress disorder, and how faith, wellness practices, and writing became her lifeline. AndreYah explains that the devotional is autobiographical and prophetic, born from hundreds of journal entries in which she poured out her heart to God and then listened for divine guidance. Those “whispers from heaven” became poetic messages paired with scripture and full-color nature photographs, inviting readers into quiet reflection, healing, and hope. She emphasizes that the book is flexible: some read it day by day, others dip in and out as needed—what matters most is meeting God in the pages. Jed and AndreYah talk about hearing God’s voice—what that feels like, how stillness and time in nature help, and how her mother first nurtured her faith. AndreYah also reflects on the courage it took to publish such vulnerable work, how the process matured and grounded her, and the powerful moment when her father recognized her voice in her writing. AndreYah hints at future projects, including books inspired by her parents—one about her mother’s lessons and another about her father’s time in the Negro Leagues—all driven by a desire to pass on wisdom and change lives.