Journey of the Art

Ep 41: How to Talk to Kids About Food Insecurity Through Storytelling

In Episode 41, I’m joined by Canadian children’s book writers Eric Walters and Lana Button to discuss their award-winning book, One Can.  Illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant, One Can tells the emotional story of a young boy’s generosity and the importance of community in tackling food insecurity. It is a story of hope and a reminder of the power of positive storytelling in children's narratives. Parents will love this book that shows children the cyclical nature of generosity, and in it, they will find a valuable resource for talking to kids about real world problems like hunger and poverty. More than an approach to writing moral stories, Lana and Eric share the incredible power children's book writers have to uplift and empower children in a chaotic world. They also share important tips for writing children’s literature and reveal their secret to staying on the journey of their art. 00:00 - Introduction 2:20 - What started the book 6:37 - The reason for hope 8:15 - The symbol of the can 13:16 - Writing the most critical part of the book 16:19 - The psychology you need to write for children 21:03 - The reception of the book 24:23 - Why this book is so special to Eric 25:50 - How to get into the psychology of a child 31:01 - Writing in changing times 32:45 - The secret to saying on the journey of the art 🛒One Can is available for purchase from Groundwood Books: https://houseofanansi.com/products/one-can?srsltid=AfmBOorKtGP--hPmbbjvBgNlGiOVgYaSHSH1D9OfpAXr1P6OQpw94HOJ_____________________Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/18DdCmw0rV0 _____________________ Host’s linksFind out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/ Follow Journey of the Art on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/ Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/

Ep 40: The Secret to Writing Children's Books

In Episode 40 of the podcast, I have the privilege of speaking with adult and children’s book writer Caroline Adderson, writer of A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests.   A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests is a brilliant children’s book about thinking and finding quiet moments in a chaotic world. Illustrated by Lauren Tamaki, the book imagines how an old haiku by Japanese poet Matsuo Basho came to be. Readers will enjoy the vivid storytelling, be amused by the silliness of the animals, and be truly inspired by the old poet’s tenacity.    Before we get into the intricacies of her work, I ask Caroline about her relationship with TV (it’s impressive!) and her love for cherry blossoms. We talk about how she gets unstuck in her writing and the door she unlocks to write children’s books.    If you’ve ever wondered about writing children’s books or if you love haikus, this is the episode for you. It was an all-round joyful conversation, and I’m grateful that I get to share it with you.     Show highlights 00:00 - Introduction 2:40 - The deal with TV 4:18 - Cherry blossoms vs Plum trees 6:21 – Why haikus don’t explain 7:59 – What is the importance of silence? 10:28 - The gestation of a poem  15:50 - A game of consonants  17:33 - Writing for kids vs. writing for adults  20:20 - How does a writer find joy?  23:51 - How to get unstuck in writing 26:37 - The secret to staying on the journey of the art _____________________ Listen on Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/journey-of-the-art [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/journey-of-the-art] _____________________ Guest’s links Buy A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests: https://houseofanansi.com/products/a-pond-a-poet-and-three-pests?srsltid=AfmBOopY1872Domhwo66iCzcFm_XOzijIououUBi6Tqe5tIAjxV3bnoS [https://houseofanansi.com/products/a-pond-a-poet-and-three-pests?srsltid=AfmBOopY1872Domhwo66iCzcFm_XOzijIououUBi6Tqe5tIAjxV3bnoS] Visit Caroline’s website: https://www.carolineaddersonkids.com [https://www.carolineaddersonkids.com/]   _____________________  Host’s links Find out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/ [https://www.journeyoftheart.com/] Follow Journey of the Art on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/ [https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/]   Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/ [https://wordcaps.com/coaching/]

Ep 39: How a Tumblr post became a novel

In Episode 39, I’m chatting with Whitney French about her novel in verse, Syncopation, a science fiction novel about two women searching for meaning and purpose in a catastrophic world where memory is currency.  We talk about the musicality of Syncopation, how a random Tumblr post birthed the idea of the book, and what characters can teach us about ourselves. I ask Whitney to don her writing coach cap to share some strategies for achieving writing goals and overcoming popular writing challenges, and we go back in time to find out about Whitney’s Tree Sessions, a writing program she held under trees for writers who wanted to embrace nature while creating art. This was such a fun conversation, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction 1:54 – Tree sessions 6:22 – Describing her year in one word 7:42– How to structure a novel in verse 10:58– Nature eliminating itself in Syncopation  12:58 – How a Tumblr post became a novel 16:42 – What characters teach us about ourselves 19:57 – Musicality in Syncopation 22:28 – Intersections of migration 25:05– Common challenges among writers 29:58– Strategies to help writers 38:39 – About Hush Harbour Press 43:19 – Secret to staying on the journey of her art _____________________ Listen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LW5iwa9qvSw [https://youtu.be/LW5iwa9qvSw] _____________________ Guest’s links Buy Syncopation: https://bookstore.wolsakandwynn.ca/products/syncopation [https://bookstore.wolsakandwynn.ca/products/syncopation] Visit the Hush Harbour website: https://www.hushharbour.com/ [https://www.hushharbour.com/]  _____________________  Host’s links Find out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/ [https://www.journeyoftheart.com/] Follow Journey of the Art on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/ [https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/]   Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/ [https://wordcaps.com/coaching/]

Ep 38: The Pugilist and the Sailor

In this episode, I’m joined by Nadia Ragbar to discuss her latest work, The Pugilist and the Sailor.  The book follows the lives of conjoined twins, Bruce and Dougie. One an ambitious boxer and the other a bookkeeper. As the brothers pursue their individual desires, a love interest and a boxing championship, they are compelled to consider the true meaning of belonging, independence, and their own place in the world.  __________________________ Show highlights 00:00 - Introduction 1:48 - What’s been making Nadia happy lately  2:49 - Summarizing The Pugilist and the Sailor 5:13 - Starting the book from the last line 8:07 - Boxing as a tool to ground the body and differentiate 10:39 - List making as a way to foster inspiration  16:22 - Connecting to the humanity of characters  18:37 - The road to publication 20:34 - When plotting doesn’t work 22:47 - Navigating the editing process and choosing feedback 24:42 - Lessons from waiting for publication 27:36 - What Nadia needs to write 29:43 - Her writing superpower 31:12 - The secret to staying on the journey of her art _____________________ Guest’s links Buy The Pugilist and the Sailor: https://invisiblepublishing.com/product/pugilist-and-the-sailor/?srsltid=AfmBOooW_oY4TQOoIlGrAnTIwM_WtHSUl5r5-mUzKItlhgZcnbY3Rfgm [https://invisiblepublishing.com/product/pugilist-and-the-sailor/?srsltid=AfmBOooW_oY4TQOoIlGrAnTIwM_WtHSUl5r5-mUzKItlhgZcnbY3Rfgm] Follow Nadia on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadiaragbar/ [https://www.instagram.com/nadiaragbar/] Find out more about Nadia: nadiaragbar.com [nadiaragbar.com]   _____________________  Host’s links Find out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/ [https://www.journeyoftheart.com/] Follow Journey of the Art on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/  [https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/]  Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/ [https://wordcaps.com/coaching/]

Ep 37: Twenty years to publication: Writing through rejection

In Episode 37, I have the privilege of speaking with three-time Pushcart nominee Bill Gaythwaite about his short story collection, A Place In The World, winner of the 2025 Drue Heinz Literature Prize.  This stunning collection of compelling short stories features regular people battling betrayal, displacement, and loss and will leave you feeling a deep sense of connection with the characters. In A Place In The World, a teenage boy and his family grapple with the harsh realities of his father’s abandonment, a young lady yearns for belonging in the face of dispassionate affection, and a gay hustler’s secret is exposed. Beyond the collection, we discuss Bill’s staying power and his response to strings of rejections. This episode holds a powerful truth about the journey of artistry and is a much-needed reminder that consistency always rewards. Show highlights 00:00 - Introduction 1:22 – Resilience, the secret sauce 1:51 - Being a Pushcart nominee 3:37 - How to weave humour into painful stories 6:38 - Using the element of surprise  10:11 - How not to give up on a story 11:45 - How to know when a story is not working 12:45 - Building cohesiveness in a short story collection 14:16 - The theme of belonging vs. mystery  16:25 - Using the story within the story device  18:17 - How to build a short story collection  20:17 - The stories that didn’t make the collection 22:39 - The sacrifice of publication  24:16 - How to stay on the Journey of the Art  _____________________ Listen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NfrDy4OwIa8 [https://youtu.be/NfrDy4OwIa8] _____________________ Guest’s links Buy A Place In The World: https://upittpress.org/books/9780822948766/ [https://upittpress.org/books/9780822948766/] Connect with Bill on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billgaythwaite/ [https://www.instagram.com/billgaythwaite/] _____________________  Host’s links Find out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/ [https://www.journeyoftheart.com/] Follow Journey of the Art on Instagram: ⁠ https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/ [https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/] Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/ [https://wordcaps.com/coaching/]