Author Interviews

New: Podcast

Listen in on my new podcast, Gobblefunking with Words, as I chat with nationally acclaimed authors from the Midwest writing across genres, styles, and ages.

Past interviews with authors

Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
National Book Award finalist Karla Cornejo Villavicencio discussed her debut novel Catalina, the follow-up to her acclaimed book The Undocumented Americans. We chatted about the parallels between her character and her own life, how fiction is informed by nonfiction, and the journey of the novel.
2024, Club Book from MELSA and Hennepin County Library

Cristina Henriquez
Best-selling and award-winning author Cristina Henriquez and I talked about her new novel, The Great Divide. We discussed the process of writing and researching historical fiction, the birth of ideas, and her writing process. We both love being in the middle of a project!
2024, Club Book from Friends of the St. Paul Public Library, Hennepin County Library, and MELSA (watch)

Erika Sanchez
Erika Sanchez, the author of the best-selling YA novel I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, and I chatted about her new memoir, Crying in the Bathroom. We touched on many topics, including the subject of representation and external pressures on writers of color.
2023, Talk of the Stacks from Friends of Hennepin County Library (watch)

Claire Forrest
I interviewed YA author Claire Forrest in this in-person event about her award-winning debut, Where You See Yourself. We talked about her writing process, the creative tools for writing fiction, and her background as a writer with disabilities.
2023, Wild Rumpus Books

Donna Barba Higuera
Newbery-winning author Donna Barba Higuera and I discussed her award-winning and best-selling middle-grade novel The Last Cuentista for a virtual audience. We discussed her process for writing speculative/sci-fi and how she represents her identity through fiction, as well as the importance and honor of writing for children.
2021, Moon Palace Books (watch)

Julia Alvarez
Best-selling author Julia Alvarez, best known for her break-out novel In the Time of Butterflies, graciously talked with me about her new novel Afterlife. We talked about the creative process and identity, as well as the similarities in the experience of Latinas straddling two cultures.
2021, Talk of the Stacks from Friends of Hennepin County Library (watch)

Imbolo Mbue
Best-selling and award-winning writer Imbolo Mbue and I chatted about her new novel, How Beautiful We Were. We talked about the setting of the novel and the urge to represent community through writing.
2021, Talk of the Stacks from Friends of Hennepin County Library

Jaquira Diaz
I interviewed Jaquira Diaz about her memoir, Ordinary Girls, during this in-person event. We discussed writing, publishing, and the honesty and courage required to write a memoir, as well as the pressures to represent culture and identity.
2019, Magers & Quinn