Francine Ringgold | Nimrod

November 16, 2007 | 1 Comment

Interview with Dr. Francine Ringgold [11:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Dr. Francine Ringgold, professor at the University of Tulsa, long-time editor in chief of international literary journal Nimrod, and former poet laureate of the state of Oklahoma, spoke with us this week about Oklahoma’s centennial. She read us two poems about her dog, one of which she composed just before our broadcast.

She also spoke to us about the rich history of her magazine Nimrod, its beginnings, its role as the spark at the beginning of countless authors’ careers, and its continued dedication to excellence.

Here is the mission of Nimrod Journal (taken from their website here):

Nimrod International Journal is published twice a year, spring and fall. Nimrod’s mission is discovery: the journal seeks new, unheralded writers; writers from other lands who become accessible to the English speaking world through translation; established authors who have vigorous new work to present that has not found a home within the establishment. Nimrod serves the national and international community of writers and readers by presenting the best writing, whether experimental or traditional:

in print as Nimrod International Journal

on the radio

in live performances

through creative writing workshops

by sponsoring and administering its annual competition for poetry and fiction:
THE NIMROD/HARDMAN AWARDS:

The Katherine Anne Porter Prize for fiction

The Pablo Neruda Prize in Poetry

You can subscribe to the Nimrod journal by contacting them through their website, at your local bookstore or library, or by purchasing it at amazon.com

Posted by admin | Filed Under Oklahoma, Poetry, AUTHOR INTERVIEW, PODCAST

Diane Glancy | The Land

November 16, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Interview with Diane Glancy [11:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Our first guest on the special Oklahoma centennial show this week was author Diane Glancy. This part-Cherokee author talked with us about her new play, her upcoming film project, and her Oklahoma heritage.

Text below taken from Diance Glancy’s website:

“Writing is a conversation,” observes Diane Glancy, whose poetry, scripts, essays, and fiction have earned her numerous literary prize including an American Book Award, the Minnesota Book Award in Poetry, the Native American Prose Award and a Sundance Screenwriting Fellowship. “My students and I come together to take risks and reach new frontiers.” For Glancy, writing has also been a journey. As artist in residence for the State Arts Council of Oklahoma she traveled the state for a decade, teaching the skills of writing, oral communication and critical thinking. Her growing reputation as a writer opened the door to a fellowship at the prestigious University of Iowa Writers Workshop.

Glancy is a professor at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she taught Native American Literature and Creative Writing. She is now on a four-year sabbatical / early retirement program. Glancy also taught in the Bread Loaf School of English M.A. program on the campus of the Native American Preparatory School in Rowe, New Mexico, in 1999. She was the 1998 Edlestein-Keller Minnesota Writer of Distinction, University of Minnesota, where she taught Topics in Advanced Poetry. Glancy also was the Native American Inroads Mentor at The Loft in Minneapolis where she taught Creative Nonfiction in 1997.

Purchase all of Diane Glancy’s books from your local bookstore, or visit amazon.com

Posted by admin | Filed Under Oklahoma, Fiction, Poetry, AUTHOR INTERVIEW, PODCAST

Tom Paxton Transcript

November 15, 2007 | 1 Comment

Kent Gustavson: Welcome back to “Sound Authors”. On the fourth segment of each show, we like to feature authors of sound, people that really are able to illustrate the world through their music. I have the great honor of welcoming Tom Paxton to the show. Welcome.

Tom Paxton: Hi, how are you!

Kent: I’m great. Here’s a quote about Tom Paxton from Pete Seeger. “Tom’s songs have a way of sneaking up on you. You find yourself humming them, whistling them, and singing a verse to a friend. Like the songs of Woody Guthrie, they’re becoming part of America.

Now I grew up listening to only folk music and classical music. And who didn’t know Tom Paxton’s version of “Ramblin’ Boy”, “What Have They Done To The Rain”, and of course my favorite, “The Marvelous Toy”, sung by Peter, Paul and Mary or countless other folk singers, or by Tom Paxton himself. His songs are unabashedly true, and for forty years we’ve sought the truth from his words.

But this show isn’t about his songs of social protests, his love songs, or his kids material, they’re all extremely extensive. It’s about Oklahoma, a place he loves to call his home state. So welcome to you.

Tom: Thank you!

Kent: How did you first come to Oklahoma?

Tom: I first came to Oklahoma as a child. My father was born in Oklahoma City, and then found himself working up in Chicago and starting a chemical business up there, but we went down to Oklahoma on vacations whenever we possibly could. His sister Clara Jones and her husband Cal Jones lived in Bristow, and when my father’s health failed in Chicago, we moved down to Bristow in the summer of 1948, and that’s where I grew up.

Kent: What are your memories of Oklahoma as a child, when you went to visit from Chicago?

Tom: Oh, it was a magical place. They had horses! [laughs] There were horses and ranches, and you could go fishing and there were softball games and a great big swimming pool in Bristow. It was a magical place for a kid, and there were Saturday cowboy movies at the Walmer Theatre in Bristow. Ten cents for a couple of Shoot ‘em ups. Well, it was wonderful.

Posted by admin | Filed Under TRANSCRIPTS, Folk, MUSICIAN INTERVIEW, PODCAST

Joyce Carol Thomas Transcript

November 15, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Dr. Kent Gustavson: Welcome back to Sound Author’s radio. Today is the Oklahoma Centennial special. My next guest is Joyce Carol Thomas. Her book titles include, “Linda Brown, You Are Not Alone: Brown v. Board of Education,” “The Gospel Cinderella,” “Hushed Songs: African American Lullabies,” “Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea,” and the National Book Award winner, “Marked by Fire.”

Her more than 50 books have earned her more readers and more rewards: The National Book Award, The American Book Award, three Coretta Scott King Honors, two Governor awards, three American Library Association Awards and an Oklahoma Lifetime Achievement Award. Welcome to Joyce Carol Thomas.

Joyce Carol Thomas: Thank you. Welcome to all you radio listeners and thank you for that kind introduction.

I’d like to tell you about my book, “I’ve Heard of a Land.” I wrote it as a tribute to the courage of those early African Americans who dared to act on their dreams. As we know and as you mentioned earlier, Oklahoma is celebrating its centennial today. I delight in being able to share with you the background of this awesome centennial celebration in this book.

It was in the late 1800s in the Oklahoma Territory, Oklahoma was not a state yet. All a woman or a man needed to stake a claim, were three things: hope, courage and the strength and determination to journey west. The Oklahoma land runs were open to everyone: Blacks, Whites, men and women alike. Thousands of American pioneers came including many African American newly freed from slavery. My folks, my ancestors, were among them.

Posted by admin | Filed Under Childrens, TRANSCRIPTS, Fiction, AUTHOR INTERVIEW, PODCAST

Diane Glancy Transcript

November 15, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Dr. Kent Gustavson: Welcome to Sound Authors radio. Today is the Centennial of Oklahoma state. Established as the 46th state in the union on November 16, 1907. Native Americans were already there long before 1541, when Vasquez de Coronado, Spanish Conquistador happened through.

Oklahoma was the dust bowl state of the 1930’s and the end of the tragic and deadly “Trail of Tears” in the 1830’s. The birthplace of Woody Guthrie and the birthplace of Mickey Mantle. Happy birthday Oklahoma.

On the show today, our writers Diane Glancy, Francine Ringold, and Joyce Carol Thomas and special guest musician Tom Paxton. We are celebrating some of Oklahoma’s rich heritage.

My first guest is Diane Glancy. Welcome Diane.

Diane Glancy: Thank you.

Dr. Kent: She was an artist in residence for the State Arts Council of Oklahoma for a decade. Her poetry, her scripts, essays, and fiction have gotten her many prizes including the Oklahoma Book Award, the Pablo Neruda Prize for Poetry, the Minnesota Book Award for Poetry, the American Book Award, the Emily Dickinson Poetry Prize and the list goes on.

She’s a professor at Macalester College in St. Paul, thought she’s on a sabbatical. Can you tell me a little bit more about yourself?

Diane: What would you like to know? I spent my adult years in Oklahoma and I started traveling the state for the state Arts Council and I’ve always found that the land has voices. The land has a voice. There are stories to be told.

One important thing I do as I write, is to travel to different places and there I get ideas for my stories. I have been a writer for many years. I was born in Kansas City, Missouri. My father went north to work during the depression. I was born in 1941. I spent my life teaching and writing.

Dr. Kent: You have quite a story attached to your Cherokee Great‑Grandfather.

Posted by admin | Filed Under TRANSCRIPTS, Oklahoma, Fiction, Poetry, AUTHOR INTERVIEW, PODCAST

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