This week, I had fun learning more about another local favorite: Two Friends Books, a Bentonville-based independent bookstore & café! I’m joined by Rachel & Monica, co-founders and co-owners.
Interested in being a future featured guest? Let me know!
Author: hibatahir
Julia & Hallee of Pearl’s Independent Bookstore, my next Season 11 guests!
I’m joined by Hallee, operations manager, and Julia, events and social media manager— and fellow Arkansas MFA alum and Artists 360 grant recipient— in this episode featuring Pearl’s Independent Bookstore!
Interested in being a future featured guest? Let me know!
Bea Apple & Tram Colwin, my first Season 11 guests!
On this Independence Day, and in our first Season 11 episode, I’m delighted to share this conversation between three immigrants— and Artists 360 community activator grant recipients!
Gratitude to Mid-America Arts Alliance and the Walton Family Foundation— for the grants, and for connecting us!
Bea Apple is the co-owner and co-founder of Hillfolk, a textile studio and shop based in Bentonville.
Tram Colwin is an artist who sometimes teaches workshops at Hillfolk.
Topics included: How Hillfolk came to be, 8th Street Market’s surprisingly relevant history, COVID’s impact on craft shops, the importance of vulnerability, the joy of descending rabbit holes, and the thrill of finding a common language in art!
Interested in being a future featured guest? Let me know!
Poet & Journalist Mandy Shunnarah, my final Season 10 guest!
In our final Season 10 episode, I had a great conversation with Appalachian & Palestinian-American poet and journalist Mandy Shunnarah!
Topics included: the role of poetry and journalism in 2025 America, the challenges of Arabic translation, the integration of ancestral research in poetry, the bustling poetry community in Columbus, and the ubiquitous influence of Waffle House!
WE HAD MANSIONS will be released on July 1 and can be preordered here.
I’ll be back with our first episode of Season 11 on July 3! Featuring Tram Colwin & Bea Apple at the Bentonville-based textile shop Hillfolk!
Interested in being a future featured guest? Let me know!
Poet & Columbia MFA Eduardo Martínez-Leyva, my next Season 10 guest!
I had such a lovely conversation with poet, teacher, and Columbia MFA grad Eduardo Martínez-Leyva!
Topics included: the impact of crossing borders throughout childhood, the harrowing process of workshopping grief, Lucie Brock-Broido’s significant influence, and what God & border patrol agents have in common!
COWBOY PARK is already out and available for purchase here.
Interested in being a future featured guest? Let me know!
We went to the DEEP SOUTH CONVENING! Here’s pretty much everything we learned.
On May 24, 2025, I attended the Deep South Convening, a historical gathering of literary folks based in the South, and had the best time.
I was joined by my friend, poet and fellow Arkansas MFA and Artists 360 alum Elizabeth Muscari, who was kind enough to also join me on this somewhat scattered but enthusiastic post-convening conversation!
You can read more about the event and all the speakers we mentioned here: https://www.deepsouthconvening.org
Not pictured: Sightseeing in Birmingham; the broken elevator and subsequent series of steps to climb the Vulcan, Birmingham’s beloved cast iron statue; my first trip to Milo’s; turbulence on the flight home
Interested in being a future featured guest? Let me know!
Poet & Richmond Poetry Festival Founder Rosa Castellano, my next Season 10 guest!
I had such a beautiful and inspiring conversation with poet and Richmond Poetry Festival founder Rosa Castellano this month! I do truly feel like her magical book, ALL IS THE TELLING, found me.
Topics include advice on writing about abstractions like time, the influence of Rilke and Shakespeare, the origins of the Richmond Poetry Festival, and tracks you’ll find on Rosa’s playlist!
ALL IS THE TELLING is already out! You can purchase it from Diode Editions here.
Interested in being a future featured guest? Let me know!
Hiba Tahir 