In this episode of Hear-Tell, Rosalind Bentley—distinguished professor of practice in the University of Georgia’s MFA Narrative Nonfiction program—sits down with recent MFA graduate and freelance journalist Ryan Atkinson for a thoughtful conversation about reporting, trust, and the art of storytelling. Ryan, now based in metro Atlanta, spent over a decade as a sports writer and editor in newsrooms across the lower Midwest before transitioning into trade publishing. Last year, he returned to longform with a powerful feature for FanSided, chronicling hurdler Cordell Tinch’s remarkable quest for a spot on the 2024 Paris Olympic team. In this episode, Ryan talks with Roz about what it took to earn Cordell’s trust, how he navigated access, and what the story taught him about perseverance—both on the track and on the page. Read Ryan’s full story here: Cordell Tinch’s Olympic Journey – FanSided.

In this episode, Moni Basu, the director of the University of Georgia’s MFA Narrative Nonfiction program, talks with journalist and author Kim Cross. Kim spent many formative years in the South, swimming in catfish ponds in Alabama, finishing graduate school in Birmingham, and editing stories at Southern Living Magazine.   Kim is the author of three books:  “What Stands in a Storm,” explores how people came together in the aftermath of the deadliest tornado outbreak in America; “Stahl House,” is a biography of an architectural gem in Los Angeles and “In Light of All Darkness,” delves into the investigation of the murder of Polly Klaas.   Kim’s books are so deeply reported that readers often feel like they’re standing in the room with her characters.  In this conversation with Moni, she discusses how she finds her main characters and then how she pulls all those details out of them.  

In this episode, John T. Edge, a distinguished professor of practice in the University of Georgia’s MFA Narrative Nonfiction program, talks with Tommy Tomlinson about his latest book, “Dogland: Passion, Glory and Lots of Slobber at the Westminster Dog Show.”   Tommy’s book explores the bond between dogs and their people in this inside account of the Westminster Dog Show that follows one dog on his quest to become a champion.  In this conversation with John T, Tommy, a UGA grad, discusses his writing process, and how he went about determining his main character amidst the many interesting, complex people he met over the three years he was on the road reporting this story.  Tommy’s first book was “The Elephant in the Room,” a memoir about being overweight in America. He is also the host of the podcast SouthBound in partnership with WFAE and author of a newsletter, The Writing Shed newsletter.  Before that, he spent 23  years as a reporter and local columnist for the Charlotte Observer.   Dogland: Passion, Glory and Lots of Slobber at the Westminster Dog Show  https://tommytomlinson.com/dogland-book/ The Elephant in the Room: One Fat Man’s Quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America https://tommytomlinson.com/elephant-in-the-room-book/ Southbound:  https://tommytomlinson.com/#podcast The Writing Shed Newsletter: https://tommytomlinson.substack.com/

In this episode, we talk to Ashley Fantz about her transition from an senior investigative reporter at CNN to writer, reporter and host of two hit podcasts. Ashley graduated with her MFA from UGA in 2024 and has more than 20 years of experience as a reporter, writing and voicing multimedia stories at CNN, where she won two Peabody Awards, an Eppy and numerous other awards.     But in 2021, facing burn-out and a rapidly changing media landscape, she made the jump to podcasting. Her first podcast, "Suspect: Vanished in the Snow," jumped quickly to number one on Apple charts. She followed that, with the multi-episodic podcast, "Body Brokers," whose performance online was equally impressive.   Here is the link to "Suspect: Vanished in the Snow":  https://wondery.com/shows/true-crime-all-the-time/episode/5632-introducing-suspect-vanished-in-the-snow/     And here is the link to "Body Brokers":  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/body-brokers/id1734449977   To learn more about Ashley Fantz: https://www.ashleyfantz.com

In this episode, celebrity ghost writer Nick Chiles discusses the process of writing in someone else’s voice.   Nick, who graduated from UGA with his MFA in 2022, has won nearly 20 major journalism awards, including a 1992 Pulitzer Prize as part of a New York Newsday team.  He is currently writer in residence teaching Feature Writing courses at The University of Georgia.   Nick is also the author or co-author of 22 books, including three New York Times bestsellers he wrote with R&B icon Bobby Brown, civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton and Dallas pastor, T. D. Jakes.  His most recent book, “Act Like You Got Some Sense,” was co- written with Academy Award-winning actor Jamie Foxx.   More on Nick Chiles here:  https://nickchiles.com/ Here’s a link to the latest book he co-wrote with Jamie Foxx:  “Act Like You Got Some Sense:”  https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jamie-foxx/act-like-you-got-some-sense/9781538703281/?lens=grand-central-publishing

In this episode, Laurie Hertzel, a distinguished professor of practice in the University of Georgia’s MFA Narrative Nonfiction program, interviewed Emily Strasser about her book, “Half-Life of a Secret: Reckoning With a Hidden History.”  Emily visited Athens in January to speak to our MFA students during their winter residency. In this conversation, she discussed  her 10 years of research and writing about her grandfather’s role in developing the atomic bomb while a scientist in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, home to the top-secret Manhattan Project. She also talked about her growth as a journalist while weaving together family secrets into this propulsive narrative that explores the long-term impact of nuclear weapons.

In this episode, Lookout Books editor and writing professor KaToya Ellis Fleming (MFA '18) reflects on the work of editing the award-winning anthology Bigger Than Bravery: Black Resilience and Reclamation in a Time of Pandemic. Bigger Than Bravery was edited by the late Valerie Boyd who founded the MFA in narrative nonfiction program at UGA. Publishers’s Weekly listed Bigger than Bravery among their Big Indie books of fall, Library Journal named it one of the best books of 2022 and Foreword Indies named it the silver winner for Anthologies. It also won the Georgia Author of the Year Award in the Specialty Book category. KaToya talks about the wonder of editing writers she had long admired and the labor of love in completing the project after Boyd passed away before its publication date. Also in this episode, Lolis Eric Elie, a former mentor in our writing program reads from his essay "A Survivor Looks Back" and program mentor and alumna Rosalind Bentley (MFA '17) reads from her essay "Iron and Brass."

In this episode, renowned speaker, nationally acclaimed educator and former debate coach at Harvard University, Brandon P. Fleming discusses his memoir,  “MisEducated,” (Hachette, 2021). Brandon, who earned his MFA in 2021 and worked primarily with the program’s mentor Pat Thomas, shares the inspirational story of his transformation from a delinquent, drug-dealing dropout to an award-winning Harvard educator  – all by the age of 27. In this show, Brandon talks about how and why it’s so important to tell the truth when writing a memoir, as well as navigating family members who not only question why you’re sharing the story but also may not appear in the best light. More on Brandon here:  https://bpfleming.com/about-me/ Here’s a link to MisEducated:  https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/brandon-p-fleming/miseducated/9780306925139/?lens=hachette-books

In this episode, poet, educator and environmental writer James Murdock (MFA ‘21) discusses how using poetry, place and the natural world around him informed the reporting and writing of “Orange is the New Peach.” The piece was recently featured in Food Stories: Writing That Stirs the Pot, an anthology published by The Bitter Southerner. James says good writing is built on the fine art of paying close attention and this article is no exception. Here is the link James’ story, “Orange is the New Peach:” https://bittersoutherner.com/feature/2021/orange-is-the-new-peach Here are a few of the poets and writers who inspire James that he mentioned during our discussion:     How to Be a Poet, Wendell Berry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHpU3O63eMg Matsuo Bashō https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsuo_Bash%C5%8D Wallace Stegner https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_Stegner Janisse Ray https://janisseray.com/

Moni Basu reads her story, "In Search of Spirits in Cassadaga," originally published in Flamingo Magazine.  Basu, a member of the Low-Residency MFA in Narrative Nonfiction faculty, travels to the quiet Floridian community of Cassadaga, known as the psychic capital of the world and home, since 1894, to followers of Spiritualism, a faith that believes that we never truly die. Instead, we leave our bodies and become another form of matter and our spirit selves can still interact with the living.  Over the years, a mysterious shroud surrounded Cassadaga. It's known as a mecca for mystics, a haunted corner of a swampy state. Basu headed to Cassadaga to investigate these mysteries and found herself asking personal questions about the afterlife.  In addition to her work as an MFA Mentor, Basu, a veteran journalist with CNN, teaches as the Michael and Linda Connelly Lecturer for Narrative Nonfiction at the University of Florida.

In this episode, Shannon McCaffrey (MFA ‘23) and Distinguished Professor of practice Jan Winburn discuss the challenges Shannon ran into while reporting and writing, “Sanctuary,” the love story between a woman named Carol and an elephant named Tarra and their 50- year bond that was published earlier this year in Atavist Magazine. Shannon’s article was described as “lyrical” by Sunday Longform, in part, because of the many beautifully constructed scenes contained in the narrative, as well as the emotion she was able to evoke from her main character.   Shannon has worked as a journalist for over 20 years and currently is senior editor at The Atlanta Journal Constitution. Jan Winburn has spent more than four decades at local, national and global news outlets, working as a narrative editor, writing coach and investigative editor. 

In this episode, Distinguished Professor of practice John T. Edge interviews author Paul Kix about his latest book You Have to Be Prepared To Die Before You Can Begin to Live, which chronicles 10 critical weeks of the Civil Rights Movement. From nuts and bolts questions on how to keep a story moving forward, and how to humanize grandiose questions like how to change the world through narrative this conversation gets to the core of why we write. Paul's weekly newsletter This Week Paul Likes offers practical writing advice and inspiration.

Mississippi writer and poet Beth Ann Fennelly, author of the genre-bending Heating and Cooling, spoke at the nonfiction program’s residency in January 2023. She asked students to explore the art of micro-memoir. "What should we do when we can’t figure out how or where to start our story?" she asked. The answer? Start small. Precisely because they are so small, hummingbirds can do things other birds can’t do. In this episode of Hear-Tell, we delve into the art of writing short. You’ll hear Fennelly, Grady's new MFA program director, Moni Basu and two MFA students, Beth Burch and Colin Donohue read the micro-memoirs that evolved from a writing session led by Fennelly. In the second half of the show, Basu, who took over the program after the death of her best friend and former program director, Valerie Boyd, discusses how starting small can help us to think big.

Martin Padgett reads an essay titled “Underneath the Sweet Gum Tree,” originally published by the Oxford American, and adapted from his book, “A Night at the Sweet Gum Head: Drag, Drugs, Disco, and Atlanta’s Gay Revolution” (W.W. Norton, 2021). The story follows Frank Powell, an architect of Atlanta’s queer nightlife from the 1960s until his death in 1996. One of Powell’s many nightclubs, the Sweet Gum Head, offered gay Atlantans a safe space to be themselves long before queer culture became popular culture. Padgett’s story details the progress made in the South and the United States in terms of gay rights and lingers over all that has been lost to the AIDS pandemic and gentrification. A 2018 graduate of the Low-Residency MFA in Narrative Nonfiction program at the University of Georgia, Padgett is a writer and PhD candidate in History at Georgia State University. His writing has appeared in the Bitter Southerner, Men’s Health, Outside, and many others.  

We're telling stories about a kind of love that created us, sustained us, maybe drove us crazy. A kind of love that—no matter what—made us who we are.   This special episode of Hear-Tell revisits stories about relationships with our mothers—how they cared for us and how we care for them. Stories come from past guests on the show: 2017 MFA graduate Karen Thomas, a professor of practice in journalism at Southern Methodist University; MFA faculty member John T. Edge, director of the Southern Foodways Alliance and host of ESPN's "True South"; and 2019 MFA graduate Dorothy Lennon, a writer and teacher based in Atlanta, Georgia.    REVISED is a semi-regular feature debuting with this episode. REVISED episodes will repackage previously-published stories for special occasions.    To learn more about Hear-Tell, visit our website.    Find Hear-Tell on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  

For parents, building nests, rather than cages, for baby birds can prove difficult.  In Max Blau's story "How Jim White Helped His Bluebird Spread Her Wings," originally published by the Sunday Long Read, a songwriter and his daughter learn to overcome turmoil to love each other on equal terms.  Blau, a 2018 graduate of the Low-Residency MFA program at the University of Georgia, spent years interviewing the subjects of the story, Jim White and daughter Willow Martin. He squared their accounts of a messy custody battle and inter-personal growing pains with family members, and he fact-checked the details against court documents. The result is a story about how parents, as their children forge their own identities, must understand their role with clear eyes. Max Blau is an independent journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. His work has appeared in publications like the Atavist, ProPublica, Atlanta, and Georgia Health News, among many others.

Jasmin Pittman Morrell reads an essay originally published by the Bitter Southerner called ”Is That Your Mother?” The story follows the author’s experience as a Black mother to a child who appears white; it explores the commodification of Black motherhood throughout U.S. history and challenges the recurring assumptions of the white gaze. In response to hurtful encounters, Jasmin celebrates the fullness of her identity and family.

Kristin Lowe reads an essay called "The Orchard on a Cloud," about the agricultural community of Quincy, Washington. The Grand Coulee Dam irrigates the apple orchard and potato fields around Quincy. That same water source has attracted data storage centers, run by the likes of Microsoft, creating fundamental shifts in how the people of Quincy define themselves.  Returning to an important geography from her childhood, Kristin reflects on how life has changed for farmers like her uncle, Carl Yeates, and what these changes mean for generations to come. A 2018 graduate of the Low-Residency MFA in Narrative Nonfiction program at the University of Georgia, Kristin is a freelance writer based in Atlanta, Georgia. 

2019 MFA graduate Jeremy Redmon reads an essay called “December 21 and What Came After,” about his experiences as a reporter embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq. The essay was originally published by The WarHorse, a nonprofit new website dedicated to telling stories about military service and the impact of war. Redmon’s essay explores what drew him to covering armed conflict, what working in a war zone taught him about his Air Force veteran father, and the lasting impact of trauma on his life. A veteran journalist, Redmon currently reports for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

Current MFA students Alison Miller, Will Alford, Sierra Williams, and Stephanie Paladino read short narrative essays composed during their low-residency coursework over the past year. Their stories introduce us to fascinating characters and take us to communities across the US and Global South. We'll meet independent wrestlers, awkward roommates, stifling small towns, and almost romances.  This episode is the second Hear-Tell episode produced from the safety of the homes of our guests and host. Considering the health of our contributors, the show will continue in this fashion for the near future.  To learn more about Hear-Tell, visit https://grady.uga.edu/graduate_studies/hear-tell/. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @heartellpodcast.