Hena Khan

Hena Khan is an award-winning author of picture books and middle grade fiction. Her middle grade novel Amina’s Voice launched Simon &amp; Schuster’s groundbreaking Salaam Reads imprint and was named a Best Book of 2017 by the Washington Post, NPR, Kirkus Reviews, and others. The sequel, Amina’s Song, won the 2021 Asian/Pacific Award for Children’s Literature. Hena wrote the popular Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream series, and More to the Story, a novel inspired by her all-time favorite book, Little Women. Hena’s acclaimed picture books include Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Under My Hijab, Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets, Night of the Moon, and It’s Ramadan, Curious George. Today, Hena writes full time, often highlighting aspects of her culture, faith, community, friendship and family, and she draws heavily from own experiences. She loves exploring different formats to excite different readers, including a forthcoming graphic novel and new pick-your-path series. Hena enjoys presenting to children, educators, community members and others, and being a mom to two now teenaged boys. Whenever she gets the chance, Hena travels with her family, bakes, and reads books written by her favorite children’s authors.For more info on Henna, visit her website.This episode was recorded on June 25, 2021.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Hena Khan is an award-winning author of picture books and middle grade fiction. Her middle grade novel Amina’s Voice launched Simon &amp; Schuster’s groundbreaking Salaam Reads imprint and was named a Best Book of 2017 by the Washington Post, NPR, Kirkus Reviews, and others. The sequel, Amina’s Song, won the 2021 Asian/Pacific Award for Children’s Literature. Hena wrote the popular Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream series, and More to the Story, a novel inspired by her all-time favorite book, Little Women. Hena’s acclaimed picture books include Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Under My Hijab, Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets, Night of the Moon, and It’s Ramadan, Curious George. Today, Hena writes full time, often highlighting aspects of her culture, faith, community, friendship and family, and she draws heavily from own experiences. She loves exploring different formats to excite different readers, including a forthcoming graphic novel and new pick-your-path series. Hena enjoys presenting to children, educators, community members and others, and being a mom to two now teenaged boys. Whenever she gets the chance, Hena travels with her family, bakes, and reads books written by her favorite children’s authors. For more info on Henna, visit her <a href="https://henakhan.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a>. This episode was recorded on June 25, 2021. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S2, E6 - Hena Khan

Jen White is the author of Survival Strategies of the Almost Brave and A Thousand Minutes to Sunlight. She holds an M.F.A. in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in San Clemente, California, with her family.Jen has a degree in English teaching and also earned her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in writing for children and young adults. Jen currently lives with her family and the cutest mini-aussiedoodle puppy you've ever seen.For more info on Jen, visit her website.This episode was recorded on June 21, 2021.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Jen White is the author of Survival Strategies of the Almost Brave and A Thousand Minutes to Sunlight. She holds an M.F.A. in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in San Clemente, California, with her family. Jen has a degree in English teaching and also earned her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in writing for children and young adults. Jen currently lives with her family and the cutest mini-aussiedoodle puppy you've ever seen. For more info on Jen, visit her <a href="https://www.jenwhitebooks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a>. This episode was recorded on June 21, 2021. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S2, E5 - Jen White

Samira Ahmed

Samira Ahmed is the bestselling author of Love, Hate &amp; Other Filters, Internment, Mad, Bad &amp; Dangerous to Know, and  Amira &amp; Hamza: The War to Save the Worlds, as well as a Ms. Marvel comic book mini-series.  Her poetry, essays, and short stories have appeared in numerous publications and anthologies including the New York Times, Take the Mic, Color Outside the Lines, Vampires Never Get Old and A Universe of Wishes.She was born in Bombay, India, and grew up in Batavia, Illinois, in a house that smelled like fried onions, spices, and potpourri. A graduate of the University of Chicago, Samira has taught high school English in both the suburbs of Chicago and New York City, worked in education non-profits, and spent time on the road for political campaigns.Samira currently lives in the Midwest. When she’s not reading or writing, she can be found on her lifelong quest for the perfect pastry.For all things Samira Ahmed visit her website. Follow her on Twitter @sam_aye_ahm. This episode was recorded on May 16 2021.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Samira Ahmed is the bestselling author of <a href="https://samiraahmed.com/book/love-hate-other-filters/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Love, Hate &amp; Other Filters</a>, <a href="https://samiraahmed.com/book/internment/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Internment</a>, <a href="https://samiraahmed.com/book/mad-bad-dangerous-to-know/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mad, Bad &amp; Dangerous to Know</a>, and  <a href="https://samiraahmed.com/book/amira-hamza-the-war-to-save-the-worlds/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amira &amp; Hamza: The War to Save the Worlds</a>, as well as a <a href="https://samiraahmed.com/book/ms-marvel-beyond-the-limit/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ms. Marvel comic book mini-series</a>.  Her poetry, essays, and short stories have appeared in numerous publications and anthologies including the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/28/books/young-adult-fiction-asian-american-vintage-photographs-archives.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">New York Times</a>, <a href="https://samiraahmed.com/book/take-the-mic-fictional-stories-of-everyday-resistance/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Take the Mic</a>, <a href="https://samiraahmed.com/book/color-outside-the-lines-stories-about-love/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Color Outside the Lines</a>, <a href="https://samiraahmed.com/book/vampires-never-get-old/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Vampires Never Get Old</a> and <a href="https://samiraahmed.com/book/a-universe-of-wishes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Universe of Wishes.</a>She was born in Bombay, India, and grew up in Batavia, Illinois, in a house that smelled like fried onions, spices, and potpourri. A graduate of the University of Chicago, Samira has taught high school English in both the suburbs of Chicago and New York City, worked in education non-profits, and spent time on the road for political campaigns.Samira currently lives in the Midwest. When she’s not reading or writing, she can be found on her lifelong quest for the perfect pastry. For all things Samira Ahmed visit her <a href="https://samiraahmed.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a>. Follow her on Twitter @sam_aye_ahm.  This episode was recorded on May 16 2021. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S2, E4 - Samira Ahmed

Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian. Author of the picture books The Very Last Castle (illustrated by Mark Pett), and Blue Floats Away (illustrated by Grant Snider). I write about children's books at 100scopenotes.com, and co-host a podcast about children's books called The Yarn.For more info on Travis visit www.travisjonkerbooks.com. This episode was recorded on May 21, 2021.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian. Author of the picture books The Very Last Castle (illustrated by Mark Pett), and Blue Floats Away (illustrated by Grant Snider). I write about children's books at <a href="https://100scopenotes.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">100scopenotes.com</a>, and co-host a podcast about children's books called <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-yarn/id1028877816" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Yarn</a>. For more info on Travis visit <a href="https://www.travisjonkerbooks.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.travisjonkerbooks.com</a>.  This episode was recorded on May 21, 2021. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S2, E3 - Travis Jonker

Sonya Bernard-Hollins is the founder and CEO of Season Press LLC. The media consulting firm was founded in 2010 after the acquisition of Community Voices, a bi-weekly community newspaper founded by Arlene and James Washington. The company has grown from providing a quarterly print and online magazine into a self-publishing company that has helped nearly 200 area authors see their dreams come true. Today, Bernard-Hollins has also published 7 of her own works that include historical children and young adult books.You can purchase Sonya's books HERE.This episode was recorded on March 29, 2021.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Sonya Bernard-Hollins is the founder and CEO of Season Press LLC. The media consulting firm was founded in 2010 after the acquisition of <a href="https://comvoicesonline.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Community Voices</a>, a bi-weekly community newspaper founded by Arlene and James Washington. The company has grown from providing a quarterly print and online magazine into a self-publishing company that has helped nearly 200 area authors see their dreams come true. Today, Bernard-Hollins has also published 7 of her own works that include historical children and young adult books. You can purchase Sonya's books <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sonya-Bernard-Hollins/e/B001K8QF4Q%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE</a>. This episode was recorded on March 29, 2021. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S2, E2 - Sonya Bernard-Hollins

Peter Mulvey

Peter Mulvey has been a songwriter, road-dog, raconteur and almost-poet since before he can remember. Nineteen records, an illustrated book, thousands of live performances, a TEDx talk, a decades-long association with the National Youth Science Camp, opening for luminaries such as Ani DiFranco, Emmylou Harris, and Chuck Prophet, appearances on NPR, an annual autumn tour by bicycle, emceeing festivals, hosting his own boutique festival (the Lamplighter Sessions, in Boston and Wisconsin)… Mulvey never stops. He has built his life’s work on collaboration and an instinct for the eclectic and the vital. He folds everything he encounters into his work: poetry, social justice, scientific literacy, &amp; a deeply abiding humanism are all on plain display in his art. www.petermulvey.comPeter's Patreon PageThis episode was recorded on April 12, 2021.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Peter Mulvey has been a songwriter, road-dog, raconteur and almost-poet since before he can remember. Nineteen records, an illustrated book, thousands of live performances, a TEDx talk, a decades-long association with the National Youth Science Camp, opening for luminaries such as Ani DiFranco, Emmylou Harris, and Chuck Prophet, appearances on NPR, an annual autumn tour by bicycle, emceeing festivals, hosting his own boutique festival (the Lamplighter Sessions, in Boston and Wisconsin)… Mulvey never stops. He has built his life’s work on collaboration and an instinct for the eclectic and the vital. He folds everything he encounters into his work: poetry, social justice, scientific literacy, &amp; a deeply abiding humanism are all on plain display in his art. <a href="https://www.petermulvey.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.petermulvey.com</a> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/lifeasacircusbear" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Peter's Patreon Page</a> This episode was recorded on April 12, 2021. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S2, E1 - Peter Mulvey

Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird (@FuseEight) is the Collection Development Manager of Evanston Public Library. In addition to running the School Library Journal blog about children's literature A Fuse #8 Production, Betsy reviews for Kirkus and has two podcasts about kids books. Betsy is the author of the picture books Giant Dance Party and The Great Santa Stakeout, editor of the middle grade Funny Girl, and her debut middle grade novel Long Way to the Circus illustrated by David Small is out this fall. www.betsybirdbooks.com Podcasts - Fuse 8 n' Kate and The Story Seeds. BIG NEWS! Betsy Bird is a featured speaker at the 44th Annual Youth Literature Seminar sponsored by the Kalamazoo Public Library. The event is FREE and open to the public. Click HERE for more details.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Betsy Bird (@FuseEight) is the Collection Development Manager of <a href="https://www.epl.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Evanston Public Library</a>. In addition to running the School Library Journal blog about children's literature A Fuse #8 Production, Betsy reviews for Kirkus and has two podcasts about kids books. Betsy is the author of the picture books Giant Dance Party and The Great Santa Stakeout, editor of the middle grade Funny Girl, and her debut middle grade novel Long Way to the Circus illustrated by David Small is out this fall. <a href="https://www.betsybirdbooks.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.betsybirdbooks.com</a> Podcasts - <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fuse-8-n-kate/id1249166981" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fuse 8 n' Kate</a> and <a href="https://www.storyseedspodcast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Story Seeds</a>. BIG NEWS! Betsy Bird is a featured speaker at the 44th Annual Youth Literature Seminar sponsored by the Kalamazoo Public Library. The event is FREE and open to the public. Click <a href="https://www.kpl.gov/youth-literature-seminar/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE</a> for more details. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S1, E30 - Betsy Bird

Caitlin Horrocks

Caitlin Horrocks is author of the story collections Life Among the Terranauts and This Is Not Your City, both New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice selections. Her novel The Vexations was named one of the Ten Best Books of 2019 by the Wall Street Journal. Her stories and essays appear in The New Yorker, The Best American Short Stories, The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories, The Pushcart Prize, The Paris Review, Tin House, and One Story, as well as other journals and anthologies. Her awards include the Plimpton Prize and fellowships to the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and the MacDowell Colony. She is on the advisory board of the Kenyon Review, where she formerly served as fiction editor. She teaches at Grand Valley State University and in the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College. She lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with the writer W. Todd Kaneko and their noisy kids.To learn more go to Caitlin's website.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Caitlin Horrocks is author of the story collections Life Among the Terranauts and This Is Not Your City, both New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice selections. Her novel The Vexations was named one of the Ten Best Books of 2019 by the Wall Street Journal. Her stories and essays appear in The New Yorker, The Best American Short Stories, The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories, The Pushcart Prize, The Paris Review, Tin House, and One Story, as well as other journals and anthologies. Her awards include the Plimpton Prize and fellowships to the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and the MacDowell Colony. She is on the advisory board of the Kenyon Review, where she formerly served as fiction editor. She teaches at Grand Valley State University and in the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College. She lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with the writer <a href="https://toddkaneko.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">W. Todd Kaneko</a> and their noisy kids. To learn more go to Caitlin's <a href="http://caitlinhorrocks.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a>. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S1, E29 - Caitlin Horrocks

Kat Williams

Dr. Kat Williams is a Professor of Women’s Sport History at Marshall University, and is author of The All-American Girls After the AAGPBL: How Playing Pro Ball Shaped Their Lives, and Isabel Lefty Alvarez: The Improbable Life of a Cuban American Baseball Star. Through her teaching, scholarship and advocacy Kat has dedicated many years to the preservation of girls' and women’s baseball history. She continues that work as president and a founding member of the International Women’s Baseball Center.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Dr. Kat Williams is a Professor of Women’s Sport History at Marshall University, and is author of <a href="https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-all-american-girls-after-the-aagpbl/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The All-American Girls After the AAGPBL: How Playing Pro Ball Shaped Their Lives</a>, and <a href="https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9781496218827/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Isabel Lefty Alvarez: The Improbable Life of a Cuban American Baseball Star</a>. Through her teaching, scholarship and advocacy Kat has dedicated many years to the preservation of girls' and women’s baseball history. She continues that work as president and a founding member of the <a href="http://www.internationalwomensbaseballcenter.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">International Women’s Baseball Center</a>. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S1, E28 - Kat Williams

Katie Zhao

Katie Zhao is a 2017 graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.A. in English and Political Science, and a 2018 Masters of Accounting at the same university. She is the author of THE DRAGON WARRIOR series (Bloomsbury Kids), HOW WE FALL APART (Bloomsbury Kids), forthcoming LAST GAMER STANDING (Scholastic), and forthcoming WINNIE ZENG series (Random House Children’s Books). She is represented by Penny Moore of Aevitas Creative Management. She’s a passionate advocate for representation in literature and media.Check out her website - katiezhao.com and Twitter @ktzhaoauthoer!Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Katie Zhao is a 2017 graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.A. in English and Political Science, and a 2018 Masters of Accounting at the same university. She is the author of THE DRAGON WARRIOR series (Bloomsbury Kids), HOW WE FALL APART (Bloomsbury Kids), forthcoming LAST GAMER STANDING (Scholastic), and forthcoming WINNIE ZENG series (Random House Children’s Books). She is represented by Penny Moore of Aevitas Creative Management. She’s a passionate advocate for representation in literature and media. Check out her website - <a href="https://katiezhao.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">katiezhao.com</a> and Twitter @ktzhaoauthoer! Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S1, E27 - Katie Zhao

Five Author Questions or 5AQ, is not your typical interview podcast. Hosts and librarians, Sandra Farag and Kevin King, attempt to delve into the minds of writers using only five questions. Hear stuff about your favorite authors you would never read in those boring trade journals and gossip rags! Each 15–30-minute episode is filled with hilarious hijinks and erudite conversation. Like, listen, and subscribe or we may send the Library Police to your home. 5AQ is presented by the Kalamazoo Public Library.The podcast is presented by the Kalamazoo Public Library. 5AQ on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions5AQ on Twitter - @AuthorFive. Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King.

M.J. KUHN

M.J. will be appearing at KPL on September 28, 6:00 pm!!M. J. Kuhn is a fantasy writer by night and a mild-mannered office worker by day. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and a very spoiled cat named Thorin Oakenshield.Less than a year into her life as a full-time office-worker she began using her nights and lunch breaks to work on her first novel, and she hasn’t looked back since.When she isn’t reading or writing you can find her playing the piano, weightlifting, or anxiously awaiting the next installment of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire.For more info, go to www.mjkuhn.com.  Follow her on Twitter @mjkuhnbooks. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

M.J. will be appearing at KPL on September 28, 6:00 pm!! M. J. Kuhn is a fantasy writer by night and a mild-mannered office worker by day. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and a very spoiled cat named Thorin Oakenshield.Less than a year into her life as a full-time office-worker she began using her nights and lunch breaks to work on her first novel, and she hasn’t looked back since.When she isn’t reading or writing you can find her playing the piano, weightlifting, or anxiously awaiting the next installment of George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire.For more info, go to <a href="https://www.mjkuhn.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.mjkuhn.com</a>.  Follow her on Twitter @mjkuhnbooks.  Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S1, E26 - M.J. Kuhn

Sonja Cherry-Paul

Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul has adapted Stamped (For Kids), the #1 New York Times best selling children's book. She is an educator, author, and the co-founder of the Institute for Racial Equity in Literacy. Sonja is the Director of Diversity and Equity at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University and the host of The Black Creators Series. She develops curricula that centers the work of racial literacy in K-12 schools. Sonja leads presentations at educational conferences and works with educators around the world providing professional development on antiracist reading and writing instruction.For more info on Sonja, visit her website.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul has adapted <a href="https://www.lbyr.com/titles/jason-reynolds/stamped-for-kids/9780316167581/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stamped (For Kids)</a>, the #1 New York Times best selling children's book. She is an educator, author, and the co-founder of the Institute for Racial Equity in Literacy. Sonja is the Director of Diversity and Equity at the <a href="https://www.tc.columbia.edu/curriculum-and-teaching/literacy-specialist/the-reading--writing-project/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University</a> and the host of <a href="https://blackcreatorsseries.candlewick.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Black Creators Series</a>. She develops curricula that centers the work of racial literacy in K-12 schools. Sonja leads presentations at educational conferences and works with educators around the world providing professional development on antiracist reading and writing instruction. For more info on Sonja, visit her <a href="https://www.sonjacherrypaul.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a>. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S1, E25 - Sonja Cherry-Paul

Married writers Deborah Ann Percy (Johnston) and Arnold Johnston live in Kalamazoo and South Haven, MI. Their individually and collaboratively written plays have won over 300 productions and readings on stage, screen, and radio, as well as numerous awards and publications across the country and internationally; and they’ve written, co-written, edited, or translated some twenty books.  Their award-winning poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and translations have appeared widely in literary journals and anthologies.Debby’s two collections of short fiction are Cool Front: Stories from Lake Michigan (March Street Press, 2010) and Invisible Traffic (One Wet Shoe Press, 2014). Her latest projects are a fiction collection, Stepping Off into Space, and two short novels, A Second Opinion and So She Said. Arnie’s books include two novels, Swept Away (Atmosphere Press, 2021) and The Witching Voice: A Novel from the Life of Robert Burns (Wings Press, 2009); three collections of  poems, Where We’re Going, Where We’ve Been (FutureCycle Press, 2020), Sonnets: Signs and Portents (Finishing Line Press, 2014), and What the Earth Taught Us (March Street Press, 1996). His translations of Jacques Brel’s songs have appeared in numerous musical revues nationwide, and are also featured on his CD, Jacques Brel: I’m Here! Arnie and Debby’s collaborations include their new children’s book, Mr. Robert Monkey Returns to New York (Brandylane Publishers, 2021); plays, It’s About Us! (Eldridge Publishing Company, 2019), Radiation: A Month of Sun-Days (HP Publishing, 2016), Rumpelstiltskin: The True Hero (Eldridge, 2013), Beyond Sex, (HP Publishing, 2011), Rasputin in New York (Editura HP, 1999), Duets: Love is Strange (March Street Press, 2008); and an edited anthology The Art of the One-Act (New Issues Press, 2007). After a distinguished administrative career in the Kalamazoo Public Schools, Debby is now a full-time writer, as is Arnie, who was chairman of the English Department (1997-2007) at Western Michigan University, and taught there for many years as co-founder of the creative writing program and founder of the playwriting program. They are members of the Dramatists Guild, the Associated Writing Programs, Poets &amp; Writers, and the American Literary Translators Association.Visit them at their website.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Married writers Deborah Ann Percy (Johnston) and Arnold Johnston live in Kalamazoo and South Haven, MI. Their individually and collaboratively written plays have won over 300 productions and readings on stage, screen, and radio, as well as numerous awards and publications across the country and internationally; and they’ve written, co-written, edited, or translated some twenty books.  Their award-winning poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and translations have appeared widely in literary journals and anthologies. Debby’s two collections of short fiction are Cool Front: Stories from Lake Michigan (March Street Press, 2010) and Invisible Traffic (One Wet Shoe Press, 2014). Her latest projects are a fiction collection, Stepping Off into Space, and two short novels, A Second Opinion and So She Said. Arnie’s books include two novels, Swept Away (Atmosphere Press, 2021) and The Witching Voice: A Novel from the Life of Robert Burns (Wings Press, 2009); three collections of  poems, Where We’re Going, Where We’ve Been (FutureCycle Press, 2020), Sonnets: Signs and Portents (Finishing Line Press, 2014), and What the Earth Taught Us (March Street Press, 1996). His translations of Jacques Brel’s songs have appeared in numerous musical revues nationwide, and are also featured on his CD, Jacques Brel: I’m Here! Arnie and Debby’s collaborations include their new children’s book, Mr. Robert Monkey Returns to New York (Brandylane Publishers, 2021); plays, It’s About Us! (Eldridge Publishing Company, 2019), Radiation: A Month of Sun-Days (HP Publishing, 2016), Rumpelstiltskin: The True Hero (Eldridge, 2013), Beyond Sex, (HP Publishing, 2011), Rasputin in New York (Editura HP, 1999), Duets: Love is Strange (March Street Press, 2008); and an edited anthology The Art of the One-Act (New Issues Press, 2007). After a distinguished administrative career in the Kalamazoo Public Schools, Debby is now a full-time writer, as is Arnie, who was chairman of the English Department (1997-2007) at Western Michigan University, and taught there for many years as co-founder of the creative writing program and founder of the playwriting program. They are members of the Dramatists Guild, the Associated Writing Programs, Poets &amp; Writers, and the American Literary Translators Association. Visit them at their <a href="http://johnston-percy-writers.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a>. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S1, E24 - Arnie Johnston and Deborah Percy

Emmy is an author and illustrator of children’s books. Her first book series, Nerdy Babies, is a primer for curious babies and young readers exploring an exciting range of topics, from SPACE to DINOSAURS.A former high school teacher, Emmy taught English and science in San Francisco, CA. Moving back to Michigan, she co-founded Read and Write Kalamazoo (RAWK), a youth writing center devoted to celebrating and amplifying youth voices.Emmy lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan with her husband and three kids, two cats and their dog. Her studio (and temporary remote school) is above the family coffee shop, Factory Coffee.You can learn more about Emmy on her website - www.emmykmakes.com.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Emmy is an author and illustrator of children’s books. Her first book series, Nerdy Babies, is a primer for curious babies and young readers exploring an exciting range of topics, from SPACE to DINOSAURS. A former high school teacher, Emmy taught English and science in San Francisco, CA. Moving back to Michigan, she co-founded <a href="https://www.readandwritekzoo.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Read and Write Kalamazoo (RAWK)</a>, a youth writing center devoted to celebrating and amplifying youth voices. Emmy lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan with her husband and three kids, two cats and their dog. Her studio (and temporary remote school) is above the family coffee shop, <a href="https://www.factorycoffee.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Factory Coffee</a>. You can learn more about Emmy on her website - <a href="https://www.emmykmakes.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.emmykmakes.com</a>. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S1, E23 - Emmy Kastner

Megan Giddings

Megan Giddings' debut novel, Lakewood, was published by Amistad in 2020. It is a Michigan Notable book for 2021, was nominated for two NAACP Images Awards, was an NPR best book of 2020, a New York Magazine Best Book of 2020, and is nominated for an LA Times Book Prize. Megan is currently an assistant professor at Michigan State University and visiting faculty at Antioch University. Her next novel, The Women Could Fly, will be published by Amistad in August 2022. More about her can be found at www.megangiddings.com.To purchase a copy of Lakewood, click HERE.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Megan Giddings' debut novel, Lakewood, was published by Amistad in 2020. It is a Michigan Notable book for 2021, was nominated for two NAACP Images Awards, was an NPR best book of 2020, a New York Magazine Best Book of 2020, and is nominated for an LA Times Book Prize. Megan is currently an assistant professor at Michigan State University and visiting faculty at Antioch University. Her next novel, The Women Could Fly, will be published by Amistad in August 2022. More about her can be found at <a href="https://www.megangiddings.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.megangiddings.com</a>. To purchase a copy of Lakewood, click <a href="https://bookshop.org/books/lakewood-9780062913197/9780062913197" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S1, E22 - Megan Giddings

Kristin Kobes Du Mez is Professor of History and Gender Studies at Calvin University. She holds a PhD from the University of Notre Dame and her research focuses on the intersection of gender, religion, and politics. She has written for the Washington Post, NBC News, Religion News Service, Christianity Today, and The Daily Beast, and has been interviewed on NPR, CBS, and the BBC, among other outlets. Her most recent book is Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation. If you are in the Grand Rapids area and want to purchase a copy of the book, please go to Schuler's Books.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Kristin Kobes Du Mez is Professor of History and Gender Studies at Calvin University. She holds a PhD from the University of Notre Dame and her research focuses on the intersection of gender, religion, and politics. She has written for the Washington Post, NBC News, Religion News Service, Christianity Today, and The Daily Beast, and has been interviewed on NPR, CBS, and the BBC, among other outlets. Her most recent book is Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation. If you are in the Grand Rapids area and want to purchase a copy of the book, please go to <a href="https://www.schulerbooks.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Schuler's Books</a>. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S1, E21 - Kristin Kobes Du Mez

Luke Epplin’s writing has appeared online in The Atlantic, The New Yorker, GQ, Slate, Salon, The Daily Beast, and The Paris Review Daily. Born and raised in rural Illinois, Luke now lives in New York City.You can purchase a signed copy of Our Team by clicking this LINK.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Luke Epplin’s writing has appeared online in The Atlantic, The New Yorker, GQ, Slate, Salon, The Daily Beast, and The Paris Review Daily. Born and raised in rural Illinois, Luke now lives in New York City. You can purchase a signed copy of Our Team by clicking this <a href="https://www.astoriabookshop.com/?searchtype=keyword&amp;qs=our+team&amp;qs_file=&amp;q=h.tviewer&amp;using_sb=status&amp;qsb=keyword" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LINK</a>. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S1, E20 - Luke Epplin

Liz Braswell

Liz Braswell spent her childhood reading fairy tales, catching frogs, and going on adventures in the woods with her stuffed animals. She has a degree in Egyptology from Brown University (and yes, she can write your name in hieroglyphs). After making video games for ten years Liz now writes full-time and plays video games for fun. She has written Snow, Rx, The Nine Lives of Chloe King, and several books in the best-selling Twisted Tales series, including Part of Your World and As Old as Time. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, two children, a cat, a part-time dog, three fish, and five coffee trees, and still sleeps with a Stuffy.  You can email her at me@lizbraswell.com or Instagram and tweet @LizBraswell. Website - www.lizbraswell.com. To purchase a book, Click HERE.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Liz Braswell spent her childhood reading fairy tales, catching frogs, and going on adventures in the woods with her stuffed animals. She has a degree in Egyptology from Brown University (and yes, she can write your name in hieroglyphs). After making video games for ten years Liz now writes full-time and plays video games for fun. She has written Snow, Rx, The Nine Lives of Chloe King, and several books in the best-selling Twisted Tales series, including Part of Your World and As Old as Time. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, two children, a cat, a part-time dog, three fish, and five coffee trees, and still sleeps with a Stuffy.  You can email her at me@lizbraswell.com or Instagram and tweet @LizBraswell. Website - <a href="https://www.lizbraswell.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.lizbraswell.com</a>. To purchase a book, Click <a href="https://books.disney.com/?s=liz+braswell" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S1, E19 - Liz Braswell

Wade Rouse

Wade Rouse is the internationally bestselling author of 11 books, including four memoirs and five novels, which have been translated into 20 languages and sold over a million copies worldwide. His books have been selected multiple times as Must-Reads by NBC’s Today show, featured in USA Today, The Washington Post and Chelsea Lately and chosen three times as Indie Next Picks by the nation’s independent booksellers. Wade is the noted humorist of four critically acclaimed memoirs. He was a finalist for the Goodreads Choice Awards in Humor (he lost to Tina Fey) and was named by Writer’s Digest as “The #2 Writer, Dead or Alive, We’d Like to Have Drinks With” (Wade was sandwiched between Ernest Hemingway and Hunter Thompson). Wade’s novels, written under the pen name Viola Shipman, are beloved by readers across the world. He chose his grandmother’s name as a pen name to honor the woman whose heirlooms and family stories inspire his fiction. Wade divides his time between Saugatuck, Michigan, and Palm Springs, California, and is also an acclaimed writing teacher who has mentored numerous students to become published authors.To learn about The Charm Bracelet, clik HERE.To get more info Wade, you can go to his website - waderouse.com.  Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Wade Rouse is the internationally bestselling author of 11 books, including four memoirs and five novels, which have been translated into 20 languages and sold over a million copies worldwide. His books have been selected multiple times as Must-Reads by NBC’s Today show, featured in USA Today, The Washington Post and Chelsea Lately and chosen three times as Indie Next Picks by the nation’s independent booksellers. Wade is the noted humorist of four critically acclaimed memoirs. He was a finalist for the Goodreads Choice Awards in Humor (he lost to Tina Fey) and was named by Writer’s Digest as “The #2 Writer, Dead or Alive, We’d Like to Have Drinks With” (Wade was sandwiched between Ernest Hemingway and Hunter Thompson). Wade’s novels, written under the pen name Viola Shipman, are beloved by readers across the world. He chose his grandmother’s name as a pen name to honor the woman whose heirlooms and family stories inspire his fiction. Wade divides his time between Saugatuck, Michigan, and Palm Springs, California, and is also an acclaimed writing teacher who has mentored numerous students to become published authors. To learn about The Charm Bracelet, clik <a href="https://violashipman.com/violas-books/the-charm-bracelet/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE</a>. To get more info Wade, you can go to his website - <a href="https://waderouse.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">waderouse.com</a>.   Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S1, E18 - Wade Rouse

Michelle Nijhuis is the author of Beloved Beasts: Fighting For Life in the Age of Extinction. She is a project editor at the Atlantic and a longtime contributing editor of High Country News. Her reporting has appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times Magazine, and elsewhere, and she lives in White Salmon, Washington.For more about Michelle got to michellenijhuis.com.You can purchase a copy of the book HERE.Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Follow on Twitter - @5AQpodEmail 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

Michelle Nijhuis is the author of Beloved Beasts: Fighting For Life in the Age of Extinction. She is a project editor at the Atlantic and a longtime contributing editor of High Country News. Her reporting has appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times Magazine, and elsewhere, and she lives in White Salmon, Washington. For more about Michelle got to <a href="https://michellenijhuis.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">michellenijhuis.com</a>. You can purchase a copy of the book <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324001683/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HERE</a>. Follow on Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions  Follow on Twitter - @5AQpod Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov  5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston.  5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

S1, E17 - Michelle Nijuhuis

Five Author Questions (5AQ)

The best podcast episodes on romantic relationships. Episodes talk about the 5 love languages, intimacy, and the taboo topics of sexual desires and infidelity. This topic is a deep dive into the science and complexities that face us in our relationships with others. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Episodes on Relationships & Love

The best philosophy podcast episodes. Asking questions about how to live a better life, what it means to be and do good, to the idea of God. This topic includes episodes that bring about important questions that everyone should be asking themselves. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!