meet the author

In one of my favorite books about writing, The Memoir Project, Marion Roach Smith says “[writing] is serious work. And it cannot be reduced to generic writing exercises and prefabricated prompts.” While reading, I was immediately offended, for I lead a prompt-based creative writing group. And my writers, as I like to call the members, produce wonderful work.

Mike O’Leary has been a long-time member of the Creative Writing Group and has agreed to share some of his stories here. We're working through the exercises in The 3 A.M. Epiphanyby Brian Kiteley. Mike chose "Evil" and "Goodness", two

Kansas City is blessed to be called home by many wonderful writers and creators. Thus, it is no surprise that three of our own are included in the collection Listen to Your Mother. In 2010, Ann Imig, through stage performances by writers in her community, gave voice to “the realities of mothers and mothering, of non-moms and caretakers, of sons and daughters … with stories so urgent they press from the hearts of people to the page and then to the LTYM Stage, a small selection which return again to the page.” It is no exaggeration to say the stories are urgent.

But don’t let the title fool you

Local writer Bridget Heos is the author of Mustache Baby, Mustache Baby Meets His Match, I, Fly, and more than 70 other children's books. Check out our review of the Mustache Baby books, then keep reading to learn all about Bridget and her experience as an author through her responses to our interview questions.

Your writing seems to cover a broad range of topics and styles. How has that come about?

Well, so much of what I write is “work for hire,” meaning the editor gives me a topic, and I write about it. Usually the editor also indicates the style (funny or serious, etc.) Now, I’m starting

This fall, Johnson County Library has been looking at race: stereotypes, self-awareness, and what it means to look beyond the surface. We’ve invited you to tell us how you have been affected by race. Justin Carter, in the following essay, shares his experience. As a suburban white woman, it’s easy to subconsciously, or otherwise, believe that issues of race don’t happen in my community, my city, or even my state. My country, sure, but that’s Missouri. That’s the other United States. But he dispels the myths I accept as truth and exposes the subtle, and not-so-subtle, ways race is still an