19Feb
ReadLocalNH: The threads of an idea for a podcast began weaving themselves together in the spring of 2022. Concord NH-based authors Paul Brogan and Margaret Porter organized "An Evening with Concord-Area Authors" at the Bank of NH Stage and invited me to serve as moderator. Given the event topic and the people behind it, I knew it would be good - but just minutes into our program, I felt something special emerging: a deep and grateful enthusiasm for storytelling, for the written word, and for the people in our state who express their creativity on the page. Everyone felt it. The room hummed with it.
The talented team at Concord TV was filming the event; and afterwards, they approached me about producing a monthly podcast on a topic of my choosing. That was my "aha" moment: to create a show that captures what was present at the BNH Stage that night: a celebration of reading and writing in the Granite State...of NH authors, booksellers, libraries and of course, people who love books. Concord TV Executive Director Josh Hardy took care of the technical details and even created the podcast logo that I think is great. (Here's me and Josh goofing around in the podcast studio at Concord TV.)
There's already a robust community of independent booksellers, libraries, authors and reading groups in our state; and it's been an absolute joy to connect with them through the podcast. My hope is that ReadLocalNH will provide a conversation space to highlight their work, their creativity and their contributions. They really do make New Hampshire an even better place to live.
I'll have more to say in later blog posts about the people and stories I've encountered behind the microphone. For now, you can listen on Spotify, Stitcher, or at #ReadLocalNH.
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