Holly Russo enjoys asking endless questions in her free time.
Contact:
hollyrusso@yahoo.com.
Interviews by Holly Russo
If you've been following my work for a while, you know that I have a special interest in social documentary and stories about people.
It started when I discovered Po Bronson some years ago, falling in love with his book What Should I Do With My Life? about varied career paths people have chosen -- what it's like to embark on one plan only to find your passion lies elsewhere (like one woman who suffered through medical school only to find she hated being a doctor or another who similarly hated law school). I love hearing about the varied and twisting paths people take throughout life. Rarely are plans executed exactly as anticipated but the mix of experiences is its own rich reward. People are so interesting!
And so this is my budding quest to feature folks in their own words. (This is a goal doomed to failure, in a way, because there are way more interesting people than there are minutes in a day, and if you know me, chances are I have even thought of interviewing you one day!) Still, the journey up a mountain starts with one step. So I bring you...
Quinn Cummings
Author, entrepreneur, child actress (of The Goodbye Girl), and lover of all things caramel talks about her new book, Notes from the Underwire.
Joe Falcione
Independent filmmaker Joe Falcione talks about his current film and previous projects, detailing his start in the independent filmmaking industry.
Ana Free
Rising star singer and musician Ana Free is captivating audiences with her powerful voice, compelling style and commanding stage presence.
Kyle Cassidy
Author of Armed America: Portraits of gun owners in their homes, the number 1 bestselling photography book in America in 2007.
Tara McLoughlin
Independent researcher of medieval stone carvings in Ireland and Europe called Sheela-na-Gigs.
Storytelling Projects & Resources:
This American Life: A radio show (now also on TV) hosted by Ira Glass featuring captivating stories of people's lives. You can download MP3s of their programs for free. They're great for long car rides or commutes.
NPR's StoryCorps: Roaming the country since 2003, NPR's personal oral history project has already accumulated thousands of stories, also free to download. Story booths also exist in NY and other locations or you can use their do-it-yourself guide at home to record your story.
The Center for Digital Storytelling: Offers a glimpse into other's lives and also workshops for those who want to learn the art of professional storytelling and documentary work. Also see their video sharing site, StoryCircles, which allows you to upload your stories and choose your audience (public or private), and, unlike YouTube, you still own your content.
Storytelling links from Dr. Elizabeth Figa at the University of North Texas: Has an enormous list of storytelling resources online.
Did you know that May 16th is the International Day for Sharing Life Stories? You can hold a party in its honor and have your guests share stories; see how to organize a story circle.