Jeannie Vanasco is the author of two memoirs. Her latest, Things We Didn't Talk About When I Was a Girl, was named a New York Times Editors’ Choice, a TIME magazine Must-Read Book of the Year, and the 2020 winner of the Ohioana Book Award in nonfiction. Her debut, The Glass Eye, was honored as Indie Next and Indies Introduce selections by the American Booksellers Association. She lives in Baltimore and teaches at Towson University.

JEANNIE VANASCO

What interested me about this particular experience is that I didn’t have the language to attach to it in the way I had the language to attach to a later experience that I would have no trouble calling rape, but happened to me and I call Mark in the book. I didn’t know what to call that for the longest time, so I didn’t know what to feel about it, and so as a writer that interests me. When I don’t have the words for something, when I sense that inevitably I’m going to fail.

This interview was conducted by Mia Funk & Nina Hook with the participation of collaborating universities and students. Associate Interviews Producer on this podcast was Nina Hook. Digital Media Coordinator is Hannah Story Brown.

Mia Funk is an artist, interviewer and founder of The Creative Process.