Allison Hudson and Caroline Jones on The Beauty of the Montgomery Conference (MaudCast S03E02)

Allison Hudson and Caroline Jones are two of the organizers of the next biennial L.M. Montgomery Institute conference (that’s every two years, not “biannual” as twice a year, like host Brenton Dickieson says in the episode). LMMI26 is here in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, June 24-28, 2026. The Montgomery conference is a highlight for so many artists, scholars, librarians, Montgomery community members, and avid readers of her work. In this episode, three friends and scholars catch up on the news, share some fond memories of past conferences, and give some hints about what’s to come. Dr. Allison McBain Hudson is the current Visiting Scholar at the L.M. Montgomery Institute—or the LMMI, as we call it. Her Ph.D. from Dublin City University is on the significance of material culture in Montgomery’s novels, and in the episode, we talk about what “material culture studies” really means (you can hear Brenton's stumbling definition and Allison’s elegant correction). Originally from Alberta, Allison has lived in Ireland for nearly three decades, where she quilts, sews, walks dogs, and has two daughters with her husband, an Irish artist. Allison is one of the keynote speakers at the conference. Dr. Caroline E. Jones is a past LMMI Visiting Scholar and has published a host of essay anthologies and scholarly papers. Every time I hear Caroline give a talk, I am amazed by her creative mind. In this episode, we’ll find out more about her research, which, like Allison’s, looks more closely at Montgomery’s Emily of New Moon trilogy. Formerly a bookseller and full-time academic, Caroline currently works as an editor in Austin, Texas, USA. This episode brings together three countries—Dublin, Ireland, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and Texas, USA—Montgomery friends in conversation, even when there is an ocean and a continent in between. We hope you enjoy the episode—including the news that the most powerful Anne of my childhood, Megan Follows, will give a keynote talk. To find out more about the June conference and our guests, check out the details below. Tagline: Bringing listeners warm, thoughtful conversations inspired by the life and works of Lucy Maud Montgomery. Description: In this episode, we discuss fond memories of past L.M. Montgomery Institute conferences, and happy hopes for the next one in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, June 24-28, 2026. Conference Link: https://lmmontgomery.ca/upcoming-conference/2026-l-m-montgomery-and-change/ What is the MaudCast? The MaudCast is the podcast of the L.M. Montgomery Institute. In the our quest to discover cutting-edge scholarship about the life and works of Lucy Maud Montgomery, we welcome to the microphone leading academics, emerging scholars, local researchers, and imaginative readers and writers from around the world. Hosted by Dr. Brenton Dickieson, we broadcast from the beautiful campus of the University of Prince Edward Island. The MaudCast Team Host and Founding Producer: Brenton Dickieson Founding Co-Producer: Kate Scarth Technical Director: Kristy McKinney MaudCast Intern: Fleur Rodrigues (with writing and design credits) Music: Nicolas Riel, with an editing credit on this episode Logo Design: Heidi Haering Find the MaudCast Team Online Find the MaudCast on Instagram: www.instagram.com/lmmimaudcast L.M. Montgomery Institute’s website: https://www.lmmontgomery.ca/ The Journal of L.M. Montgomery Studies: https://journaloflmmontgomerystudies.ca/ Find the MaudCast’s other socials on linktree: https://linktr.ee/TheMaudcast?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=0c4e460c-2b28-4322-a8b6-95f4451b92aa   Find Brenton Dickieson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bdickieson Check out Brenton Dickieson’s website: www.aPilgrimInNarnia.com Find Nicolas Riel on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/24tFIIiCjulHu0pbxeQVdA?si=RwSzlCJkQ9604TR-qxNinQ Special Guest Bio Dr. Allison McBain Hudson is the current Visiting Scholar at the L.M. Montgomery Institute. She recently completed her Ph.D. at Dublin City University on the significance of material culture in the novels of L.M. Montgomery, particularly the Emily trilogy. Originally from Alberta, she obtained a BA in English from the University of Calgary in 1995 and moved to Ireland in 1997. She earned an MA in Children’s and Young Adult Literature from Dublin City University in 2019 with a focus on Montgomery’s unique Romanticism and “everyday magic.” When she’s not studying or teaching, she is quilting and sewing, walking the dogs in the woods, and looking for old houses and kindred spirits. She is married to an Irish artist, and they live on the outskirts of Dublin with their two daughters. 2026 Keynote Title: “Maud, Pat, and Me: The Materiality of Change” Allison's Socials: Instagram: @allisonmcbainhudson Bluesky: @drmcbainhudson.bsky.social Threads: @allisonmcbainhudson Dr. Caroline E. Jones is a past Visiting Scholar at the L.M. Montgomery Institute. Her work on Montgomery goes back to her M.A. thesis, which explores the “happy ending” of the Emily trilogy. She has since presented and published on class, motherhood, the young artist, and more in Montgomery. She has essays in Children’s Play in Literature (2019), L.M. Montgomery and War (2017), L.M. Montgomery’s Rainbow Valleys (2015), and Anne Around the World (2013). Her most recent publication is “Read What You Know: Nostalgia and the Discovery of Self through L.M. Montgomery’s Emily of New Moon,” which appears in the L.M. Montgomery and Re-Vision collection in the Journal of L.M. Montgomery Studies. Formerly a bookseller and full-time academic, she currently works as an editor in Austin, Texas, USA. Caroline's Socials: Instagram: @byrdstarr Facebook: Caroline Emily Byrdstarr Threads: @byrdstarr Special thanks to the Robertson Library at UPEI and all of our community partners. The MaudCast is supported in part by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.