Hope in a Time of Dying Len Leatherwood

Today on the show, I’m honored to welcome Len Leatherwood to the mic! A Bonham native who’s spent the last 33 years in California making waves in the literary world. Len is a two-time Pushcart Prize nominee, an award-winning author, and a nationally recognized writing teacher whose work has been featured in numerous literary magazines and anthologies. She’s also the voice behind a widely read blog at lenleatherwood.com, where she shares reflections on writing, family, and everyday life. In addition to her literary accomplishments, Len is a licensed professional counselor, offering a unique blend of storytelling and therapeutic insight, beautifully woven together in her debut novel, Hope in a Time of Dying, which recently won the 2025 American Fiction Award for LGBTQ+ Fiction. Today, I'm diving into her journey, discussing the inspiration behind her book, and previewing her upcoming event at Austin College.