What's Your Why?
What’s Your Why? The Authors Journey
Every writer has a story—long before the first word is written. "What's Your Why?" is the podcast where authors share the journeys, inspirations, and defining moments that shaped their craft. Whether you're a book lover, an aspiring writer, or simply fascinated by the creative process, this show takes you beyond the pages and into the minds of storytellers.
Join Emy diGrappa, Executive Producer, Wyoming Humanities, as we explore the passion, struggles, and triumphs that drive authors to write. Through in-depth interviews and solo reflections, we uncover the why behind the words—because behind every book, there’s a journey worth telling.
Tune in and get inspired by the voices behind the stories.
- Update frequency
- every 16 days
- Average duration
- 25 minutes
- Episodes
- 154
- Years Active
- 2017 - 2025
Tom Rea: Discovering Poetry, Printing, and History
Tom Rea lives in Casper, Wyo., where he is editor and co-founder, with the Wyoming State Historical Society, of WyoHistory.org, a state-history website that is a project of the Wyoming State Historic…
Anne MacKinnon: Water & Water Law is Ultimately About People
Water-law scholar Anne MacKinnon has paid Whats Your Why a little visit in-between a series of discussions about public waters. Living in Casper, She is a former editor-in-chief of the Casper Star-Tr…
Ashleigh Snoozy & Kristen Czaban: Furthering The Power Of Community
Ashleigh and Kristen recently joined us to outline their stories and research with the Sheridan Press and their most recent project spotlighting humanity in our own communities. Their natural reparte…
Kathryn Palmer & Margaret Austin: Discovering The Election Process
"Some Cheyenne residents of color say they don't feel heard by largely white leadership in local government and schools. This lack of representation makes it easier for leaders to, even unintentional…
Dustin Bleizeffer: Choices and Challenges of Wyoming Youth
Dustin Bleizeffer has worked as a coal miner, an oilfield mechanic, and for 20 years as a statewide reporter and editor primarily covering the energy industry in Wyoming. Most recently he was Communi…
Hannah Black & Niki Kottmann: Equity for the People of Color Who Call Cheyenne Home
Podcasters! Hannah Black and Niki Kottmann, both journalists with the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, joined us for an in depth discussion about their recent research on how government participation, voting, …
Baktash Ahadi: Cultural Identity and the Immigrant Experience
Matthew Spangler: American Playwright Exploring the Immigrant Experience
Interfaith Amigos: Respect from Faith to Faith
Also known as the Interfaith Amigos – The interfaith Amigos do an inspiring presentation that offers a message of inclusion, empathy and hope. In their life work and in their interfaith presentations…
Fred Schmechel: Driving the Culture of Innovation and Creativity in Wyoming
Welcome the Assistant Director of IMPACT 307, Fred Schmechel! Trained as a sculptor and graphic designer, Fred joined IMPACT 307 in the fall of 2010. He directly counsels client companies on all aspe…
Ryan Stolp: Mountain Life Cartoonist
Ryan Stolp, the creative force behind “Lift Lines” is our latest wonderful guest. His "Lift Lines" cartoon appears in the Jackson Hole Daily and on the news app, Hole Scroll. Stolp, who is the chief …
Greg Kearney: Complexity of Political Cartoons
Greg Kearney is known for putting pen to paper and touching on recent issues affecting Americans. He has been drawing cartoons for newspapers, many of them political in nature, since his days as a h…
Darryl Tonemah: Health, Hope, and Inspiration For His People
"I was picked on because I wasn't Lakota. I wasn't Sioux. I was different tribes. So, it wasn't that I was non-native, it was that I was native, but I was of a different tribe."
Geoff O'Gara: Modern Day Struggles of the American West
Geoffrey O’Gara is an author, script writer, public affairs host, and documentary producer based in Lander, Wyoming. He is the author of What You See in Clear Water: Indians, Whites, and a Battle Ove…
Nadia Oweidat: Freedom Begins With One Idea
"I grew up in tribal Jordan, ever since I was a child I loved reading. I think maybe science will one day discover there's a gene and I have a huge mutation of it or something because having access t…
Warren Murphy: Exploring The Spirit Of Wyoming
Warren Murphy is an Episcopal priest who has served churches in Dixon, Lander, Fort Washakie, and Cody. He most recently was director of the Wyoming Association of Churches. We had the pleasure of di…
The Future Of Politics With Erich Frankland: Rights Come With Responsbilities
Mr. Frankland is a political science instructor in the school of social and behavioral sciences at Casper College, serves as the director of the Casper Committee to Foreign Relations, and the faculty…
Kevin Olson's Guide To Visionary Journalism
Kevin Olson is the owner and president of Jackson, Wyoming-based Teton Media Works Incorporated (TMW). TMW’s media assets consist of local newspapers, magazines, affiliated websites, a digital creati…
Caryn Flanagan: Continuing Bonds With Those We’ve Lost
"Eyes up, roll through," is the mantra of Caryn Flanagan whenever she encounters challenging terrain. She, a member of legendary ski team The Jackson Hole Air Force, founding member of SkiProphet.com…
Yonder Lies: The Last Of The Old West
As you drive over the breathtakingly steep Teton Pass into Jackson Hole, Wyoming you will pass what could very well be a hundred year old sign that puts to bed any doubt you may have had. You're on t…