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Latest episodes from Mochila Chat

Episode 46: Projection as Inspiration

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2020 22:18


Here’s episode 46! We talk about Asterism, an undergrad literary journal based out of Ohio State University, and about us going to the Association of Writers & Writing Programs conference in San Antonio, Texas. Our featured author is Marguerite Alley, as she reads a portion of her story Gravitation. We interview Lora Kroush, Editor and […]

Episode 45: Snapshots in Poetry

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2020 18:01


This episode features two poems by Isabella Barricklow, Twilight in Denver and Arcade. Confessions of an English major featuring Stacy Minnick, a English/Technical Communication major and minoring in Chinese.

Episode 44: Overcoming Dark Times

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2020 19:54


Co-hosts Caitlin Dillon and Heather Daugherty discuss overcoming darkness and how to get through tough times. Featured is “Darkest Night Ends” by Hannah Garthwaite and an interview with Jay Fude, a Technical Communication major.

Episode 43: Repetition

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2019 17:31


Co-hosts Caitlin Dillon and Heather Daugherty discuss the human use of repetition, from poems to song lyrics. Featured is the poem, “Lights of a Stroke” by Somer Leathern from our 2019 issue. Our submissions spotlight takes a look at Roadrunner Review, an online literary journal. Daniel Holiday is our featured English major. Photo by Aidan Roof from Pexels

Episode 42: Odes

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2019 14:46


Co-hosts Caitlin Dillon and Heather Daugherty discuss the depths of odes and their underlying meanings. Featured is the poem, “An Ode to Doña Pepa, A Peruvian Treat” by Eve Jimenez Sagastegui from our 2019 issue. Our submissions spotlight takes a look at Ofrendas Press, a bilingual literary magazine. Rachael Drenckpohl is our featured English major.

Episode 41: Controversial and NSFW Content

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2019 21:39


Co-hosts Caitlin Dillon and Heather Daugherty discuss how to deal with content that wouldn’t be polite in certain company. Featured are the poems, “ACAB” and “Crude Oil” by Hazelle Lerum from our 2019 issue. Our submissions spotlight takes a look at Pine Hills Review, a fellow literary magazine looking for diversity. Jilian Whitehead is our […]

Episode 40: Angst

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2019 25:01


Co-hosts Caitlin Dillon and Heather Daugherty discuss the angst that every writer feels. Featured is the short story “The Gate” by Hannah Warrick from our 2019 issue. Mariah Smith is our featured English major.

Episode 39: Feeling Through an Object, Part 2

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2019 18:49


Co-hosts Caitlin Dillon and Heather Daugherty discuss what it means to attach meaning to inanimate objects in part two of a two part series. Featured is the poem, “Sabbatical” by Phillip Losquadro from our 2019 issue. Clarissa Blakely is out featured English major.

Episode 38: Feeling through an Object, Part One

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2019 26:25


Co-hosts Caitlin Dillon and Heather Daugherty discuss what it means to attach meaning to inanimate objects in part one of a two part series. Featured is the poem, “The Dance Began” by Pei Ja Anderson from our 2019 issue. Justin Janorschke describes the literary magazine River Styx, an independent literary magazine from St. Louis. Janae […]

Episode 37: Braiding

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2019 19:58


No, this episode isn’t about hairstyles! Co-hosts Caitlin Dillon and Heather Daugherty discuss braided prose, which weaves together different narrative strands. Featured is an example of a braided essay, “Breathless” by Ryan Cahill from our 2019 issue, plus a shout-out to acclaimed writer Deb Olin Unferth. Justin Janorschke describes the literary magazine Wit Tea, which […]

Episode 36: Empathy vs. Sympathy, Part Two

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2019 18:15


After last episode’s cliffhanger (which is better in writing, empathy or sympathy?) our co-hosts Caitlin Dillon and Heather Daugherty are back to discuss this writerly stand-off in greater detail. Hear Lauren Caldarella discuss her story “There Goes That” from our 2018 issue of The Mochila Review. Then hear Missouri Western State University student Julie Barber […]

Episode 35: Empathy vs. Sympathy, Part One

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2019 13:15


When writing, is it better to feel with or for a character? Our co-hosts, Caitlin Dillon and Heather Daugherty, discuss this very question in relation to Hannah Diaz’s “A Story Never Told” from our 2018 issue of The Mochila Review. On a slightly lighter note, our Mochila managing editor, Huey, joins the recording session to […]

Episode 34: Addiction

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2019 15:25


Our favorite co-hosts Caitlin Dillon and Heather Daugherty delve deep into writing about addiction while discussing Meghan Dairaghi’s story “BYOB” (which appeared in The Mochila Review‘s Spring 2018 issue). Our Submission Spotlight with Justin Janorschke features two diverse magazines: Muzzle Magazine and Duende. Finally, we have our Confessions of an English Major segment featuring one of our […]

Episode 33: Rite of Passage

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2019 11:41


Our fun-loving co-hosts Caitlin Dillon and Heather Daugherty talk about that wacky shift from child to adult–and how to write about it. We hear Jeremy Shaban read “Summer in Autumn,” the MoRe Prize-winning story in our Spring 2018 issue. Finally, Caitlin and Heather get the dirt from Zach Hill in our new segment “Confessions of […]

Episode 32: Line Breaks

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2019 12:50


Our wonderful co-hosts Caitlin Dillon and Heather Daugherty are back to discuss coffee breaks, er, line breaks! In this episode of Mochila Chat they talk about “Chairlift” by Arlo Cristofaro-Hark from our Spring 2018 issue of The Mochila Review (which you can purchase here). We also introduce two new segments: “Submission Spotlight” with Justin Janorske, and “Confessions of […]

Episode 31: Real Experiences

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2018 11:54


Our favorite co-hosts Caitlin Dillon and Heather Daugherty. They are here today to discuss a few of their favorite things. Today on the Mochila Chat we talk about real experiences in your creative pieces. We hear a creative essay titled “Little League” by Theo Kandel from our Spring 2018 issue. We also hear “O Captain! My Captain!” by Walt Whitman read by Anne Davies. Finally, our favorite traveling co-host, Justin Janorschke, visits Columbia University. He talks about the MFA programs being offered.

Episode 30: Creative Nonfiction

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2018 10:46


Our favorite co-hosts Caitlin Dillon and Heather Daugherty. They are here today to discuss a few of their favorite things. Today on the Mochila Chat we talk about telling true stories through creative nonfiction. We hear a creative essay titled "Cleda" by Savannah Delgross from our Spring 2018 issue. We also hear "Walden" by Henry David Thoreau read by Bob Nulph. Finally, our favorite traveling co-host, Justin Janorschke, visits the University of Montana. He talks about the MFA programs being offered.

Episode 29: Cringy Moments

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2018 9:52


Our favorite co-host Caitlin Dillon is back with our new co-host Heather Daugherty. They are here today to discuss a few of their favorite things. Today on the Mochila Chat we talk about experiences that can be cringe-worthy and how some authors use their personal experiences to create beautifully written pieces of work. We hear […]

Episode 28: Political Statements!

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2018 10:08


Our favorite co-hosts Zoey Reynolds and Caitlin Dillon are back to discuss a few of their favorite things. Today on the Mochila Chat we talk about political statements and how to put your statements on paper in a way that will get your point across. We hear Morgan LeBaige’s story “Sehnsucht” from our Spring 2018 […]

Episode 27: Dreams

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2018 9:37


Our favorite co-hosts Zoey Reynolds and Caitlin Dillon are back to discuss a few of their favorite things. Today on the Mochila Chat we talk about dreams and how dreams can influence writing. We hear DeAndre Washington’s poem “Smile for your hood” from our Spring 2018 issue. We also hear Helen Hunt Jackson‘s “Dreams” read […]

Episode 26: Who Am I?

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2018 7:29


Our favorite co-hosts Zoey Reynolds and Caitlin Dillon are back to discuss a few of their favorite things. Today on The Mochila Chat we talk about the struggle of finding who we are as individuals and as writers. We hear Zamarit Ortiz’s short story, “The End of Ignacio” from our Spring 2017 issue of the […]

Episode 25: Pairings in Literature

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2018 11:21


Our favorite co-hosts Zoey Reynolds and Caitlin Dillon are back to discuss a few of their favorite things. Today on The Mochila Chat we talk about pairing things in literature. We hear Reed Karsh read his poems, “Poverty: Two Acts” from our Spring 2017 issue of the Mochila Review. We also hear Blake Fultz and […]

Episode 24: Writing Empathy

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2018 8:05


Our favorite co-hosts Zoey Reynolds and Caitlin Dillon are back to discuss a few of their favorite things. Today on The Mochila Chat we talk about how to show empathy for another person when the writer does not know anything about the other person’s backstory and how a writer can make the readers feel the […]

Episode 23: Color

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2018 9:51


Our favorite co-hosts Caitlin Dillon and Zoie Reynolds are back to discuss a few of their favorite things. Today on the Mochila Chat we talk about color and its impact on our writing. “Black Coffee” by Isabella Barsalona from our 2017 issue of the Mochila Review. We also hear Louisa May Alcott’s poem “A Little […]

Episode 22: The Art of Rejection

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2017 10:40


Our favorite co-hosts Caitlin Dillion and Zoey Reynolds are back to discuss a few of their favorite things. Today on The Mochila Chat we talk about coping with rejection. We hear the poem I Pulled Her Last off My Sweater today by Annie Warner from out spring 2017 issue of the Mochila Review. We also […]

Episode 21: Imagination

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2017 13:21


Our favorite co-hosts Zoey Reynolds and Caitlin Dillon are back to discuss a few of their favorite things. Today on The Mochila Chat we talk about imagination and fiction. Jacob Snow reads a portion of the short story called “The Girl, the Fox, and the Raven Guard,” by C. M. Carey from out Spring 2017 […]

Episode 20: Get Busy Living, Get Busy Writing

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2017 8:21


Introducing our new co-hosts Zoey Reynolds and Caitlin Dillon. They are here to discuss a few of their favorite things. Today on The Mochila Chat we talk about how you are suppose to be creative and write when life is busy and often getting in the way of the creative process. They start it off […]

Episode 19: Power of Therapeutic Writing

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2017 8:49


Our favorite co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Cameron Pike is back to discuss a few of their favorite things. Today on The Mochila Chat we talk about the power of therapeutic writing. They start it off with the poem “Taking Prozac” by Bailey Blumenstock, from our 2017 issue. Then Arniecea Johnson reads the poem “Dead Love” […]

Episode 18: Awareness

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2017 9:17


Our favorite co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Cameron Pike is back to discuss a few of their favorite things. Today on The Mochila Chat we talk about awareness. They start it off with a poem about child prostitution by Lillian King, from our 2017 issue. Then we hear the poem “London” by William Blake. Finally, we […]

Episode 17: Encouraging Writers

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2017 9:12


Our favorite co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Cameron Pike are back to discuss a few of their favorite things. Today on The Mochila Review we talk about encouraging writers. They start it off with the poem “The Word Writer” from our 2017 issue. Then we hear the poem “Writing” by William Allingham. Finally, we get to […]

Episode 16: Politics and Diversity

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2017 11:24


Our favorite co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Cameron Pike are back to discuss a few of their favorite things. They kick it off talking about the politics of the past year and the national conversations of racism and religious intolerance of a positive discussion to a negative discussion. In the times we live in now, literature […]

Episode 15: A Few of our Favorite Things

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2017 7:54


Our favorite co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Cameron Pike are back to discuss a few of their favorite things. They kick it off with a poem by Dylan Thomas Jones, “Danny in Blue,” from our 2015 issue.  Then, we hear the poem “Roads” by Edward Thomas, read by Mochila Review staff member, Samantha Bolduc. Finally, our […]

Episode 14: Love and Friendship

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2017 7:46


Co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Cameron Pike discuss the correlation between friendships and relationships in creative writing. They kick it off with a short story by Jordan Carter, “We do Shit to get High to Forget the Shit we do to get High,” last year’s MoRe Prize contest winner.  Then, we hear the poem “Love and […]

Episode 13: Unlucky Number 13?

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2017 8:06


Co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Cameron Pike discuss the unlucky number 13, kicking it off with a short story by Marcus Rigsby, “Cat Gods and Birdhouse Altars,” from our newest issue. The co-hosts discuss the rituals they have performed in the past to bring them luck in their various endeavors. Then, we hear the poem “A […]

Episode 12: Marriage

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2016 8:07


Say “I do” to this episode by hitting play! Here co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Cameron Pike discuss the intersections of writing and marriage, kicking it off with a poem by Morgan Boyle, “Ode to that Man on 12th and P who Simply Must Heckle Every Woman who Walks Past,” from our 2015 issue. Then we […]

Episode 11: Language

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2016 10:28


T. S. Eliot’s poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” is all about the failure of language — when we can’t say what we mean, when we don’t mean what we say, when others misunderstand us, and so on. In this episode, co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Cameron Pike consider the whats, whens, and hows of […]

Episode 10: Gifts

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2016 7:11


Not only is Mochila Chat a “gift to your ears,” now we’re bringing you a whole episode on gifts! This is also the episode in which we welcome our new co-host Cameron Pike, taking the place of Lindsey Lucas who has graduated (congrats, Lindsey!). Cameron and Chris Pankiewicz discuss well-meaning but strange gifts, the gift […]

Episode 9: Punctuation

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2016 10:58


If you’ve read any of Emily Dickinson’s poetry, you know that punctuation matters. In this episode of Mochila Chat, co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Lindsey Lucas consider the importance of parentheses, semi-colons, ampersands, and more in both poetry and prose. Hear Kate Belew’s poem “Spooky Little Girl,” a runner-up for the Undergraduate MoRe Prize in 2015, […]

Episode 8: Family

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2016 8:30


Should you write about family? What if that writing is critical; should you then publish it? In this episode of Mochila Chat, co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Lindsey Lucas tackle these tough ethical questions. They find answers in Eran E. Eads’ poem “[My grandmother says I’m cold],” winner of our Undergraduate MoRe Prize, and also in […]

Episode 7: Travel

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2015 11:22


On this episode of Mochila Chat, co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Lindsey Lucas talk about the influence of travel and place on poetry and fiction. We introduce a new segment titled “Why We Chose It” featuring the Editor-in-Chief of The Mochila Review, Dr. Marianne Kunkel. We hear a short story titled, “What the Water Said” by undergraduate writer Tara […]

Episode 6: Music

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2015 7:42


On this episode of Mochila Chat, co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Lindsey Lucas talk about the influence of music on poetry and fiction. We hear “The Piano Calms It” by Amy Randall, read by the author. Theatre student Ronald Baker reads “The Poet and His Song” by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Traveling co-host Crystal Crawford takes an […]

music theater traveling gift poet walt whitman paul laurence dunbar his song lousiana state university amy randall ronald baker crystal crawford jane huffman
Episode 5: Food

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2015 7:30


On this episode of Mochila Chat, co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Lindsey Lucas talk about the use of food in fiction and the connections that people have with food.  We hear, “i buy two hotdogs instead” by Colleen Trittipo, read by the author, and theatre student Eric Bermsprung reads “Thompson’s Lunch Room – Grand Central Station” by Amy Lowell. Traveling […]

Episode 4: Home

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2015 7:57


On this episode of Mochila Chat, co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Lindsey Lucas talk about home and homesickness in fiction. We hear “The Necessity” by Isabel Vazquez, read by the author. Theater student Ronald Baker reads “On an Unsociable Family” by Elizabeth Hands. Traveling co-host Crystal Crawford takes an imaginary trip to tell us about Georgia […]

theater traveling gift necessity walt whitman lousiana state university ronald baker crystal crawford jane huffman
Episode 3: Adjectives

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2015


Are adjectives too overused, or are they useful? Co-hosts Chris Pankiewicz and Lindsey Lucas tackle the question in this episode of Mochila Chat, featuring J.L. Johnson Jurgenson’s “Crooked,” read by the author, and Hart Crane’s “My Grandmother’s Love Letters,” read by Aaron Burnsprung. Crystal Crawford tells us about Bowling Green State University’s MFA program. Image: […]

Episode 2: Animals

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2015 8:07


This episode features Steven Amen’s “How to Raise a Pig,” read by the author, and Emily Dickinson’s “A Bird Came Down the Walk,” read by Ronald Baker. Co-hosts Lindsey Lucas and Chris Pankiewicz talk about animals in writing. Adriann Dunn introduces us to the MFA program at Iowa State University. Image: “Laughing Blue Pig” by […]

Episode 1: Routines

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2015 6:10


Co-hosts Lindsey Lucas and Chris Pankiewicz talk about authors who write about daily routines. Featuring Colleen Trittipo’s “Routine,” read by the author, and Thomas Hardy’s “The Voice,” read by Erik Burns-Sprung. Adriann Dunn gives us a look at Antioch University’s Masters program in creative writing. Image: “Ink Wash” by Aaron Gerber.

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