Podcasts about Creative writing

Kristina Voegele is a professional writer and novelist with an MFA in Creative Writing who spent over a decade writing for global brands before penning her debut novel, Annie in Retrospect. Whether through her fiction or essays on personal growth and creativity, her work empowers people to reconnect with the parts of themselves they've set aside. She lives on the coast in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, daughter, and twin boys. Please check out her book at kristinavoegele.comPlease rate us on Apple and/or Spotify and subscribe to our YouTube channel This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikeyopp.substack.com/subscribe

Author Lior Torenberg unpacks her debut Just Watch Me, a darkly funny livestream novel that exposes the cost of performing pain online, and our hunger to watch.Debut author Lior Torenberg joins us to talk about Just Watch Me, a bold, internet-shaped novel that unfolds over seven days of nonstop livestreaming. Together, we dig into what it means to write fiction rooted in our current digital moment, and why stories about performance feel so urgent right now.We talk about Torenberg's path from initial concept to publication, the realities of debuting with a formally inventive novel, and the creative risks of building a narrative around livestream chats, audience participation, and escalating dares. She also walks us through the choice to compress the story into a single week, and how that story structure intensifies both tension and intimacy.In this fun conversation, we explore:

Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show.What happens to creative writing—and to us as writers—when artificial intelligence becomes part of the conversation?In this solo episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I share why I'm introducing video to the podcast in 2026, and then dive into a thoughtful, deeply human conversation about AI and creative writing. This is not a how-to episode on using AI to write your book. Instead, it's an invitation to slow down, think critically, and decide—intentionally—how (or if) AI belongs in your creative process.I begin by acknowledging that many writers are curious about AI, and that some are already using it to help finish their books. I also share a resource, from my friend Ana Del Valle of The Novelists Studio, for those who feel strongly that AI is right for them, pointing to tools designed with ethical and copyright considerations in mind. But I want to be very clear: when it comes to my own creative work, I choose not to use AI—and I explain why in this episode.At the heart of my perspective is this belief: in an age of rapidly advancing technology, human creativity matters more than ever. We come to books to feel less alone, to understand what it means to be human, and to experience the world through another person's voice. 

We're wrapping up Season 16 with our best advice, lessons learned and a-ha moments about The Shadow and The Hero's Monologue. If you didn't get a chance to listen to all the episodes this season, you'll definitely want to tune in and maybe even bookmark this episode! - V. Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/courses For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

Wherein the die is cast.  Bet on our inbox: gwritersanon@gmail.com  Take a chance on our Facebook page (Ghost Writers, Anonymous).  

Thom Francis has been producing for the Hudson Mohawk Magazine for a couple of years now. Vinny DamaPoleto and Caelan McPherson sat down with Thom Francis to learn more about his love of poetry , how starting writing poetry and looks at what the future holds of Up Next at the Mic , a segment on Tuesday night

If you are interested in how writing creatively and reading books may be therapeutic, this is the episode for you. Paul Krauss MA LPC and Nick Kondyles LLPC discuss creative writing and how to integrate the act both into psychotherapy and your personal life. Nick takes a practical approach by emphasizing many different types of learning to write and express one's experience. Many tools for writing as well as books and magazines are mentioned. Some of the Creative Writing Resources Mentioned: https://authorspublish.com/17-approachable-literary-journals/https://www.va.gov/WHOLEHEALTHLIBRARY/tools/therapeutic-journaling.asp https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/neuroscience-proven-expressive-writing-protocol-with/id1146941306?i=1000645136217 A Neuroscience-Proven Expressive Writing Protocol with Dr. James Pennebaker  The Believer Magazine Nick Kondyles, LLPC MA is a therapist serving the Grand Rapids, MI area in person as well as the entire State of Michigan via teletherapy. Nick accepts most health insurance plans. Nick's specialties are in anxiety, depression, relational issues and identity exploration. He enjoys working with adolescents, adults, as well as the LGBTQIA+ community. He is also interested in serving those experiencing grief and loss, substance use and career development employing interventions such as legacy life review and visiting issues like work/life balance. Nick endeavors to serve those parenting or dealing with relationship struggles, providing supportive services such as learning different communication skills and others in the interpersonal domain.  Nick is a proud cat dad to a tuxedoed feline named Obi and loves to read books of any kind. When not in the therapy room, you can find Nick playing the occasional video game, biking or hanging out with friends. Nick hopes to work with you to find meaning in a healing process individualized to you and your needs while honoring your life story in a safe and warm environment. Get involved with the National Violence Prevention Hotline: 501(c)(3) Donate Share with your network Write your congressperson Sign our Petition Preview an Online Video Course for the Parents of Young Adults (Parenting Issues) Unique and low cost learning opportunities through Shion Consulting Paul Krauss MA LPC is a Cofounder of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, an Approved EMDRIA Consultant , host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, Counseling Supervisor, and Meditation Teacher. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Paul has been quoted in the Washington Post, NBC News, Wired Magazine, and Counseling Today. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433.  If you are looking for EMDRIA consulting groups, Paul Krauss MA LPC is now hosting a weekly online group.  For details, click here. For general behavioral and mental health consulting for you or your organization. Follow Health for Life Counseling- Grand Rapids: Instagram   |   Facebook     |     Youtube Original Music: ”Alright” from the album Mystic by PAWL (Spotify) ”Pink Tiger” from the album Pink Tiger by Apollo Ghosts (Spotify) ”But I'll Be Around (Electric Version) ” from the album Pink Tiger by Apollo Ghosts (Spotify)    

Poems from Philadelphian writers Joy Gorson, Beth Brown Preston, and Bill Buskirk.Support the show

New York Times bestselling author, Jenna Blum, discusses her latest release, MURDER YOUR DARLINGS. When mid-career novelist, Sam Vetiver, is swept off her feet by the A-list author of her dreams, his stalker sets out to steal her new found bliss. The twisted triangle takes a dark turn as one author after another dies, making Sam wonder if she'll be next. “…will have you cracking up while you're checking under your bed.”—Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author Listen in as we chat about how vulnerability sometimes makes us targets for predators, physical and emotional isolation, and why I was hoping for a side braid while mulling over the idea of narcissist camp! https://www.mariesutro.com/twisted-passages-podcast https://www.jennablum.com ABOUT THE AUTHOR: JENNA BLUM is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of novels THOSE WHO SAVE US, THE STORMCHASERS, and THE LOST FAMILY; novella “The Lucky One” in anthology GRAND CENTRAL; memoir WOODROW ON THE BENCH; audio course “The Author At Work: The Art of Writing Fiction”; and WWII audio drama THE KEY OF LOVE, available on every major podcast streaming platform. Jenna is one of Oprah's Top Thirty Women Writers, with her work published in over 20 countries, and cofounder/CEO of online author interview platform A Mighty Blaze. Jenna's first novel, THOSE WHO SAVE US, won the Ribalow Prize, awarded by Hadassah Magazine and adjudged by Elie Wiesel, and was a Borders pick and the #1 bestselling novel in Holland. In addition to being a career author, Jenna is a professional public speaker, traveling nationally and internationally to talk about her books and work; a veteran teacher, having taught Creative Writing and novel workshops for Boston University, Grub Street Writers, and other institutions for 25+ years; an editor for Reedsy; and on-air host for A Mighty Blaze. Jenna is based in Boston with her black Lab, Henry Higgins. For more information about Jenna and her adventures, please visit her website and follow her on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok, and Substack.

You know that feeling when you're constantly putting out fires instead of actually building your business? Yeah, me too. After a handful of years of running my business reactively—scrambling to create content, adjusting to life transitions, and well, simply surviving—I'm  ready to build something more strategic, sustainable, and dare I say...enjoyable. In this Season 5 kickoff of Talk Copy to Me, I'm pulling back the curtain on my 2026 plans. You'll hear about the shifts I'm making, the programs I'm working on, the stages I'm already booked to speak on, and why I built an entire personal creative project (that lasts throughout the year!) to avoid burning out with work and work only. If you're also coming out of survival mode and ready to be more strategic, this one's for you.______________________________________________ EPISODE 177.Read the show notes and view the full transcript here: Coming soon!______________________________________________Here's the info on your host, Erin OllilaErin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.When Erin's not helping her clients understand their website data or improve their website copy, you can catch her hosting the Talk Copy to Me podcast and guesting on shows such as Profit is a Choice, Mindful Marketing, The Power in Purpose, and Business-First Creatives.Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:• Learn more about my VIP intensive options or just book a strategy session to get started right away• Visit Erin's website to learn more about her business, services, and products

LISTEN to my December 30th, 2025 WIOX show (also a podcast!) featuring Canadian poets Margo LaPierre and Guy Elston. Margo and Guy will read from and discuss their respective poetry collections Ajar and The Character Actor Convention and talk about their lives in poetry. Margo LaPierre (she/her) is a writer and freelance literary editor. With multi-genre work published in The Ex-Puritan, CV2, Room, PRISM, and Arc, among others, she has won national awards for her poetry, fiction, and editing. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC. Ajar is her second poetry collection. She lives in Ottawa, Ontario. Visit: www.margolapierreeditor.com Guy Elston was born and raised in Oxford, UK.  Guy has an MA in History from the University of Amsterdam and since moving to Canada his poetry has been published by The Malahat Review, Canadian Literature, Event, The Literary Review of Canada, Vallum, The Antigonish Review and other journals. His chapbook Automatic Sleep Mode was published by Anstruther Press in 2023. His debut full-length collection, The Character Actor Convention, was published by The Porcupine's Quill in 2025. Visit: https://guyelston.com/home-page/ Praise for AjarAjar follows the time travel of a mind haunted by chemistries of violence and suicidality. LaPierre's keen lyrical voice creates a palimpsest of overlapping timelines and selves, and methodically crafts an expansive theory of Mad temporality and survival. These poems are rituals for haunting oneself into the future. —Rebecca Salazar, author of antibody Praise for The Character Actor Convention"What's certain is voice," quips one of the speakers in The Character Actor Convention, and voices certainly abound in this inventive, hilarious, and slyly wise collection… Guy Elston delves slantwise into the absurdities of our present and the disasters and solaces of our imagined futures. A lively and delightful debut!" –  Catriona Wright, author of Continuity Errors 

In this episode, Fred interviews Melissa Ferrer Civil - Inaugural Poet Laureate of Kansas City.   Learn more at:   https://melissaferrerand.com/   https://www.kcmo.gov/programs-initiatives/poet-laureate   About Melissa Ferrer Civil:   Melissa Ferrer Civil (&), (she/they), formerly known as Missy T. Ferrari, is a poet, performer, organizer, and educator living on unceded Kaw, Kansa, Kickapoo, and Oceti Sakowin lands (KCMO). Rooted in the practical and the possible, their spoken word poems and songs are mostly responses to the world around them and their own internal journey. Melissa is the founder of the arts and organizing event series A Nation In Exile.   Melissa received a Bachelor's Degree in both Creative Writing and Italian from The Florida State University. She has also received her Master's of Education with a specialization in Urban Education from Park University. She received her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Randolph College. She was also long listed for the Palette Poetry 2021 Emerging Poet Prize. They are a Charlotte Street Studio Resident, a Chrysalis Institute Alumnus, and a Heartlandarts KC Fellow. Melissa Ferrer Civil is the inaugural Poet Laureate of Kansas City, Missouri.

You control the shadows in your characters. This week we reveal how a negative shadow looms large despite being dead. Daphne du Maurier's ‘Rebecca' crushed everyone she came into contact with, even her allies. With our study of The Shadow drawing to a close, it's time to look at how suppressed emotions break free and cause chaos. The Hero's monologue is also treated differently in this film. See if you can pick where it is!"The shadow isn't always bad character traits." - Melanie HillRelated Story Nerd EpisodesThe IncrediblesThe Holdovers Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/courses For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

Jessica L. Cozzi crafts swoon-worthy romances for teens to show that there is always love in the world, if you're willing to find it. She is a publicist at William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, and is also a former YA book blogger. She has a BA in Creative Writing from Fordham University and an MFA in Young Adult Fiction Writing & Professional Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. Her literary passion lies in Young Adult stories, including any and all contemporary romantic comedies. Through the stories she puts on bookstore shelves, she gives readers the chance to flip through the pages, fall in love, and find their inner hopeless romantic. Her first novel is We've Hit Turbulence. Learn more at jesscozziwrites.com Special thanks to NetGalley for early preview copies.Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

Celebrating Robert Service's Birthday, with poems by Rebecca Leet, John J. Hohn, and Pamela Wynn.Support the show

Poet and author Laura Dilworth joins Rich Bennett and Wendy Beck for a powerful conversation about heartbreak, healing, and the transformative power of poetry. Laura shares the deeply personal journey behind her poetry collection The Heartbreak Chronicles, including writing through heartbreak, postpartum depression, anger, grief, and self-discovery.Throughout the episode, Laura reads several poems live, offering listeners an intimate look into how words can heal when life feels overwhelming. This episode is raw, honest, emotional, and relatable for anyone who has ever loved deeply, lost painfully, or turned to creativity to survive.If you believe in purpose behind pain and the power of storytelling, this is an episode you don't want to miss.Send us a textVote for us hereHarford's Heart MagazineKEEP IT LOCAL WITH HARFORD'S HEART maryland's lifestyle magazine for harford county!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showRate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media:Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | FacebookTwitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennettTikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTok Sponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pay the bills:Hosted on BuzzsproutSquadCast Subscribe by Email

Fluent Fiction - Danish: When Snow Brings Souls Together: A Café Encounter Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/da/episode/2026-01-11-08-38-20-da Story Transcript:Da: Det begyndte med sne.En: It began with snow.Da: Sneen dalede tungt og dækkede Nyhavn med et hvidt tæppe, der glimtede i de svage vinterstråler.En: The snow fell heavily and covered Nyhavn with a white blanket that glistened in the dim winter rays.Da: På gaden var folk på jagt efter læ, og få forsvandt ind i de hyggelige caféer, der lyste op langs kanalen.En: On the street, people were searching for shelter, and a few disappeared into the cozy cafés that lit up along the canal.Da: Inde i en sådan café satte Mikkel sig ned ved et lille bord i hjørnet.En: Inside one such café, Mikkel sat down at a small table in the corner.Da: Han pustede varm luft i sine hænder og så ud gennem de duggede ruder.En: He blew warm air into his hands and looked out through the misted windows.Da: Kameraet hang tungt om hans hals, men ingen billeder ville komme i dag.En: The camera hung heavily around his neck, but no pictures would be taken today.Da: Sneen ville ikke tillade det.En: The snow wouldn't allow it.Da: Sara kom ind kort efter.En: Sara came in shortly after.Da: Hun rystede sneen af sin tykke frakke og lod blikket glide hen over caféens gæster.En: She shook the snow off her thick coat and let her gaze wander over the café's guests.Da: Hun var på udkig efter et sted at skrive.En: She was looking for a place to write.Da: Et sted dér, hvor hun kunne observere verden udenfor, samtidig med at hun fangede dens historier i sin notesbog.En: A place where she could observe the world outside while capturing its stories in her notebook.Da: Hun satte sig ved bordet ved siden af Mikkel.En: She sat at the table next to Mikkel.Da: Begge forsøgte at flygte fra kulden og deres egne travle sind.En: Both were trying to escape the cold and their own busy minds.Da: Mikkel kiggede op fra sit kamera og så Sara tage sin notesbog frem.En: Mikkel looked up from his camera and saw Sara take out her notebook.Da: Deres øjne mødtes kortvarigt.En: Their eyes met briefly.Da: Et stille øjeblik, men nok til at starte noget uventet.En: A quiet moment, but enough to start something unexpected.Da: "Er du også fanget af stormen?"En: "Are you also trapped by the storm?"Da: spurgte Mikkel og brød stilheden.En: asked Mikkel, breaking the silence.Da: "Ja, det ser sådan ud," svarede Sara med et lille grin.En: "Yes, it seems that way," replied Sara with a small smile.Da: "Jeg skriver, når jeg er indendørs på sådanne dage."En: "I write when I'm indoors on days like these."Da: "Og hvad skriver du om?"En: "And what do you write about?"Da: spurgte Mikkel nysgerrigt.En: asked Mikkel curiously.Da: Sara lagde blyanten fra sig og fortalte om sine historier.En: Sara put down her pencil and talked about her stories.Da: Om menneskerne hun mødte, stederne hun så, og eventyrene hun søgte.En: About the people she met, the places she saw, and the adventures she sought.Da: Mikkel, normalt fanget bag sit kamera, lyttede med oprigtig interesse.En: Mikkel, normally trapped behind his camera, listened with genuine interest.Da: Han fortalte om sine rejser som fotograf, de øjeblikke han havde fanget, men også de han havde savnet.En: He shared about his travels as a photographer, the moments he had captured, but also the ones he had missed.Da: Samtalen voksede imellem dem, ligesom varmen fra kaffekopperne imellem deres hænder.En: The conversation grew between them, like the warmth from the coffee cups between their hands.Da: De så sneen falde udenfor, mens ordene flød frit.En: They watched the snow fall outside, while words flowed freely.Da: Mikkel sænkede endelig sit kamera, ikke for at fotografere, men for virkelig at se.En: Mikkel finally lowered his camera, not to photograph, but to truly see.Da: Sara lukkede sin notesbog, ikke for at stoppe, men for at starte på noget nyt.En: Sara closed her notebook, not to stop, but to start something new.Da: Med tiden forsvandt snestormen.En: In time, the snowstorm disappeared.Da: Sneen havde lagt sig blidt på de farverige huse ved kanalen.En: The snow had settled gently on the colorful houses by the canal.Da: Da Mikkel og Sara gik ud sammen fra caféen, havde de begge fundet noget, de ikke vidste, de søgte.En: When Mikkel and Sara walked out together from the café, they both found something they didn't know they were looking for.Da: Inspiration og forbindelse.En: Inspiration and connection.Da: De aftalte at mødes igen, måske for at samarbejde, måske for bare at være.En: They agreed to meet again, maybe to collaborate, maybe just to be.Da: Sneen havde måske bragt dem indendørs, men det var noget andet der havde gjort, at de ville blive ude lidt længere.En: The snow might have brought them indoors, but it was something else that made them want to stay out a little longer.Da: Mikkel havde fået en ny vinkel på verden.En: Mikkel had gained a new perspective on the world.Da: Sara havde fundet en historie, hun vidste, hun ville skrive.En: Sara had found a story she knew she wanted to write.Da: De gik langs kanalen, tog hvert et skridt i den uberørte sne.En: They walked along the canal, taking each step in the untouched snow.Da: Nyhavn, med sine farverige huse og det stille vand, blev baggrunden for noget nyt.En: Nyhavn, with its colorful houses and the quiet water, became the backdrop for something new.Da: Sammen skabte de en ny fortælling, en der først lige var begyndt.En: Together, they were creating a new story, one that had just begun. Vocabulary Words:tug: daledeglisten: glimtedeshelter: lædim: svageblanket: tæppedapple: duggedestorm: stormenmist: dugobserve: observerecapture: fangecuriously: nysgerrigtperspective: vinkeluntouched: uberørtcozy: hyggeligwander: glidethick: tykgaze: bliktrapped: fangetquickly: kortvarigtcaught: fangetflakes: fnugestablish: fastlæggecapture: fangejourneys: rejserrecede: forsvindesettle: lægeemergent: fremkommendeintertwine: flettepotential: potentialereminiscence: erindring

Listen to a replay of 2025's 3rd most popular episode! #1 New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer spoke with me about cutting her teeth on fanfiction, working briefly in publishing, and THE HAPPY WRITER, a guide to writing with less stress and more JOY. Marissa Meyer is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, Heartless, The Renegades Trilogy, and Instant Karma, as well as the graphic novel duology Wires and Nerve. Marissa also created and hosted a popular podcast, The Happy Writer, that inspired her debut writing guide, The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond. Described as, “Applicable to writers in all genres and disciplines—from screenwriters to novelists, journalists to picture book authors, aspiring to many-times published—The Happy Writer is a heartfelt and optimistic guide that will show you the way to a happier writing journey.” Marissa holds a BA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran University and a MA in Publishing from Pace University. [This episode is sponsored by Ulysses. Go to⁠ ⁠ulys.app/writeabook⁠⁠ to download Ulysses, and use the code FILES at checkout to get 25% off the first year of your yearly subscription."] [Discover⁠ The Writer Files Extra⁠: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at⁠ writerfiles.fm⁠] [If you're a fan of The Writer Files, please⁠ click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Marissa Meyer and I discussed: How an overactive imagination led to a lifetime of storytelling What she learned about the author/editor relationship early on  Why optimism has always been a part of her brand How to bring more joy to your writing “process” Embracing lifelong creativity And a lot more! Show Notes: ⁠marissameyer.com⁠ ⁠The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond⁠ By Marissa Meyer ⁠Marissa Meyer Amazon Author Page⁠ ⁠Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You'll Ever Need⁠ by Jessica Brody (Amazon) ⁠Marissa Meyer on Facebook⁠ ⁠Marissa Meyer on Instagram⁠ ⁠Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Notes and Links to Kiese Laymon's Work   Kiese Laymon is a Black southern writer from Jackson, Mississippi. Laymon is the Libbie Shearn Moody Professor of English and Creative Writing at Rice University. Laymon is the author of Long Division, which won the 2022 NAACP Image Award for fiction, and the essay collection, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, named a notable book of 2021 by the New York Times critics. Laymon's bestselling memoir, Heavy: An American Memoir, won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose, the Barnes and Noble Discovery Award, the Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media, and was named one of the 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years by The New York Times. The audiobook, read by the author, was named the Audible 2018 Audiobook of the Year. Laymon is the recipient of 2020-2021 Radcliffe Fellowship at Harvard. Laymon is at work on the books, Good God, and City Summer, Country Summer, and a number of other film and television projects. He is the founder of The Catherine Coleman Literary Arts and Justice Initiative, a program based out of the Margaret Walker Center at Jackson State University, aimed at aiding young people in Jackson get more comfortable reading, writing, revising and sharing on their own terms, in their own communities. He is the co-host of Reckon True Stories with Deesha Philyaw. Kiese Laymon was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2022. Buy Heavy   “The Worst Shot Ever Taken” from Believer Magazine   Review for Heavy from NPR   Kiese Laymon's Website   Kiese Laymon's Wikipedia Page At about 1:45, the two discuss Kiese's article from The Believer and word counts and teaching high and college  At about 3:05, Kiese talks about his love of hoops and names some standout and favorite players from back in the day and now At about 4:10, The two shout out grizzled veterans like Phillip Rivers and LeBron James At about 5:30, Pete highlights Ernie Barnes' work and asks Kiese about the significance of Barnes' paintings At about 8:45, Kiese shares his memories of and love for basketball and jumpstops and shot fakes-shout out, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf At about 10:40, Pete shouts out Jeff Pearlman's basketball wiles At about 11:10, Kiese lays out the exposition for his The Believer article and Pete and Kiese fanboy over Kiese's writer friends and Sactown's own, Cydni Matsuoka At about 14:00, Kiese responds to Pete's question about the “possibility” of Steph Curry At about 16:45, Toni Cade Bambara and “Gorilla, My Love” is highlighted, as Pete links Kiese's penultimate sentence to Bambara's work At about 18:20, The two discuss Kiese's mom as a “public intellectual” and Kiese lists formative reading and listening  At about 20:30, Kiese shouts out Kendrick Lamar as a link to Public Enemy's activism and consciousness, and marvels at his lasting power At about 24:20, Kiese reflects on Public Enemy's methods versus that of others like NWA or Dead Prez At about 26:25, Kiese highlights Julian Randle, Safiya Sinclair, Deesha Philyaw, and Sarah Aziza's work as some that resonates with his college students At about 28:40, Pete calls attention to Heavy's epigraph and dedication and discusses their significance  At about 30:05-30:27 At about 31:05, Kiese responds to Pete's question about so much of the book's Prologue being centered on his Grandmama At about 32:45, Kiese outlines his rationale and motivation for ultimately writing a different type of book, not the “safer” book his mom and publishers might have wanted At about 34:30, Kiese and Pete discuss the echo of his time at Millsap College being censored/edited with an op-ed piece of his At about 35:40, Kiese recounts stories associated with the book's opening scene in Las Vegas At about 38:45, Kiese reflects on his mother as his “best friend” and ideas of mortality and “initation”  At about 40:55, Kiese responds to Pete's questions about the way his family interacted in his childhood At about 45:20, Pete sets up an important opening scene involving Layla and asks Kiese about rape/sexual assault in the house of older acquaintances  At about 50:10, Kiese reflects on ideas of power and safety and sexuality  At about 53:15, Pete and Kiese discuss the juxtaposition of his mom as a public intellectual and as someone who struggled with financial and other practical pursuits At about 55:30, Kiese talks about Malachi Hunter in the book and balancing “reductive and stupid” comments he made with lessons he taught Kiese At about 57:20, Kiese and Pete trace the different ways in which Malachi and Kiese's mom and grandmother undertook “reckoning” or didn't At about 59:00, Kiese homes in on his grandmother's life and “reckon[ings}” with history and sexism and racism At about 1:01:00, Pete and Kiese discuss the ways in which Kiese's grandmother got by financially and spiritually At about 1:01:50, Kiese expands on the ways in which he viewed organized religion  At about 1:03:40, The two discuss the ways in which the book's title was manifested through his grandmother's love At about 1:04:10, Abundance! and slang that didn't catch on is discussed At about 1:04:50, Kiese reflects on a painful experience in school involving a viewing of Roots without a larger discussion  At about 1:08:55, Kiese expands upon how he saw Mississippi in his year away in Maryland At about 1:11:05, Kiese discusses an early relationship and its challenges and the conflicting ways in which he viewed his coach and teacher At about 1:14:10, Kiese regrades a high school essay-it's an “A!” At about 1:15:00, Kiese responds to Pete asking about his high school graduation boycott At about 1:16:50, The two discuss time in college and Kiese's relationship with a girl and his learning in class and outside of school-Pete highlights a wonderful paragraph on Page 141 that highlights “liberation” At about 1:18:00, Kiese shares the practical advice Malachi Hunter gave Kiese as he was threatened in college for his writing At about 1:19:25, Kiese reflects on the ways in which he viewed his writing At about 1:20:45, Kiese talks about Tate Reeves' presence at a racist frat event and the ways in which Tate knew Kiese and failed him At about 1:23:50, Kiese talks about how the book is different/aged since he published it in 2018   You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up soon at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content! This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences. Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 317 with Dr. Timothy Wellbeck. a leader in the fight for justice and racial equity. Timothy presently serves as the founding Director of the Center for Anti-Racism at Temple University, where he has led the Center from its inception into becoming one of the leading institutions of its kind. A Civil Rights Attorney by training and practice, Timothy is a scholar of law, race, and cultural studies. We'll be talking about his standing-room only, incredibly popular Temple University classes about Kendrick Lamar and his music. The episode airs on January 13. Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.  

Genre is enigmatic (at best). Writers, agents, readers, and editors, all have different perspectives, and sometimes they lead to heated debates. In this episode, which originally aired in Season 2, Melanie and I totally disagree on the genre. She thinks it's a horror, I think it's a thriller. Which of us is right? Tune in to find out. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode. Until then, Happy New Year! - V. Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/courses For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

 My guest for this episode is author and academic Alice Vernon. Alice is a Lecturer in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Creative Writing at Aberystwyth University and her research primarily involves the intersection between storytelling and the history of medicine, with a particular interest in sleep disorders, hallucinations and parapsychology. She has written two books connected to these subject matters and the most recent of these - ‘Ghosted:  A History of Ghost Hunting, and Why We Keep Looking' is the subject of our conversation. In Ghosted, Alice examines the history of paranormal investigations, beginning in the séance rooms of Victorian era Britain and moving across time through the aftermath if WW1 to the technology driven ghost hunts of recent times. The book explores how approaches to studying paranormal phenomena have changed over the decades in response to technological advancements and shifts in cultural attitudes to the paranormal and shows how the pursuit of contact with otherworldly entities has enthralled people for so long. I begin the interview by talking with Alice about what prompted her to write the book and then we delve into the pages of Ghosted itself, which leads to a varied conversation on the ways that people have continued to try and interact with paranormal phenomena and what it is about doing that that makes it such an enduring pursuit. ‘Ghosted:  A History of Ghost Hunting, and Why We Keep Looking' is published by Bloomsbury and information about the book can be found here. Further details about Alice are available on her staff profile page at Aberystwyth University If you enjoy what I do with Some Other Sphere and would like to support its upkeep, you can make a donation via Ko-fi. To buy the podcast a coffee go to https://ko-fi.com/someotherspherepodcast. Thank you!   The podcast theme music is by The Night Monitor, from his album, ‘Close Encounters of the Pennine Kind'. You can find out more about The Night Monitor's music at https://thenightmonitor.bandcamp.com/.  

Poems about small hopes, from Kathleen Hellen, Becky Sakellariou, Paula Sergi, and Martin Steyer.Support the show

If artists are the antennae of the race, then the poets and writers of British Columbia are onto something that the general populace may be ready to recognize and act on. That is the West Coast of the U.S. and that of Canada has more in common with each other than with the power centers back east, Ottawa and Washington, DC, New York City and Toronto. But some go a step further in recognizing a new culture emanating from what some call Cascadia. Trevor Carolan is one of them and if you believe the culture and literature of a nation is a critical component of any nation's foundation, a new book he has edited begins to tell that story. Making Waves: Reading BC and Pacific Northwest Literature is that book and Trevor's our guest. He teaches English and Creative Writing at the University of Fraser Valley and had published 14 books of poetry, translation, non-fiction, fiction and anthologies. Check out more of what the Lab does at https://cascadiapoeticslab.org/, and listen to more current and archival podcasts at https://cascadiapoeticslab.org/cascadian-prophets-podcast-2/.

EPISODE 655 - David Boop - Speculative fiction author of sci-fi noir, historical, dark fantasy & the Weird WesternsDavid Boop is a Denver-based speculative fiction author & editor. He's also an award-winning essayist, and screenwriter. Before turning to fiction, David worked as a DJ, film critic, journalist, and actor.David's novels run the gambit, such as the sci-fi/noir She Murdered Me with Science; The Soul Changers, a historical, dark fantasy tie-in to Rippers Resurrected; and the Weird Western mosaic novel, The Drowned Horse Chronicle. He co-authored, with NYT Bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson, a near-future graphic novel series called Travailiant Rising.David edited the bestselling and award-nominated Weird Western anthology series, Straight Outta Tombstone, Straight Outta Deadwood and Straight Outta Dodge City. He's currently working on a trio of Space Western anthologies starting with Gunfight on Europa Station. He's editor on the forthcoming Jack L. Chalker Well World tribute anthology.David is prolific in short fiction with many short stories including media tie-ins for Predator (nominated for the 2018 Scribe Award), Deadlands, Kolchak the Night Stalker, The Green Hornet, and Veronica Mars.He's a summa cum laude Graduate from UC-Denver in the Creative Writing program. He temps, collects Funko Pops, and is a believer. His hobbies include film noir, anime, the Blues and the Old West.https://wolfpackpublishing.com/pages/about-david-boophttps://www.longshot-productions.net/Support the show___https://livingthenextchapter.com/podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

Memoirist and director of the Institute for American Indian Arts MFA program Deborah Jackson Taffa talks to Jared about her new book, Whiskey Tender. Deborah shares how memoir writing is a form of familial and historical preservation, and offers advice on having difficult conversations with the real people who appear in our creative nonfiction. Plus, she discusses the value of the low-res IAIA program for both indigenous and non-indigenous writers, offers strategies for sustaining creative energy, and describes methods to avoid falling into a common misstep for MFA students: social comparison.A citizen of the Quechan (Yuma) Nation and Laguna Pueblo, Deborah Jackson Taffa is the director of the MFA in Creative Writing program at the Institute for American Indian Arts. She is the author of the memoir WHISKEY TENDER and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Iowa. Her writing can be found at PBS, Salon, LARB, Brevity, A Public Space, The Boston Review, The Rumpus, and the Best American Nonrequired Reading. In late 2021, she was named a MacDowell Fellow, Kranzberg Arts Fellow, and Tin House Scholar. In 2022, she won a PEN American Grant for Oral History and was named a Hedgebrook Fellow. Find her at deborahtaffa.com and on social media @deborahtaffa.MFA Writers is hosted by Jared McCormack and produced by Jared McCormack and Hanamori Skoblow. New episodes are released every two weeks. You can find more MFA Writers at MFAwriters.com.BE PART OF THE SHOWDonate to the show at Buy Me a Coffee.Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts.Submit an episode request. If there's a program you'd like to learn more about, contact us and we'll do our very best to find a guest who can speak to their experience.Apply to be a guest on the show by filling out our application.STAY CONNECTEDTwitter: @MFAwriterspodInstagram: @MFAwriterspodcastFacebook: MFA WritersEmail: mfawriterspodcast@gmail.com

Ever feel like you're constantly creating content for strangers on social media? If so, are you doing it while ignoring the people who've already paid you for your products or services? Yeah, we need to talk about that.In this final episode of 2025, my friend Colie James joins me to call out the exhausting cycle of chasing new leads when the people most likely to say yes are already in your world—your former clients, your email list, even those leads who didn't book the first time. We're breaking down why marketing to your actual audience beats talking to strangers in the void, how to stop making assumptions about who will buy from you, and why your first stop for any cash infusion should never be Instagram._____________________________________________  EPISODE 176.Read the show notes and view the full transcript here: https://erinollila.com/selling-to-the-people-who-are-already-in-your-audience-with-colie-james/______________________________________________Learn all about our guest expert, Colie JamesColie James is a Disney-loving Client Experience Systems Strategist and the host of the Business-First Creatives podcast. Her heart pumps in helping photographers & creative service providers automate their processes, reclaim their time and get back to living! With 13+ years in the creative space, Colie believes every creative deserves to build a business that is sustainable and profitable, and no one should quit their 9 to 5 only to work 24/7 [in their business].The truth—automated systems can save us all from being overworked and overwhelmed.When Colie isn't building killer workflows and automations, you can find her spending some much needed time with her husband, James, daughter Chloe, or [you guessed it] at Disneyland. When you're done listening to this episode of the podcast with Colie, click through the archives to hear an episode on customer experience and another on Airtable content hubs (or just click those links!) Oh, and she interviewed me on my podcast about my business trajectory, too!https://erinollila.com/why-is-customer-experience-important-with-colie-james/https://erinollila.com/erin-ollilas-business-trajectory/https://erinollila.com/creating-an-airtable-content-marketing-hub/And then—and only then!—I suggest you head over to HER podcast, Business-First Creatives, to hear even more awesome content from this great guest expert.Here's the info on your host, Erin OllilaErin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.When Erin's not helping her clients understand their website data or improve their website copy, you can catch her hosting the Talk Copy to Me podcast and guesting on shows such as Profit is a Choice, Mindful Marketing, The Power in Purpose, and Business-First Creatives.Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:• Learn more about my VIP intensive options or just book a strategy session to get started right away• Visit Erin's website to learn more about her business, services, and products

Have you ever wondered if the experiences that shaped your life could become the powerful story someone else needs to spark change in their own? In a world overflowing with AI-generated content, our true, human stories are becoming more valuable than ever. Imagine sharing the moments you've lived through—not just the sparkling highlights, but the vulnerable truths and the hard-won lessons—with people who genuinely need to hear them. This week, I'm joined by Marcela Gamboa, a gifted ghostwriter and memoir coach. Marcela works with six-figure female entrepreneurs, helping them turn their journeys—especially the parts they didn't think were important or relevant—into unforgettable memoirs that connect and inspire. If you've ever doubted whether your story matters, or felt unsure how to even start organizing your life into something worth reading, this is for you. In this episode, we cover: Why sharing your real, messy, and sometimes painful experiences can become the most powerful way to build trust and authority—not just with your audience, but with yourself. What makes a strong, readable memoir that readers actually pick up and finish? Is it just a method, or is there something deeper behind the words? How working with someone like Marcela Gamboa is different from using AI or a standard writing template. What is the real value in honoring your personal voice and vision? Why many women think their stories aren't worthy, and how to move past those barriers to create something truly meaningful. What steps you can take right now—even if you have a jumble of memories and no idea where to begin. If you've ever dreamed of leaving a legacy or wondered whether your journey could help others, you'll want to listen to this warm, honest conversation. Let's turn your story into your superpower. Listen in! About our guest: Marcela Gamboa is a ghostwriter and memoir coach who helps six-figure women entrepreneurs transform their most powerful life experiences into impactful published books. Holding a degree in Creative Writing and bringing expertise in marketing and copywriting, Marcela is renowned for her poetic approach to language and her ability to capture the emotional truth of each story. She skillfully aligns a client's personal narrative with their business goals and legacy vision, ensuring the story resonates authentically. Her services are designed for high-impact women ready to share meaningful stories but who may lack the time, energy, or writing skills to do it themselves. Marcela offers a high-touch, collaborative process that goes far beyond simply putting words on a page. She is dedicated to clarity, compassion, and truly honoring each client's unique voice in a way that moves readers deeply. Whether clients seek to craft a personal memoir or a business-focused story with heart, Marcela guides them in bringing their message to life, ensuring that their book becomes a powerful asset to their brand and a lasting part of their body of work. Connect with Marcela: Business name & website link Kinikia Creative https://www.kinikiacreative.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kinikiacreative/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcela-gamboa-44237a49/ ==================== The NICHE Buster 7 Day Program For coaches, creatives, consultants who want to rise above the crowd with unique expert positioning! https://www.jessicaosborn.com/nichechallenge ................................................. Loving this podcast? Please drop a 5 star rating to help others find it too! If you have a spare 30 seconds we would be so grateful if you would leave a short review. Simply hit the 5 stars and add a few words of your own about your experience listening to She's The Business Podcast. You might be chosen as the review of the month and featured on an upcoming episode! ......................................................... About your host: Jessica Osborn is a strategic business coach who helps online experts step into authority and attract premium clients with ease. Drawing on 25 years in marketing and 15 years as a successful entrepreneur, she teaches women how to design unique and profitable signature programs that set them apart and attract a waitlist. As an active mother of two she's all about creating efficient, lean and sustainable service models that product multiple six-figure years without sacrificing your lifestyle! Learn more & book an intro call: https://jessicaosborn.com Instagram or Threads: https://instagram.com/jessica.osborn LinkedIn: Https://linkedin.com/in/jessicaaosborn Facebook: https://facebook.com/jessicaosborn.bxcoach

Nick Cohen and Dr Bharat Tandon, academic, novelist & Booker Prize judge, discuss Jane Austen's astonishing legacy before delving into a detailed analysis of her enduring popularity and literary significance. They explored themes of claustrophobia in Austen's works, particularly how her novels depict the constraints of patriarchal structures and economic relations for women, while also examining the misinterpretation of her writing by modern figures like Milo Yiannopoulos. The discussion concluded with an analysis of Austen's subtle political commentary in "Mansfield Park" and her innovative narrative style, emphasising the importance of returning to the original texts for a deeper understanding of her work.Bharat and Nick discuss the theme of claustrophobia in the works of early 19th-century women writers, particularly focusing on Jane Austen. They explore how Austen's novels, such as "Sense and Sensibility" and "Pride and Prejudice," depict the inescapable constraints of patriarchal structures and economic relations for women. Bharat highlighted the significance of the number 27 in Austen's fiction, representing the age at which women might lose economic security and be forced into undesirable marriages.Nick compares Austen's portrayal of a claustrophobic society to modern experiences of social media, where individuals are constantly under scrutiny. They also discussed Austen's innovative narrative style, which allows readers to connect with marginalised female characters while highlighting their societal constraints.Slavery in Austen's 'Mansfield ParkBharat and Nick discuss the portrayal of slavery in Jane Austen's "Mansfield Park," analyzing whether the novel is complicit with the social injustices of its time. Bharat argues that while the novel acknowledges the economic and ethical presence of slavery, it does not easily draw the conclusion that Austen is complicit with it. Instead, he suggests that the novel highlights the socio-economic guilt of the early 19th century without offering a solution, reflecting the characters' anxious avoidance of discussing slavery.Read all about it! Dr Bharat Tandon is a writer and lecturer at the University of East Anglia's School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing.A graduate in English literature from Trinity College, Cambridge, Bharat then taught at Cambridge from 1995 to 2006, and at Oxford from 2006-11, before joining the UEA in 2012. His research and teaching interests take in British literature from 1700 to the present day, and American literature from 1900. His doctoral research was on Jane Austen, and he has worked in detail on other nineteenth-century novelists such as Charles Dickens, George Eliot, and Thomas Hardy, as well as on British Modernist writers such as Henry Green. In addition to his academic research and teaching, he been active since 1994 as a commentator on contemporary British and American fiction and culture, writing regularly for publications such as The Times Literary Supplement and The Daily Telegraph.Nick Cohen's @NickCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

KATIE CROSS - BIOGRAPHY Katie Cross is ALL ABOUT writing epic magic and wild places. Creating new fantasy worlds is her jam. When she's not hiking or chasing her two littles through the Montana mountains, you can find her curled up reading a book or arguing with her husband over the best kind of sushi. Visit her at www.KatieCrossBooks.com for free short stories, extra savings on all her books (and some you can't buy on the retailers), and so much more. Mark McWaters has long been a fan of all things that go bump in the night, scratch at the door, or blow cold air on the back of your neck. From a very young age, he carried a pad and pencil around with him, composing poems to give to girls. He devoured all the Hardy Boys and Doc Savage books he could get his hands on and expanded his reading horizons from there. Robert Heinlein, Asimov, and Bradbury, whetted his appetite for Sci-Fi. Ann Rice's Interview With The Vampire blew his mind. A scene from Stephen King's Salem's Lot haunts him to this day. And Watcher by Dean Koontz made him a lifelong fan. He earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Became an award-winning advertising copywriter and creative director and earned enough Clios, Addys, and Communication Arts awards for bragging rights. As a writer, Mark discovered the Florida Writers Association, critique groups and writing competitions. He's won a steady stream of FWA Royal Palm Literary awards for his unpublished short stories and novels. The inspiration behind “Ghost Dog” came while reading entry rules for a magazine looking for unusual spins on traditional horror. Houses, people, dolls, even cars get haunted. So, he thought, why not dogs? Bentley, a West Highland White Terrier who sleeps under Mark's desk while he writes, agreed. The Contest, one of the most prestigious writing and illustrating competitions in the world, is currently in its 43rd year and is judged by some of the premier names in speculative fiction. The Writers of the Future Contest judges include, Tim Powers (author of On Stranger Tides), Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert (Dune prequel series), Robert J. Sawyer (The Oppenheimer Alternative), Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn series, The Stormlight Archive), Larry Niven (Ringworld), Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game), Nnedi Okorafor (Who Fears Death), Hugh Howey (Wool), and Katherine Kurtz (Deryni series) to name a few. The Illustrators of the Future Contest judges include, Bob Eggleton (11 Chesley Awards and 9 Hugo Awards), Larry Elmore (Dungeons & Dragons book covers), Echo Chernik (graphic designs for major corporations including Celestial Seasonings tea packaging), Rob Prior (art for Spawn, Heavy Metal comics and Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Ciruelo (Eragon Coloring Book).

Main fiction: "Stars in a Grave, Stars in a Skull"Jeremy Szal was born in 1995 and was raised by wild dingoes, which should explain a lot. He writes epic fantasy and dark space opera of a character-driven, morally grey nature. His main series is the Common trilogy from Gollancz/Hachette, which includes Stormblood, Blindspace, and Woflskin, about a drug harvested from alien DNA that makes users permanently addicted to adrenaline and aggression. He's the author of over fifty short stories, translated into fifteen languages, many of which appear in his short fiction collection Broken Stars. He was the editor for the Hugo-winning StarShipSofa until 2020 and has a BA in Film Studies and Creative Writing from UNSW. He carves out a living in Sydney, Australia with his family, where he loves watching weird movies, eating Japanese food, exploring cities, learning languages, cold weather and dark humour. Find him at https://jeremyszal.substack.com/ or @JeremySzalThis story first appeared in Broken Stars (2024).Narration by: Will StaglWill Stagl lives in Tucson Arizona and is a proud member of the StarShipSofa team. This month you'll likely find him tearing through some fantasy epic at a local café or waiting for the next sci-fi TV show to air.Fact: Looking Back At Genre History by Amy H SturgisSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/starshipsofa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Holy smokes! Now THIS is how you write a murder mystery. If you're a mystery writer, or simply want to watch an absolutely fantastic film during the holiday season, be sure to check out THE LAST OF SHEILA. This episode originally aired in Season 9 and it's one of our favourites. So sit back and enjoy, and we'll be back with a brand new show on January 14, 2026. -V. Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/courses For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

Nicholas Boggs is the New York Times bestselling author of Baldwin: A Love Story, the first major biography of the iconic figure in more than three decades. He is the recipient of a 2023 Whiting Creative Nonfiction Grant and fellowships from the Leon Levy Center for Biography, the Scholars-in-Residence program at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the Gilder Lehrman Center and Beinecke Library at Yale, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, as well as residencies at Yaddo and MacDowell. Most recently he was the 2024-2025 John Hope Franklin Fellow at the National Humanities Center. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., he received his BA from Yale and his PhD from Columbia, both in English, as well as an MFA in Creative Writing from American University. He now resides in New York City. Nicholas joined Barbara DeMarco-Barrett to talk about his path to writing nonfiction, what moved him to write a biography of James Baldwin, how he went about structuring the book, perseverance versus talent, research, how his background in music influences his writing, surprises in writing the Baldwin biography, writing what you don't know, and more.To learn more about Writers on Writing and to become a supporter, visit our Patreon page. For a one-time donation, visit Ko-fi. You will find hundreds of past interviews on our website. You can help out the show and indie bookstores by buying books at our bookstore on bookshop.org. It's stocked with titles by our guest authors, as well as our personal favorites. And on Spotify, you'll find an album's worth of typewriter music like what you hear on the show. It's perfect for writing. Look for the artist, Just My Type. If you'd like to contact us, email writersonwritingpodcast@gmail.com. We love to hear from our listeners! (Recorded on December 19, 2025) Host: Barbara DeMarco-BarrettHost: Marrie StoneMusic: Travis Barrett (Stream his music on Spotify, Apple Music, Etc.)

Author Michael Pastore reflects on his 40 years of Van Halen fandom and the valuable lessons he's learned along the way! Purchase a copy of The Mighty Van Halen: One Fan's Journey15% OFF Any Purchase At Old Glory For Booked On Rock Listeners! — Over 300,000 officially licensed items. Featuring legendary music artists like Bob Marley, The Beatles,Grateful Dead, and more. Use the code "BOOKEDONROCK" or hit this link:https://oldglory.com/discount/BOOKEDONROCK----------Booked On Rock is part of The Boneless Podcasting Network BookedOnRock.com The Booked On Rock Store The Booked On Rock YouTube Channel Follow The Booked On Rock with Eric Senich:BLUESKYFACEBOOKINSTAGRAMTIKTOKX Find Your Nearest Independent Bookstore Contact The Booked On Rock Podcast: thebookedonrockpodcast@gmail.com The Booked On Rock Music: “Whoosh” by Crowander / “Last Train North” & “No Mercy” by TrackTribe

In this episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, it was such a joy to talk with authorMerav Fima and to celebrate her amazing collection of short stories that just came out. Late Blossoms is one of my favourite reads of the past year!I really think you'll be inspired to hear about her process of writing and editing these short stories, especially as a busy mom and a wife who is balancing a lot. Through it all, her joy for the writing process comes through so vividly.She shares:The moment that she knew she was going to be a writerWhat made her finally start taking herself seriously as a writer and writing consistentlyWhat it's like having characters as part of your life for so long before your final work is completeHow the short story form is so different from longer forms like memoir or novels, and the misconceptions around thatHer process for writing a story when she gets an idea and how she knows if it's meant to be a story as opposed to a longer pieceAbout Merav: Merav Fima is a writer, translator, and literary critic currently based in Melbourne, Australia. She is the author of the forthcoming Sephardic migration novel The Rose of Thirteen Petals and the Pomegranate Tree (Running Wild Press, 2026) and of the short story collection Late Blossoms (Vine Leaves Press, October 2025). She holds a Ph.D. in Creative Writing from Monash University and her work has appeared in anthologies and literary journals worldwide. Connect with her at meravfima.com and on IG @merav.fima>> And if you are an entrepreneur who wants to write and publish the book inside your heart, I'd love for you to join me in my free Facebook group Women Entrepreneurs Becoming Best Selling Authors. We discuss the podcast episodes, I host free challenges and you may even meet your new writing partner to swap pages with!

Here, author Anna Beecher tenderly shares what brought her to write both her debut novel and recently published memoir, and speaks to: the fragile miraculousness of everything; grief, as a tear in the fabric of the universe; the privilege of aging; and how accepting mortality, as a part of life, is to be more fully alive. Anna is a writer and theatre-maker from the United Kingdom. She is the author of the novel Here Comes the Miracle, which was shortlisted for The Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award. Here Comes the Miracle follows siblings in their twenties, Joe and Emily, during the final year of Joe's life, interweaving their story with that of their Grandparents Eleanor and Edward. Anna's second book, the memoir We All Come Home Alive, was published in 2025. A memoir in essays, We All Come Home Alive,  tells the story of Anna's life through the moments which remade her, from car crashes to bereavement to motherhood. Anna's theater work has been presented by venues including Lincoln Center, Young Vic, Southbank Center, and Barbican London. She is Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Virginia. Her work is about love. You can connect with Anna through Substack at from Anna Beecher, on Instagram  @annabeecher_writer or through www.annabeecher.com You may purchase Here Comes the Miracle wherever books are sold, and We All Come Home Alive exclusively at New Dominon Bookshop  in Charlottesville, VA, until it's official US release in September '26. ------------ Get Lauren's 10-Min Meditation for Grief to support you on your journey! This meditation is for you if you're looking to: Lower Stress, Increase your Peace, Connect to your Heart, and Give your energy back to Joy You can connect with Lauren on Instagram via @lauren.samay and @mymourningroutinepodcast, on Facebook @lauren.samay.coaching or through www.laurensamay.com If you are tuning in and finding value in these episodes, please take a moment to rate and review My Mourning Routine on Apple Podcasts-- it means so much and helps make a bigger, connecting splash in the podcasting pond!  

Three hundred episodes! Can you believe it?? How did we get here? What an amazing feat! Never did I ever imagine that I would have a podcast let alone release 300 episodes! To celebrate, I have invited my writer-friends and fellow Pinays, Rebecca Mabanglo-Mayor and Tamiko Nimura! In this episode, we talk about what has kept us steady and tethered during this year of upheavals and drastic change. With the new moon and the winter solstice approaching this weekend, we also talked about what seeds we want to plant for the coming season and new year. Bring a cup of tea and tune in to this episode to feel uplifted by listening in on a chat with good friends. Here's to 300!Tamiko Nimura's forthcoming book, A Place For What We Lose, is due out April 28, 2026 from University of Washington Press. Pre-order your copy today and take advantage of their 40% off sale! Go here: https://uwapress.uw.edu/book/9780295754758/a-place-for-what-we-lose/ ===============Today's poems/ Books mentioned:Tarot/Oracle Card: Three of Swords (Reversed)"Samadhi" by Vikus Menon=============== Courses / Exclusive Content / Book Mentioned:Subscribe to mailing list + community: suryagian.com/subscribe and get the 7-day meditation challenge, “Spark Joy in Chaos”Subscribe to “Adventures in Midlife” newsletter: leslieann.substack.comInstagram: @leslieannhobayan Email: leslieann@suryagian.comYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxAeQWRRsSo5E7PBJdZUeoEAYXnAtuyRyKundalini Yoga Classes: https://www.suryagian.com/anchor-amplify-kundaliniSpeak Your Truth: https://www.suryagian.com/speak-your-truth About Tamiko NimuraTamiko is an award-winning creative nonfiction writer, community journalist, editor, and educator with experience in higher education, the arts, public history, and Asian American communities. Her forthcoming memoir, A Place for What We Lose: A Daughter's Return to Tule Lake, will be published by the University of Washington Press.She is the author of Rosa Franklin: A Life in Health Care, Public Service, and Social Justice (Washington State Legislative Oral History Program, 2019) and co-author of We Hereby Refuse: Japanese American Acts of Wartime Resistance (Chin Music Press/Wing Luke Museum, 2021).For eight years, Tamiko coached writing and literature students across a wide range of academic and non-academic settings. Since leaving academia in 2011, she has expanded her work to include public history, social media support, blogging, grant writing, and writing for newspapers and magazines.For more than a decade, she has written a commissioned monthly essay series on Japanese American history, arts, and culture for Discover Nikkei, with a focus on the Pacific Northwest and Washington State.Her areas of specialization include diversity and equity, higher education, Japanese American history, writing and editing, grant writing, publishing, food writing, proofreading, and Asian American issues.===============About Rebecca Mabanglo-MayorRebecca Mabanglo-Mayor's non-fiction, poetry, and short fiction have appeared in print and online in several journals and anthologies including Katipunan Literary Magazine, Growing Up Filipino II: More Stories for Young Adults, Kuwento: Small Things, and Beyond Lumpia, Pansit, and Seven Manangs Wild: An Anthology. Her poetry chapbook Pause Mid-Flight was released in 2010. She is also the co-editor of True Stories: The Narrative Project Vol. I-IV, and her poetry and essays have been collected in Dancing Between Bamboo Poles. She has been performing as a storyteller since 2006 and specializes in stories based on Filipino folktales and Filipino-American history.Rebecca, as Rebecca A. Saxton, received her MFA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran University in 2012, her BA in Humanities from Washington State University in 1998, and her MA degree in English with honors from Western Washington University in 2003.

Wayne's World is a superior example of an anti-plot story (and it's hilarious to boot!). As Melanie and I take a much deserved recording break to enjoy the holidays with our families, we're sharing this archive episode with you because, if nothing else, it'll bring a smile to your face and give you a good laugh. We'll be back on January 15, 2026 with a brand new episode. Until then Happy Holidays, everyone! - V. Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/courses For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

Duncan Kemp, a state government lawyer, took an unconventional path to environmental law. After working in college athletics fundraising and earning an MFA in Creative Writing, he entered law school part-time with a clear goal: protecting natural resources. But landing that environmental job proved harder than expected. Today, he manages litigation for one of Louisiana's largest landowners—from boundary disputes and coastal erosion cases to pipeline enforcement and exotic animal seizures. Duncan discusses balancing conservation with hunting traditions and economic growth, and coordinating litigation across agencies. Plus, he talks about the satisfying trade-off between lower government pay and a better work-life balance. Duncan is a graduate of Southern University Law Center.This episode is hosted by Kyle McEntee.Mentioned in this episode:Access LawHub today!Colorado Law SchoolLearn more about Colorado LawLoyola Law SchoolLearn more about Loyola Law School

Pieces about Christmas and New Year's, from Nancy Smith Harris, Patric Pepper, and Liz Abrams-Morley. Support the show

In this episode of Pinky Swear Confessions, Danielle is joined by friend and fellow thriller author, Hannah Morrissey. Hannah is the author of the Black Harbor suspense series which includes Hello, Transcriber, The Widowmaker, When I'm Dead, and The Unlucky Ones. A three-decade survivor ofWisconsin winters, Hannah enjoys putting her characters (and readers) in bone-chilling atmospheres that permeate beyond the page. Naturally, her books have carved out their own sub-genre of “Midwestern Noir.”  Hannah graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madisonwhere she majored in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. She grew up in a small northern town and now lives near Milwaukee with her husband, three pugs, and a TBR pile that never seems to get any smaller. #PinkySwearBook #DanielleGirard #ThrillerReads#DomesticThriller #Bookstagram #BookTok #SuspenseReads #FemaleFriendship #MothersAndDaughters #BookReels #PsychologicalThriller #NewRelease2025 #ReadersOfInstagram #Bookish #podcast #author #interview #authors #KillerWomen #KillerWomenPodcast #authorsontheair #podcast #podcaster #killerwomen#killerwomenpodcast #authors #authorsofig #authorsofinstagram #authorinterview #writingcommunity #authorsontheair #suspensebooks #authorssupportingauthors#thrillerbooks #suspense #wip #writers #writersinspiration #books #bookrecommendations #bookaddict #bookaddicted #bookaddiction #bibliophile #read #amreading #lovetoread #daniellegirardbooks #hannahmorrissey

Dawson having shown up in Boston as none of us particularly wanted him to, he's had a delightful weekend (offscreen) with Joey. That all changes on his last day when he finally thinks to call his USC dorm room for the one and only message on his answering machine: the one Joey left, while drunk at a frat party, telling him that SHE. Is OVER. HIM. Or something like that. Suddenly, Dawson is incensed, so it's a good thing Joey has an administrative task to handle: it's the last day she can drop Professor Wilder's Creative Writing class, so she's going to be standing in an hours-long line while Dawson has Audrey give him the campus tour and listen to his bitching about his lonely loser life in Los Angeles. (Which we already had a glimpse of with that nearly empty answering machine.) Pacey turns out not to be a lonely loser on the yacht: he's seeing a rich girl named Melanie (future House and Once Upon A Time star Jennifer Morrison!), this summer's boat babe, and this one will even sleep with him. Pacey has just blown off a job hookup Doug arranged for him with his chef friend when Melanie casually picks up their lunch check at a fine dining establishment, because Pacey is unemployed. But the Pacey who loves taking care of people can't let THAT stand. Maybe working for Doug's friend won't be so bad! After days of fruitless wandering, Jen chances back upon Charlie during his show at the campus radio station. Tiresome flirting over 80s music and feminist literature leads them straight into bed -- oldest story in the world. Don't go anywhere: you've found our episode on "The Lost Weekend"! JOIN THE AWT CLUB

Ready to move beyond routine dental checkups and unlock your body's full potential? In The Dental Fitness Advantage: How a Healthy Mouth Enhances Total Body Health and Elevates Performance (Playbook Scholars, 2025), Dr. Camesia O. Matthews, a general and sports dentist, introduces the concept of dental fitness, a breakthrough approach that links oral health to whole-body wellness, athletic performance, and even confidence. With clear science and relatable analogies, Dr. Matthews uncovers surprising connections between the mouth and the body: from how oral bacteria influence heart disease and Alzheimer's to why your “bite” affects sleep quality and body balance, and how wearing a custom-fitted sports mouthguard could even boost athletic performance. The book is built on five practical pillars: Prevention, Posture, Protection, Presentation, and Psychology. It also includes a unique assessment tool, the Dental Fitness Score, which helps you track your progress. Each pillar offers simple, actionable steps to help you: Prevent issues before they start Improve sleep, balance, and even muscle strength Guard against avoidable dental injuries Boost confidence with a healthy smile The Dental Fitness Advantage is an empowering guide for athletes, professionals, and anyone seeking to feel, look, and perform at their best, starting with the mouth. About the author: Dr. Camesia O. Matthews is a Massachusetts-based general and certified sports dentist, author, and community advocate. She is passionate about connecting oral health to total-body wellness and helping people live healthier, stronger lives. A graduate of Howard University College of Dentistry, where she was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society, Dr. Matthews has led and participated in numerous outreach events, including international mission trips. In July 2020, she received the National Dental Association's Special Recognition Award for her research on reducing the spread of COVID-19 in dental clinics. Her expertise has been featured on Boston's WCVB news channel and in Top Doctor magazine, which praised her patient-centered approach to dentistry. Outside of her work, Dr. Matthews enjoys reading, playing piano, exercising, traveling, and cheering for her favorite basketball teams. If you're interested in finding out your dental fitness score, please visit: here More about the host: Kailey Tse-Harlow is a Chinese-Irish writer born and raised in Boston's Chinatown. She earned her BA in Film and Television Production from Emerson College and her MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University. Her nonfiction writing has appeared in MIT News, and she is currently at work on her debut novel with support from Tin House. Based in Cambridge, MA, Kailey lives with her partner and two cats. Alongside her writing, she works as a publicist and book marketing manager at Pellien PR, where she helps authors book podcast interviews and plan nationwide book tours. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Miriam Robinson is an author who has worked in the world of books and bookshops for over 15 years. Previously the host of podcast My Unlived Life, she holds an MA in Creative Writing from Goldsmiths, University of London and her short fiction has been shortlisted for a Pushcart Prize, the inaugural Pindrop/RA Short Story Prize and the Pat Kavanagh Prize. On this episode of Little Atoms she talks to Neil Denny about her debut novel And Notre Dame is Burning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if students saw themselves not just as learners, but as world builders, empowered to design, problem-solve, and imagine new possibilities through playful learning? In this episode of the Fueling Creativity in Education Podcast, hosts Dr. Cindy Burnett and Dr. Matthew Warwood dive into the dynamic potential of game-based learning and world-building with guests Stephen Slota and Trent Hergenrader. Together, they unpack how treating students as designers—rather than passive recipients of information—fosters creativity, critical thinking, and authentic engagement. Drawing from their experiences as educators and co-authors of The World Building Workshop, Stephen Slota and Trent Hergenrader share insights on leveraging narrative, choice, and playful contexts to deepen learning, regardless of technology access or subject area. The conversation explores the difference between true game-based learning and surface-level gamification, emphasizing the power of agency, narrative, and exploring “messy,” real-world problems. Listeners will gain practical insights on aligning classroom activities with learning goals, infusing creativity, and adopting a facilitator mindset. Whether you're game-curious or an experienced educator, this episode highlights how world building can transform classrooms—and help students make meaningful connections to their own lives.   Guest Bios Stephen Slota Stephen Slota is an educational technologist, learning theorist, and interactive storyteller. He has directed major projects for organizations like CVS Health, Pfizer, and Arizona State University, where he explores how game mechanics and narratives can enhance engagement, creativity, and learning. A former high school biology teacher, Stephen Slota draws on years of classroom experience and research at the University of Connecticut to promote playful learning as a transformative tool in education.   Trent Hergenrader Trent Hergenrader is an Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing, and Director of the Center for World Building and Storytelling at Rochester Institute of Technology. He's the co-editor of "Creative Writing in the Digital Age" and "Creative Writing Innovations," and author of "Collaborative World Building for Writers and Gamers." Trent Hergenrader integrates fiction writing, role-playing, and collaborative design to help students view learning as a creative, participatory process. For more resources and to connect with the guests, visit theworldbuildingworkshop.com.   Be sure to subscribe on your favorite platform and sign up for our Extra Fuel newsletter for more resources and inspiration. Visit FuelingCreativityPodcast.com for more information or email us at questions@fuelingcreativitypodcast.com.

Send us a textEric Vona describes how project-based learning can guide students from broad worries to focused, researchable questions that lead to local solutions. He talks about place-based writing born during remote learning, then shows how journalism practices—finding experts, crafting professional emails, conducting interviews—help students produce credible, public-facing work. Literature becomes a springboard for ethics and action. Pairing Ursula K. Le Guin's The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas with contemporary responses opens honest talk about comfort, cost, and justice—conversations that translate directly to climate realities. Eric also spotlights The Echo, a teen literary magazine turned nonprofit, where students serve as real editors, publish global youth voices, and record audio for accessibility. It's a model of authentic learning that lasts beyond a grading period and builds the very capacities communities need now: curiosity, collaboration, and clear communication.John Eric Vona is a writer and educator living in Tampa, FL. Passionate about conservation and sustainability, he joined the Stories-To-Live-By project so that he could find ways to bring place-centered writing into his work as a high school AP Capstone Seminar and Creative Writing instructor. He is proud to be the advisor to The Echo: Teen Art & Lit Mag, which publishes the work of artists and writers from around the world aged 13-19. You can find The Echo at echolitmag.com/. Other resources mentioned in this episode:University of Oregon's Journalistic Learning Initiative can be found at https://journalisticlearning.org/.To cite this episode:Persohn, L. (Host). (2025,Nov 11). Stories-To-Live-By with John Eric Vona. (Season 6, No. 5) [Audio podcast episode]. In Classroom Caffeine Podcast series. https://www.classroomcaffeine.com/guests. DOI: 10.5240/6C5D-9DA8-6973-6DE9-90CA-1Connect with Classroom Caffeine at www.classroomcaffeine.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Tod Goldberg is the author of the new novel, Only Way Out, published by Thomas & Mercer. He's also the New York Times bestselling author of 16 books including the acclaimed Gangsterland quartet. His short fiction and essays appeared widely and have been selected in Best American Mystery & Suspense and Best American Essays. Tod is a Professor of Creative Writing at the University of California, Riverside, where he founded and directs the Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts.  Tod joins Barbara DeMarco-Barrett to talk about writing a multiple point of view novel and how his ensemble of characters came together, setting, backstory, writing dialogue, outlining, word quotas, influences, and more. For more information on Writers on Writing and to become a supporter, visit our Patreon page. For a one-time donation, visit Ko-fi. You can find hundreds of past interviews on our website. You can help out the show and indie bookstores by buying books at our bookstore on bookshop.org. It's stocked with titles by our guest authors, as well as our personal favorites. And on Spotify, you'll find an album's worth of typewriter music like what you hear on the show. It's perfect for writing. Look for the artist, Just My Type. Email the show at writersonwritingpodcast@gmail.com. We love to hear from our listeners! (Recorded on November 28, 2025) Host: Barbara DeMarco-BarrettHost: Marrie StoneMusic: Travis Barrett (Stream his music on Spotify, Apple Music, Etc.)

The Author Events Series presents Jaquira Diaz | This Is the Only Kingdom In Conversation with Airea D. Matthews When Maricarmen meets Rey el Cantante, beloved small-time Robin Hood and local musician on the rise, she begins to envision a life beyond the tight-knit community of el Caserío, Puerto Rico - beyond cleaning houses, beyond waiting tables, beyond the constant tug of war between the street hustlers and los camarones. But breaking free proves more difficult than she imagined, and she soon finds herself struggling to make a home for herself, for Rey, his young brother Tito, and eventually, their daughter Nena. Until one fateful day changes everything. Fifteen years later, Maricarmen and Nena find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation as the community that once rallied to support Rey turns against them. Now Nena, a teenager haunted by loss and betrayal and exploring her sexual identity, must learn to fight for herself and her family in a world not always welcoming. For lovers of the Neapolitan novels, This is the Only Kingdom is an immersive and moving portrait of a family - and a community - torn apart by generational grief, and a powerful love letter to mothers, daughters, and the barrios that make them. Born in Puerto Rico, Jaquira Díaz was raised between Humacao, Fajardo, and Miami Beach. She is the author of Ordinary Girls: A Memoir, winner of a Whiting Award, a Florida Book Awards Gold Medal, a Lambda Literary Awards finalist, an American Booksellers Association Indies Introduce Selection, a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Selection, an Indie Next Pick, a Library Reads pick, and finalist for the B&N Discover Prize. The recipient of the Jeanne Córdova Prize for Lesbian/Queer Nonfiction, the Alonzo Davis Fellowship from VCCA, two Pushcart Prizes, an Elizabeth George Foundation grant, and fellowships from MacDowell, the Kenyon Review, Bread Loaf, Sewanee, the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing, and the Black Mountain Institute at UNLV, Díaz has written for The Atlantic, The Guardian, Time Magazine, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, and The Fader, and her stories, poems, and essays have been anthologized in The Best American Essays, The Breakbeat Poets Vol. 4: LatiNext, Best American Experimental Writing, and The Pushcart Prize anthology. In 2022, she held the Mina Hohenberg Darden Chair in Creative Writing at Old Dominion University's MFA program and a Pabst Endowed Chair for Master Writers at the Atlantic Center for the Arts. She lives in New York and teaches at Columbia University. Airea D. Matthews received a BA in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as an MFA from the Helen Zell Writers' Program and an MPA from the Gerald Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. She is the author of Bread and Circus (Scribner Books, 2023), winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in Poetry, the PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Award, and was a finalist for the Hurston-Wright Legacy Award. Her poetry collection, Simulacra (Yale University Press, 2017), was selected by Carl Phillips as the winner of the 2016 Yale Series of Younger Poets. Because you love Author Events, please make a donation when you register for this event to ensure that this series continues to inspire Philadelphians. Books will be available for purchase at the library on event night! All tickets are non-refundable. (recorded 10/30/2025)

Diana Norma Szokolyai is a writer, interdisciplinary artist, educator and healer. Her books include Disobedient Futures, CREDO: An Anthology of Manifestos & Sourcebook for Creative Writing, Parallel Sparrows, and Roses in the Snow. Her poetry and prose appear in Chariot Press Literary Journal, Critical Romani Studies, and more. A finalist for the inaugural Poet Laureate of Salem, MA, she was also shortlisted for the Bridport Prize in poetry. Working with composers from around the world, her poetry & music collaborations have hit the Creative Commons Hot 100 list and featured on WFMU-FM. Her poetry has been translated into German for the international anthology of Romani poets Die Morgendämmerung der Worte, Moderner Poesie–Atlas der Roma und Sinti. She has performed her poetry with music in many venues including Spoken Word Paris, Outpost 186, Sidewalk Café, Lowell Celebrates Kerouac, and Salem Arts Festival poetry. Her poetry has been supported by grants from the City of Salem Public Art Commission and the Center for Arts and Social Justice at Vermont College of Fine Arts, where she served as an inaugural fellow. She is Co-Founder/Co-Director of Chagall Performance Art Collaborative and serves as Co-Founder/Co-Director of Cambridge Writers' Workshop. She is on faculty at Salem State University and Harborlight Montessori. Passionate about energy healing, she founded Sacred Swan Healing Arts, based in Salem, MA.Follow @sacredswanhealingarts and @diananormasRomani crushes in this episode are Cecilia Woloch, Margit Bangó, and Roby Lakatos SANTA JEZ ABUNDANCE RITUAL FUNDRAISERjezminavonthiele.comromaniholistic.com @romanistanpodcast. Join our Patreon  or donate to Ko-fi.com/romanistan, and please rate, review, and subscribe.  @jezmina.vonthiele @romaniholistic. Secrets of Romani Fortune Telling https://romanistanpodcast.com Email us at romanistanpodcast@gmail.comRomanistan is hosted by Jezmina Von Thiele and Paulina StevensConceived of by Paulina StevensEdited by Viktor PachasWith Music by Viktor PachasAnd Artwork by Elijah VardoSupport the show