Podcasts about dawnie walton

Welcome to the Summer 2025 Book Preview with Catherine of Gilmore Guide to Books!   Today, Catherine and Sarah share 12 of their most anticipated books releasing from June through mid-August.   This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). CLICK HERE for the full episode Show Notes on the blog. Announcement One of the many benefits to supporting the podcast through either our Patreon Community or our Substack Community (both for just $7/mo) is that you get access to several bonus podcast episode series, including Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I share at least 4 bonus books we are excited about that we did not share in the big show preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available and sign up here for Patreon and here for Substack! Highlights Catherine and Sarah share some big releases coming this summer (lightning-round style). Of Catherine's six book picks, 3 are about sisters and most are from repeat authors. Sarah's choices feature 3 debut authors, 2 repeat authors, and 1 new author. And, 5 of Sarah's six books are European novels. From literary picks to thrillers to romances, they've got a range of books for summer. Sarah has already read two of her picks — and they're on the 2025 Summer Reading Guide (be sure to check out the full list) Plus, their #1 picks for summer. Big Summer Releases Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (June 3) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:12] With a Vengeance by Riley Sager (June 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:18] Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab (June 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:32] The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick (June 17) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:36] A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [2:45] The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (July 15) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [2:57] The View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:08] Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto (June 3) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:13] A Most Puzzling Murder by Bianca Marais (June 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:17]  Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell (June 24) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:27]  The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [3:29]  Don't Open Your Eyes by Liv Constantine (June 17) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:32]  The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen (August 5) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [3:36]  Summer 2025 Book Preview [4:07] June Sarah's Pick The Compound by Aisling Rawle (June 24) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [7:19] Catherine's Picks The Catch by Yrsa Daley-Ward (June 3) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:40] King of Ashes by S. A. Cosby (June 10) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:02] I'll Be Right Here by Amy Bloom (June 24) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [26:01] Other Books Mentioned  Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954) [10:01]  FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven (2016) [10:04]  The Godfather by Mario Puzo (1969) [20:29]  All the Sinners Bleed by S. A. Cosby  (2023) [20:55]  Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby (2021) [21:00]  Blacktop Wasteland by S. A. Cosby (2020) [21:01]  White Houses by Amy Bloom (2018) [27:08]  This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel (2017) [27:52]  The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo (2019) [27:57]  The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden (2024) [28:28]  July Sarah's Picks Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[15:36] Bitter Sweet by Hattie Williams (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [21:44] The Rabbit Club by Christopher J. Yates (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[28:48] Her Many Faces by Nicci Cloke (July 15*) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:38](Updated release date following the recording of this episode.) August Lane by Regina Black (July 29) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:44] Catherine's Picks The Satisfaction Café by Kathy Wang (July 1) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:37]  Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon (July 8) | Amazon | Bookshop.org[39:32] Other Books Mentioned Shark Heart by Emily Habeck (2023) [18:12]  Writers and Lovers by Lily King (2020) [18:17]  The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue (2023) [25:06]  Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler (2023) [25:09]  Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates (2013) [28:57]  The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer (2013) [31:13]  The Secret History by Donna Tartt (1992) [31:15]  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008) [31:16]  Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865) []  If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio (2017) [32:37]  Imposter Syndrome by Kathy Wang (2021) [35:16]  Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano (2023) [35:40]  Happiness Falls by Angie Kim (2023) [35:42]  The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz (2022) [35:45]  Girl A by Abigail Dean (2021) [38:21]  The Death of Us by Abigail Dean (2025) [38:24]  Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka (2022) [38:28]  The Quiet Tenant by Clémence Michallon (2023) [40:16]  The Art of Scandal by Regina Black (2023) [41:58]  Colton Gentry's Third Act by Jeff Zentner (2024) [43:30]  Seven Days in June by Tia Williams (2021) [43:41]  The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton (2021) [43:46]  Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2019) [45:01]  August Catherine's Pick The Frequency of Living Things by Nick Fuller Googins (August 12) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:15] Other Books Mentioned She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb (1992) [48:08]  Other Links Sarah's Bookshelves | The Possibility of a Black Chalk Sequel: Guest Post by Christopher J. Yates 

Se estás sem paciência para os livros da moda e procuras leituras diferentes, este episódio é para ti. Reunimos uma lista de recomendações que acabaram por cair no esquecimento ou que não tiveram a atenção que deveriam ter tido. Partilhem connosco as vossas sugestões de livros que merecem ser relembrados! Livros mencionados: - Yours Truly (Para Sempre Teu), Abby Jimenez (01:41) - ⁠A Viagem do Elefante, José Saramago (03:46) - Girl in White, Sue Hubbard (10:35) - Maus Hábitos, Alana S. Portero (14:00) - All my Friends are Superheroes, Andrew Kaufman (16:00) - ⁠Lei da Gravidade, Gabriela Ruivo (17:46) - Beautiful Ruins (A Bela Americana), Jess Walter (19:31) - ⁠Boys Don't Cry & May All Your Skies be Blue, Fíonna Scarlett (20:59) - Nothing to See Here, Kevin Wilson (23:57) - Da Meia-Noite às Seis, Patrícia Reis (26:44) - Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory, Raphael Bob-Waksberg (28:49) - Soldier Sailor, Claire Kilroy (30:15) - The Final Revival of Opal and Nev, Dawnie Walton (31:44) - Freckles, Cecelia Ahern (33:54) - Snowflake, Louise Nealon (37:06) - The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox (O Estranho Desaparecimento de Esme Lennox), Maggie O'Farrell (38:44) - The Last Letter From Your Lover (A Última Carta de Amor), Jojo Moyes (40:37) - What Moves the Dead, T. Kingfisher (42:59) - How to be Good (Como Ser Bom), Nick Hornby (44:42) - Water & Earth & The Heart's Invisible Furies, John Boyne (46:43) - My Oxford Year, Julia Whelan (49:36) - Mercy Street, Jennifer Haig (51:37) - Would Like to Meet (Um Amor Como nos Filmes), Rachel Winters (53:50) - ⁠Nightcrawling, Leila Mottley (56:07) - Three Wishes (Três Desejos), Liane Moriarty (58:29) - Panenka, Rónán Hession (01:00:15) - Quiet: the power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking (Silêncio: O poder dos introvertidos num mundo que não para de falar), Susan Cain (01:01:34) - Mayflies, Andrew O'Hagan (01:02:45) - ⁠Laços, Domenico Starnone (01:03:40) - Wayward, Dana Spiotta (01:05:31) - A Família Caserta, Aurora Venturini (01:06:47) - How to be Both (Como Ser Uma e Outra), Ali Smith (01:07:43) ________________ Falem connosco: livratepodcast@gmail.com. Encontrem-nos em: www.instagram.com/julesdsilva // www.instagram.com/ritadanova Identidade visual: Mariana Cardoso (marianarfpcardoso@hotmail.com) Genérico: Vitor Carraca Teixeira (www.instagram.com/oputovitor)

WAPL librarians Desirae and Sarah are joined by Jenn from Brown Deer Public Library for a discussion on why they love audiobooks. They talk about some of their favorites, including ones featuring terrific solo narrators as well as those with a full cast. Works mentioned: The Wedding People by Alison Espach; The Storyteller by Dave Grohl; From Cradle to Stage by Virginia Hanlon Grohl; Surrender by Bono; Me by Elton John; the movie Rocketman; The Teacher, Never Lie, The Inmate and Ward D by Freida McFadden; The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix; The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton; the Lily Adler mysteries by Katharine Schellman; And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie; The Guest List by Lucy Foley; King of Wrath and the Twisted series by Ana Huang; Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt; the Whatever After and Wings of Fire series; and the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny. Check out books, TV shows and movies at countycat.mcfls.org, wplc.overdrive.com, hoopladigital.com and kanopy.com/en/westallis. For more about WAPL, visit westallislibrary.org. Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

While we're on season break with Reckon True Stories, here's a sneak preview from Season Three of Ursa Short Fiction, Deesha's other podcast with author (and True Stories producer!) Dawnie Walton. Show notes: Follow Season Three in your favorite podcast app. Support the show with a membership or one-time contribution, and get access to bonus episodes: ursastory.com/join Read more about Dawnie Walton's next novel! Contact us via email: hello@ursastory.com Produced by: Dawnie Walton, Deesha Philyaw, and Mark Armstrong Associate Producer: Marina Leigh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Black & Published we're introducing you to a new show that we love, Reckon True Stories hosted by acclaimed authors Deesha Philyaw and Kiese Laymon. Guests for Season One include writers Roxane Gay, Imani Perry, Alexander Chee, Minda Honey, Hanif Abdurraqib, and Samantha Irby. Reckon True Stories is a celebration of new and classic nonfiction – the essays, journalism, and memoirs that inspire us, that change the world, and help us connect with each other. Show credits: Hosted by Deesha Philyaw & Kiese Laymon Show producers: Dawnie Walton & Mark ArmstrongAssociate producer: Marina LeighEpisode editor: Kelly ArajaProduced by Ursa Story Company in partnership with Reckon News. Reckon Editor In Chief: R.L. NaveUrsa Executive Producers: Dawnie Walton, Deesha Philyaw, and Mark ArmstrongSupport the Show.Follow the Show: IG: @blkandpublished Twitter: @BLKandPublished Follow Me:IG: @nikesha_elise Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise Website: www.newwrites.com

Dawnie Walton and Deesha Philyaw introduce us to Reckon True Stories, a brand new podcast hosted by Deesha and acclaimed author Kiese Laymon, dedicated to all things nonfiction. Listen, then follow the show in your favorite podcast so you don't miss an episode: https://link.chtbl.com/truestories Guests for Season One include writers Roxane Gay, Imani Perry, Alexander Chee, Minda Honey, Hanif Abdurraqib, and Samantha Irby. Produced in partnership with Reckon. We'll also have more episodes of Ursa Short Fiction coming this fall! Sign up for email updates: https://ursastory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Estamos na época deles e nós não podíamos deixar passar esta oportunidade de criar a nossa lista de convidados especiais (e fictícios) para os vários festivais de verão. Digam-nos que personagens da vossa vida é que iriam aos vossos festivais preferidos! - Livros mencionados neste episódio: - Girl in Pieces, Kathleen Glasgow (2:42 & 33:55) - Clytemnestra, Costanza Casati (3:09) - People We Meet on Vacation, Emily Henry (7:07) - Cleopatra and Frankenstein, Coco Mellors (7:36) - Open Water, Caleb Azumah Nelson (8:14) - Felix Ever After, Kacen Callender (9:05) - Memorial, Bryan Washington (9:36) - It Happened One Summer, Tessa Bailey (10:38) - Nora Goes Off Script, Annabel Monaghan (11:22) - Business or Pleasure, Rachel Lynn Solomon (11:54) - Jenna Jones de The Perfect Find, Tia Williams (12:50) - Funny Feelings, Tarah DeWitt (14:37) - Romantic Comedy, Curtis Sittenfeld (14:44) - The Dead Romantics, Ashley Poston (15:11) - Expiration Dates, Rebecca Serle (15:22) - A Corrente, Filipa Amorim (15:45) - Mayflies, Andrew O'Hagan (17:21) - Daisy Jones and The Six, Taylor Jenkins Reid (19:16) - Boy Parts, Eliza Clark (19:23) - The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, Dawnie Walton (19:44) - Malibu Rising, Taylor Jenkins Reid (20:12 & 30:58) - Sinais de Fumo, Alex Couto (20:33 & 23:34) - Funny Story, Emily Henry (21:32 & 29:14) - Hello Beautiful, Ann Napolitano (21:43) - Delilah Green Doesn't Care, Ashley Herring Blake (22:02) - Normal People, Sally Rooney (22:30) - The Paper Palace, Miranda Cowley Heller (22:44) - Swimming in the Dark, Tomasz Jedrowski (23:09) - Better Than The Movies, Lynn Painter (24:41) - The Summer of Broken Rules, K. L. Walther (24:45) - Breathless, Jennifer Niven (25:23) - Nightcrawling, Leila Mottley (25:55) - You, Again, Kate Goldbeck (27:06) - Other People's Clothes, Calla Henkel (27:12) - The Dating Dare, Jayci Lee (26:35) - Every Summer After, Carley Fortune (29:04) - How to Fake it in Hollywood, Ava Wilder (30:02) - Set on You, Amy Lea (30:08) - You Had Me at Hola, Alexis Daria (30:19) - Carrie Soto is Back, Taylor Jenkins Reid (30:36) - The Rachel Incident, Caroline O'Donoghue (31:38) - Throttled & Collided, Lauren Asher (33:23) - Margaret de Our Missing Hearts, Celeste Ng (34:17) - Insatiable, Daisy Buchanan (35:24) - American Royals, Katharine McGee (35:43) - Dancer from the Dance, Andrew Holleran (36:56) - Bunny, Mona Awad (37:23) ________________ Enviem as vossas questões ou sugestões para livratepodcast@gmail.com. Encontrem-nos nas redes sociais: www.instagram.com/julesdsilva www.instagram.com/ritadanova twitter.com/julesxdasilva twitter.com/ritadanova Identidade visual do podcast: da autoria da talentosa Mariana Cardoso, que podem encontrar em marianarfpcardoso@hotmail.com. Genérico do podcast: criado pelo incrível Vitor Carraca Teixeira, que podem encontrar em www.instagram.com/oputovitor.

Show notes: Music and books pair together so well. We're both huge music fans and reading books about music and musicians really fascinates us. Today, we're sharing some fiction and nonfiction books recs about music and we hope you'll tune in to find some new faves!   Click here to join us on Patreon for exclusive bonus bookish goodies! Get our monthly overflow, new books episodes, and Life Through Reading episodes, our private Facebook group, and more. Plus, supporting us in this way just shows that you love what we do!   Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned.   Something Bookish: [04:43] S: Grayson by Lynne Cox This is Love podcast, “Something Large and Wild” [06:18] M: A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay   Fiction Books About Music: [12:35] S: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid [13:20] M: Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid [14:22] S: The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton [14:57] M: The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom [16:06] S: Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey [16:53] M: Run, Rose, Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson [17:42] S: Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman [18:19] M: Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel [19:11] S: The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb [20:06] M: The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks [21:03] S: Modern Lovers by Emma Straub [21:41] S: The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka   Nonfiction Books About Music: [22:29] M: The Beautiful Ones by Prince [23:10] S: The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl [23:56] M: Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics by Dolly Parton [24:38] S: Open Book by Jessica Simpson [25:16] M: Scar Tissue by Anthony Kiedis   Want our show notes delivered right to your inbox? Join our RTL Substack so that you'll get a link for every single book we mention with no extra work. It's free!

“Provocative and chilling”, it was lauded as one of the best books of 2021, receiving praise from the likes of former US president Barack Obama. “The Final Revival of Opal & Nev” tells the tale of a fiercely independent young woman pushing against the grain in her style and attitude. The book's author, Dawnie Walton, is our guest for Perspective. Her work explores identity, place, and the influence of pop culture.

Show notes: You know what's better than reading one good book? Reading a pair of good books! Today, we're talking about book pairings that we love and why we think the books go well together. It's fun to read about similar themes or character arcs but from different perspectives. We hope you enjoy our picks!    Click here to join us on Patreon for exclusive bonus bookish goodies! Get our monthly overflow and new books episodes, our newsletter, and more. Plus, supporting us in this way just shows that you love what we do! Find the time stamped show notes below with links to all of the fun things we mentioned.   Something Bookish: [1:59] S: We got rid of our website. Check out the RTL Substack instead. [3:02] M: RTL t-shirt - see them in action here!   Book Pairings We Love: [4:36] S: The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley and No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister [5:39] M: Let Him In by William Friend and Home Before Dark by Riley Sager [6:55] S: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid and The Daydreams by Laura Hankin (Bonus pairing rec: The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton) [8:37] M: The Troop by Nick Cutter and Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay [9:54] S: The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren and The Arc by Tory Henwood Hoen [11:23] M: The Meaning of Mariah Carey by Mariah Carey and Making a Scene by Constance Wu [13:18] S: The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin and The Door to Door Bookstore by Carston Henn [14:52] M: The Night Swim by Megan Goldin and Know My Name by Chanel Miller  (Bonus pairing rec: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson) [16:38] S: Unprotected by Billy Porter and All Boys Aren't Blue by George Johnson (Also mentioned: Finding Me by Viola Davis) [18:02] M: Elevation by Stephen King and Thinner by Richard Bachman Want our show notes delivered right to your inbox? Join our RTL Substack so that you'll get a link for every single book we mention with no extra work. It's free! Follow RTL on Instagram: @readingthroughlifepod Follow Sarah on Instagram: @sarahhartleyco  Follow Mia on Instagram: @fastlifeinslowlane   * The books noted above contain affiliate links. This means that we may get a small kickback if you purchase through our links, at no additional cost to you.  

Deesha and Dawnie chat with Denne Michele Norris, editor-in-chief of Electric Literature and author of the forthcoming debut novel, When The Harvest Comes (Random House). She is also the first Black, openly trans woman to helm a major literary publication. Norris discusses her approaches to both writing and editing, sharing insights for writers on working with editors. She also talks about the ways different genres — from fiction to essay to memoir — all require their own approaches. Norris asks questions of herself and of the work, aiming to edit “ethically and responsibly and [tell] a beautiful story.” Support our show by becoming an Ursa Member: ursastory.com/join Reading List: Stories and Writers Mentioned Denne Michele Norris McSweeney's 62: The Queer Fiction Issue Food 4 Thot Podcast "An Almanac of Bones" (Dantiel W. Moniz) The Bluest Eye (Toni Morrison) Everyday People: The Color of Life Anthology (edited by Jennifer Baker)  "Daddy's Boy" (Denne Michele Norris) Jade Jones Going To Meet The Man (James Baldwin) Friday Black (Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah) Milk Blood Heat (Dantiel W. Moniz) The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky (Lesley Nneka Arimah) Difficult Women (Roxane Gay) About the Author  Denne Michele Norris is the editor-in-chief of Electric Literature, winner of the 2022 Whiting Digital Literary Magazine Prize, where she is the first Black, openly trans woman to helm a major literary publication. A 2021 Out100 Honoree, her writing has been supported by MacDowell, Tin House, VCCA, and the Kimbilio Center for African American Fiction, and appears in McSweeney's, American Short Fiction, and ZORA. She co-hosts the critically acclaimed podcast Food 4 Thot, and mentors emerging writers of color with The Periplus Collective. Her debut novel, When The Harvest Comes, is forthcoming from Random House.  More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Associate producer: Marina Leigh Episode editor: Kelly Araja Executive producers: Dawnie Walton & Mark Armstrong Author photo: Hilary Leichter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

This week we're excited to share a very special episode of Ursa Short Fiction — a Member Exclusive where Dawnie Walton chats with Deesha Philyaw about this week's big news: Deesha has just signed a seven-figure book deal with Mariner Books for a new novel, THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF FIRST LADY FREEMAN, and short story collection, GIRL, LOOK. The novel is due out in 2025.  Enjoy this free teaser from our Member Exclusive episode. To access the full episode, become an Ursa Member: ursastory.com/join.   Links Author Deesha Philyaw has a 7-figure deal for her next two books (Associated Press)  “Back Then” (Mike Jones) Peach Pit: Sixteen Stories of Unsavory Women (anthology edited by Molly Llewellyn and Kristel Buckley) Mariner Books Rakia Clark Punch Me Up to the Gods (Brian Broome)  More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) Produced & edited by Mark Armstrong Associate producer: Marina Leigh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Deesha and Dawnie introduce “What Got Into Us,” a short story by Jacob Guajardo, performed by Vicki Valdeon. The story is a candid look into queer adolescence, first loves, recklessness, and unbridled vulnerability. It was originally published in Passages North, and featured in The Best American Short Stories 2018. Listen to the story, then stay tuned at the end for Guajardo in his own words, sharing how the story came together, and how he approaches the writing process. Support our show and help fund future episodes: https://ursastory.com/join/ Reading List: Stories and Writers Mentioned The Best American Short Stories 2018 (edited by Roxane Gay) “I Only Did What Anyone Would Have Done” (Jacob Guajardo) “Moonmilk” (Jacob Guajardo) “Widowers” (Jacob Guajardo) “Good News Is Coming” (Jacob Guajardo) “The Seminar” (Jacob Guajardo) “Two Queens Walk Out Of A Bar” (Jacob Guajardo) Amy Hempel Ocean Vuong Garth Greenwell About the Author Jacob Guajardo lives and writes in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His fiction appears in The Best American Short Stories 2018 and Small Odysseys: Selected Shorts Presents 35 New Stories, among other publications. He is the recipient of the 2020 Robert Maxwell Fellowship from MacDowell. He works from home as a Narrative Designer. More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Performed by Vicki Valdeon Associate producers: Marina Leigh, Ashawnta Jackson Executive producers: Dawnie Walton & Mark Armstrong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton go in-depth with Rubén Degollado, author of the novel The Family Izquierdo, which started out as a short story collection about a single family. Degollado's story “The Seven Songs” was featured on last week's episode, and he discusses his journey to writing and publishing the book, as well as how he navigated his writing journey alongside his career as an educator. He first started writing the Izquierdo family stories in the late '90s, eventually developing the family curse and tensions, and playing with point of view to inhabit the lives of the many family members. Support Ursa Short Fiction! Become a Member: https://ursastory.com/join/ Degollado aims to represent his own family, experiences, and community through The Family Izquierdo, and he quotes Toni Morrison, who said “if there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” “A lot of the stories I read were about immigrants, and I think those are great stories. I love immigrant stories, but that's not what I wanted to write. I wanted to write about what happens after. What happens post immigration.”If you haven't already, be sure to listen to last week's episode featuring Degollado's story, “The Seven Songs.” Reading List "The Seven Songs" by Rubén Degollado (Ursa Short Fiction, Season Two, Episode 15) The Family Izquierdo (W. W. Norton) The Family Izquierdo audiobook (Blackstone Publishing / Downpour.com) The Bluest Eye (Toni Morrison) Throw (Rubén Degollado) "A Temporary Matter" (Jhumpa Lahiri) Drinking Coffee Elsewhere (ZZ Packer) Interpreter of Maladies (Jhumpa Lahiri) Sabrina & Corina: Stories (Kali Fajardo-Anstine) The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The World Doesn't Require You (Rion Amilcar Scott) Brownsville (Oscar Casares) Maurice Carlos Ruffin About the Author Rubén Degollado's work has recently appeared in Literary Hub, CRAFT, The Common, and elsewhere. His novel Throw won the Texas Institute of Letters Best Young Adult book for 2020. His debut literary novel The Family Izquierdo is a long list title for the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award. Rubén lives and writes along the southern border, in the Río Grande Valley of Texas. More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Episode editor: Kelly Araja Associate producer: Marina Leigh Producer: Mark Armstrong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Journalist and novelist Dawnie Walton joins co-hosts Whitney Terrell and V.V. Ganeshananthan to talk about U.S. concert culture. Why are live concerts so popular this summer and why have they so often become violent? Walton discusses how recent examples of fan violence speak to racism and sexism in American culture, as well as the role social media plays in fandom. Finally, she reads from her 2021 novel, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, which focuses on the fictional partnership between a Black American woman, singer Opal Jewel, and a white British man, guitarist Neville Charles, and discusses her story's connection to the infamous Altamont Free Concert in 1969. To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/ This episode of the podcast was produced by Lynn Snyder and Anne Kniggendorf. Dawnie Walton The Final Revival of Opal & Nev Others: “It's ‘Bey Day' in ‘Swiftieapolis,'” by Tommy Wiita, Bring Me The News  “How Taylor Swift Broke Ticketmaster,” by Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, Nov. 18, 2022 “No report filed for alleged attack at Monica concert: Detroit police,” by Jakkar Aimery, The Detroit News “Bebe Rexha Hit in the Face by Thrown Cell Phone at NYC Concert,” by Tim Dickinson, Rolling Stone “Ava Max and Bebe Rexha were attacked by men on stage at their own concerts, why?” by Furvah Shah, Cosmopolitan Magazine “The Chaos of Altamont and the Murder of Meredith Hunter,” by Sasha Frere-Jones, The New Yorker, Mar. 28, 2019 “Jason Aldean's 'Small Town' is part of a long legacy with a very dark side,” by Amanda Marie Martinez, National Public Radio “The traumatic story of Merry Clayton and The Rolling Stones,” by Arun Starkey, Far Out Magazine, Dec. 25, 2021 Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions, by Francesca T. Royster  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton go deep with Nafissa Thompson-Spires, author of the beloved 2018 collection Heads of the Colored People, to discuss Heads' origin, the texts and other media that influenced Thompson-Spires, inspirations for her stories and characters in the collection, and their shared love for the Notes app. Thompson-Spires is candid about her upbringing in California and her own family, and how those experiences have shaped her work in terms of characters, autobiographical-leaning-but-fictionalized events, and even her ideas of place and the ways that racism persists in different ways in different parts of the country. Support this show by becoming an Ursa Member: https://ursastory.com/join/ Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned Heads of the Colored People (Nafissa Thompson-Spires) Mat Johnson The Guardian Interview with Nafissa Thompson-Spires Mark Anthony Neal Victor LaValle Paul Beatty Shirley Jackson Flannery O'Connor George Schuyler Ishmael Reed James McCune Smith Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Solmaz Sharif Sandeep Parmar Charles Dickens Hacks Reservation Dogs Lot (Bryan Washington) Milk Blood Heat (Dantiel W. Moniz) The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) Seeking Fortune Elsewhere (Sindya Bhanoo) Mary Tyler Moore Theme Song 'Alright' (Kendrick Lamar) Denne Michele Norris About the Author Nafissa Thompson-Spires wrote Heads of the Colored People, which won the PEN Open Book Award, the Hurston/Wright Award for Fiction, and the Los Angeles Times's Art Siedenbaum Award for First Fiction. Her collection was longlisted for the National Book Award, the PEN/ Robert W. Bingham Award, and several other prizes. She also won a 2019 Whiting Award. She earned a PhD in English from ­­­­Vanderbilt University and an MFA in Creative Writing from ­­­­­­the University of Illinois. Her work has appeared in The Paris Review Daily, The Cut, The Root, Ploughshares, 400 Souls, and The 1619 Project, among other publications. New writing is forthcoming in Fourteen Days, edited by Margaret Atwood. She's currently the Richards Family Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Cornell University. More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Episode editor: Kelly Araja Associate producer: Marina Leigh Producer: Mark Armstrong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton introduce “Under the Ackee Tree,” a story by Jonathan Escoffery from his acclaimed 2022 collection, If I Survive You. The story is performed by Torian Brackett, and it comes from the collection's audiobook, produced by Macmillan Audio. Our thanks to Macmillan for sharing the story with Ursa's listeners. This story follows Topper, a Jamaican immigrant who has fled the political violence in Kingston and moved his family to Miami to raise his two sons. “Under the Ackee Tree” is a narrative of leaving and of loss, of destruction and rebuilding, and of the ways we disappoint as partners, as parents, and as children.  Support our show by becoming an Ursa Member: https://ursastory.com/join/ Reading List If I Survive You, by Jonathan Escoffery (MCD) If I Survive You audiobook (Audible) Jonathan Escoffery Publications Jonathan Escoffery Interviews About the Author  Jonathan Escoffery is the author of the linked story collection, If I Survive You, a New York Times and Booklist Editor's Choice, an IndieNext Pick, and a National Bestseller. If I Survive You was longlisted for the National Book Award, the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award, the PEN/ Robert W. Bingham Prize For Debut Short Story Collection, the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence, the Aspen Words Literary Prize, and the Story Prize, and was shortlisted for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the National Book Critics Circle's John Leonard Prize. It was named a ‘best' book by The New Yorker, The New York Times, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, People, TIME, Oprah Daily, GQ, and elsewhere. In 2020, Jonathan received the Paris Review's Plimpton Prize for Fiction and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. He was a 2021-2023 Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Performed by Torian Brackett Episode editor: Kelly Araja Associate producer: Marina Leigh Music: “Biosphere” by Yotam Agam Audio excerpt courtesy Macmillan Audio, from IF I SURVIVE YOU by Jonathan Escoffery, read by Torian Brackett. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton introduce “Enough!”, a short story by Jamil Jan Kochai, from his collection The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories. Kochai's story discusses intergenerational trauma, violences of both war and refuge, and rage as we follow Rangeena, a mother reflecting on her family and own past. The story is performed by Suehyla El-Attar Young, and it's excerpted from the audiobook of The Haunting of Hajji Hotak, produced by Penguin Random House Audio. Our thanks to them for sharing this story with Ursa's listeners. Jamil Jan Kochai's writing is lyrical, his images surreal, and because of the cyclical narrative, the repetition, and obsession with themes of rambling, the story leaves us breathless.  “Enough!” interrogates the ways in which we suffocate, the ways we're haunted, and the ways we survive. “Enough rambling, enough advice, enough pills, enough nightmares, enough lung damage, enough ghosts, enough beautiful dying boys, enough bomb smoke, enough burning apple trees, enough staring white neighbors, enough heavy breathing…” Come back next week for our conversation with Jamil Jan Kochai. Help Us Fund Future Seasons and Shows Ursa Short Fiction is supported by our listeners. Share this podcast with a friend—or become a Member to help fund production: https://ursastory.com/join/ Reading List The Haunting of Hajji Hotak, by Jamil Jan Kochai (Penguin Books) The Haunting of Hajji Hotak audiobook (Penguin Random House Audio) More stories and essays by Jamil Jan Kochai About the Author  Jamil Jan Kochai is the author of The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories, winner of the 2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize and a finalist for 2022 National Book Award. His debut novel 99 Nights in Logar was a finalist for the Pen/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel. His short stories have appeared in The New Yorker, Ploughshares, Zoetrope, The O. Henry Prize Stories, and The Best American Short Stories. His essays have been published at The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. Kochai was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University and a Truman Capote Fellow at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Currently, he is a Hodder Fellow at Princeton University.  More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Episode editor: Kelly Araja Associate producer: Marina Leigh Audio excerpted courtesy Penguin Random House Audio from THE HAUNTING OF HAJJI HOTAK by Jamil Jan Kochai, excerpt read by Suehyla El-Attar Young. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton introduce “Tumble,” an audio short story by Sidik Fofana about two women, Neisha and Kya, and a childhood fight with long-term consequences.  The story is performed by Jade Wheeler, and it's one of eight linked stories from Fofana's 2022 debut collection, STORIES FROM THE TENANTS DOWNSTAIRS. This audiobook excerpt comes to us from Scribner / Simon & Schuster Audio—our thanks to them for sharing it with Ursa Short Fiction listeners.  As Philyaw noted in her recommendation of “Tumble” in Electric Lit: “What happens to a dream deferred thanks to the cruel betrayal of a former childhood friend? What do justice, empathy, and forgiveness look like within a community when traumatized, violated people turn around to traumatize and violate those closest to them?”  Listen to the story, then come back next week for our conversation with Sidik Fofana. Support our show by becoming an Ursa Member: https://ursastory.com/join/ Reading List “Tumble” (Electric Lit, recommended by Deesha Philyaw) STORIES FROM THE TENANTS DOWNSTAIRS audiobook (Simon & Schuster Audio) About the Author  Sidik Fofana is a New York City public school teacher, was a 2018 fellow at the Center for Fiction, and was named a “Writer to Watch” by Publishers Weekly. He is the author of the 2022 collection STORIES FROM THE TENANTS DOWNSTAIRS, in which he introduces readers to the residents of Banneker Homes, a low-income residential building in Harlem, where a looming rent increase affects everyone in different ways. Tenants young and old who weave in and out of each other's lives. Sidik earned his MFA from New York University. And he lives with his wife and son in New York City.  More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Episode editor: Kelly Araja Associate producer: Marina Leigh Music: “Fifth Avenue,” by Phury Audio excerpt courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio from “Tumble” found in STORIES FROM THE TENANTS DOWNSTAIRS by Sidik Fofana, read by Jade Wheeler. Audiobook also read by Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Nile Bullock, Sidik Fofana, Dominic Hoffman, DePre Owens, André Santana and Bahni Turpin. Copyright © 2022 by Sidik Fofana. Used with permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

It's a very special “Three Ds from Duval” episode of Ursa Short Fiction! Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton welcome fellow Jacksonville native Dantiel W. Moniz, author of the acclaimed 2021 short story collection MILK BLOOD HEAT.  Moniz talks about how growing up in Jacksonville informed the stories in MILK BLOOD HEAT, and how real-life experiences serve as a jumping-off point for the stories we tell.  “It's always as a seed or a starting off point because the story is a thing that allows me to get past what actually happened or what I think actually happened, and then explore what could have happened.” Reading List: Books, Stories, and Authors Mentioned MILK BLOOD HEAT, by Dantiel W. Moniz (Grove Press) “An Almanac of Bones,” by Dantiel W. Moniz (Apogee Journal) “Eula,” by Deesha Philyaw (Apogee Journal) The Office of Historical Corrections, by Danielle Evans The Dangers of Smoking in Bed, by Mariana Enríquez Manywhere, by Morgan Thomas The Getaway Car, by Ann Patchett  Dantiel W. Moniz's website About the Author Dantiel W. Moniz is the recipient of a National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” Award, a Pushcart Prize, a MacDowell Fellowship, and the Alice Hoffman Prize for Fiction. Her debut collection, Milk Blood Heat, is the winner of a Florida Book Award, and was a finalist for the PEN/ Jean Stein Award, the PEN/ Robert W. Bingham Prize, and the New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award, as well as longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize. Her writing has appeared in the Paris Review, Harper's Bazaar, American Short Fiction, Tin House, and elsewhere. Moniz is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she teaches fiction. Read More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Episode editor: Kelly Araja Associate producer: Marina Leigh Producer: Mark Armstrong *** Help us fund future episodes: https://ursastory.com/join/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

We're thrilled to present a new audio story, “Rioja,” written by Shannon Sanders and performed by Khaya Fraites. It was originally published in the literary magazine SLICE, and it's forthcoming in Sanders's debut collection COMPANY, to be published by Graywolf Press in October 2023.  In this story we meet Cole, who is taking his girlfriend Cecilia to a Thanksgiving dinner hosted by his Aunt Peach. It's Cecilia's first introduction to the family, and though the encounters seem pleasant on the surface, secrets, family history, and resentment run deep beneath them.  Listen to "Rioja," then stick around at the end for Sanders, in her own words, on the origins of the story: “This story really deals with the idea of cultural inheritance. So I'm really interested in how each generation has the potential to build on what the previous generation did. And there's always the chance that we'll do it way better than the previous generation did, learning from their mistakes. But there's also kind of this compulsion to repeat the mistakes of the previous generation, and there's just some legacies that are really, really hard to shake.” Reading List: Books, Stories, and Authors Mentioned COMPANY, by Shannon Sanders (Graywolf Press, October 2023) More stories by Shannon Sanders (website)  Danielle Evans  ZZ Packer  Maurice Carlos Ruffin Deesha Philyaw Lisa Taddeo About the Author Shannon Sanders's debut short story collection, COMPANY, is forthcoming from Graywolf Press in October 2023; her short fiction has won the PEN/Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers and can be found in One Story, Electric Literature, Joyland, TriQuarterly, and elsewhere. Find her at ShannonSandersWrites.com or on Twitter at @ShandersWrites. About the Narrator Khaya Fraites is a voice and film actor/writer based in New York City. Her recent credits include "Rainbow High," the animated series, and "RIP, LOL," the short film she wrote based on her upcoming novel of the same name. For more about Khaya, visit her website at www.khayafraites.com or keep up with her on Instagram and TikTok @khayafraites. Read More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Story Credits ‘Rioja,' written by Shannon Sanders Performed by Khaya Fraites  Directed by Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong Associate producer: Marina Leigh Executive producers: Dawnie Walton & Mark Armstrong Additional production support by Ashawnta Jackson Music: “The Doubt,” by Francesco D'Andrea Author photo by David F. Choy. *** Help Us Keep Going! Ursa Short Fiction is supported by our listeners. Share this podcast with a friend—or become a Member to help fund production: https://ursastory.com/join Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

City Lights presents Lakiesha Carr in conversation with Dawnie Walton. Lakiesha Carr discusses her new book “An Autobiography of Skin: A Novel”, published by Pantheon Books. This virtual event was hosted by Peter Maravelis. You can purchase copies of “An Autobiography of Skin” directly from City Lights here: https://citylights.com/autobio-of-skin/ Lakiesha Carr graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and received her MFA at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, where she was awarded a Maytag Fellowship for Excellence in Fiction and a Jeff and Vicki Edwards Post-graduate Fellowship in Fiction. A journalist and writer from East Texas, she has held various editorial and production positions with CNN, The New York Times, and other media. Her writing has received support from the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, the Callaloo Creative Writing Workshop, the DC Commission on Arts & Humanities for nonfiction writing, and the Kimbilio Fellowship for fiction writing. Dawnie Walton is the author of “The Final Revival of Opal & Nev”, winner of the 2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize, the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award, the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, and the Audie Award for Fiction. Her debut novel was also longlisted for the 2022 Women's Prize for Fiction, and was named one of the best books of 2021 by “The Washington Post”, “NPR”, “Esquire”, and former U.S. President Barack Obama. She is the cofounder and editorial director of Ursa, an audio production company celebrating short fiction from underrepresented voices, and is the cohost of its accompanying podcast. Formerly an editor at “Essence” and “Entertainment Weekly”, she has received fellowships from MacDowell and Tin House, and an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop (where she has taught a fiction seminar). Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, she lives in Brooklyn with her husband. This event was made possible by support from the City Lights Foundation: citylights.com/foundation

Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton sit down with Jocelyn Nicole Johnson—author of Ursa's Season Two, Episode 3 story, "Virginia Is Not Your Home"—to discuss her acclaimed debut collection, My Monticello, and the journey of its making. Johnson talks about her writing as a direct response to historical events as they occur, much of her work centering Virginia as home, and grappling with complicated histories, experiences, and ideas around identity. Johnson addresses the themes that occur throughout her collection, such as that of loneliness, belonging, resistance, violence, and salvation. Deesha and Dawnie dive into questions about perspective, voice, character- and world-building, the writing and revision process, and perseverance as a writer: “Control what you can control, which is the writing. Enjoy the writing. Do your best with the writing. What matters is the writing. I just think you want to be thoughtful, but put that thought and care into that part of it, because that's the part that you have the most control.”Reading List: "Virginia Is Not Your Home" (Ursa Short Fiction) My Monticello (Jocelyn Nicole Johnson) My Monticello audiobook (Audible) Corregidora (Gayl Jones) Octavia Butler Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Charles Yu Beloved (Toni Morrison) Danielle Evans Jamel Brinkley The World Doesn't Require You (Rion Amilcar Scott) About the AuthorJocelyn Nicole Johnson is the author of My Monticello, a fiction debut that was called "a masterly feat" by the New York Times, and winner of the Library of Virginia Fiction Award, the Weatherford Award, the Balcones Fiction Prize, and the Lillian Smith Award, as well as a finalist for the Kirkus Fiction Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Leonard Award, the LA Times Debut Seidenbaum Prize, and long-listed for a Pen/Faulkner Fiction Award and the Story Prize. Johnson has been a fellow at TinHouse, Hedgebrook, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Her writing has appeared in Guernica, The Guardian, Kweli Journal, Joyland, Lit Hub, and elsewhere. Her short story “Control Negro” was anthologized in The Best American Short Stories, guest edited by Roxane Gay and read live by LeVar Burton. A veteran public school art teacher, Johnson lives and writes in Charlottesville, Virginia. Read more from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Episode editor: Kelly Araja Associate producer: Marina Leigh Producer: Mark Armstrong Ursa Short Fiction is supported by our listeners. Share this podcast with a friend—or become a Member to help fund production: https://ursastory.com/join Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton introduce their first story pick for Season Two, Jocelyn Nicole Johnson's “Virginia Is Not Your Home,” from her debut collection, My Monticello, published in 2021 by Henry Holt and Co. “Virginia Is Not Your Home” follows the life of a woman who is attempting to outrun her namesake, and the story conjures questions of origin, of becoming, and of freedom. There is emphasis on movement and escape, on our names as our homes, and on understanding what it is we leave behind when we go. It interrogates the ways we forget and the ways we remember. The story is performed by January LaVoy, and it's excerpted from the My Monticello audiobook, produced by our friends at Macmillan Audio. Our thanks to them for sharing this story with Ursa listeners. Listen, then come back next week for our conversation with Jocelyn Nicole Johnson. Reading List: My Monticello (Jocelyn Nicole Johnson) My Monticello Audiobook (Audible) Jocelyn Nicole Johnson's website About the Author Jocelyn Nicole Johnson is the author of My Monticello, a fiction debut that was called "a masterly feat" by the New York Times, and winner of the Library of Virginia Fiction Award, the Weatherford Award, the Balcones Fiction Prize, and the Lillian Smith Award, as well as a finalist for the Kirkus Fiction Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Leonard Award, the LA Times Debut Seidenbaum Prize, and long-listed for a Pen/Faulkner Fiction Award and the Story Prize. Johnson has been a fellow at TinHouse, Hedgebrook, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Her writing has appeared in Guernica, The Guardian, Kweli Journal, Joyland, Lit Hub, and elsewhere. Her short story “Control Negro” was anthologized in The Best American Short Stories, guest edited by Roxane Gay and read live by LeVar Burton. A veteran public school art teacher, Johnson lives and writes in Charlottesville, Virginia. Read more from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Episode editor: Kelly Araja Associate producer: Marina Leigh Episode producer: Mark Armstrong Audio story produced by Macmillan Audio and performed by January LaVoy. Ursa Short Fiction is supported by our listeners. Share this podcast with a friend—or become a Member to help fund production: https://ursastory.com/join/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

In our Season Two premiere, co-hosts Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton talk with the beloved ZZ Packer, author of Drinking Coffee Elsewhere, a collection first published in 2003 that went on to inspire countless writers. Packer talks about how she found her voice, style, and authenticity as a young, Black, female writer who hadn't even planned on becoming a writer. She addresses ideas of navigating both physical and figurative spaces and learning how to find a place in the literary world. Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned Drinking Coffee Elsewhere (ZZ Packer) Zora Neale Hurston Toni Morrison Flannery O'Connor James Alan McPherson (Elbow Room and Hue and Cry) Lorrie Moore Stuart Dybek Percival Everett James Baldwin Anton Chekhov Edward P. Jones (Lost in the City and The Known World) Alice Munro Imani Perry Bryan Stevenson (Just Mercy) Edwidge Danticat Read more from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) Ursa Short Fiction is 100% independent and supported by our listeners. Become a Member today to help us keep going: ursastory.com/join  Episode editor: Kelly Araja Associate producer: Marina Leigh Producer: Mark Armstrong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Christmas is over for another year, and on this episode, we're bringing you three exciting interviews with Brighton writers to help inspire your reading for 2023. I talk to PD Viner about his crime thrillers and his community-based writing routine. I speak to author of Ridley Road, Jo Bloom, about her new book permission which explores non-monogamy in a marriage, and I speak to writer, podcaster and all around Brighton man-about-down, David Bramwell about his exciting projects. Our book club book this month is Women's Prize long listed THE FINAL REVIVAL OF OPAL AND NEV by Dawnie Walton.

Já tinham saudades de episódios com convidados? Esperamos que sim, porque esta hora e meia com a Elga Fontes (@quemmelera no Instagram) foi muito necessária e soube a pouco. Falámos essencialmente sobre literatura diversa e da necessidade de ler histórias sobre pessoas não-brancas, mas também aproveitámos para falar sobre o papel de uma tradutora no meio disto tudo. Livros mencionados neste episódio: - Legendborn, Tracy Deonn (23:07) - Firekeeper's Daughter, Angeline Boulley (24:45) - Girl, Woman, Other, Bernardine Evaristo (29:54) - Beloved, Toni Morrison (30:00) - Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Benjamin Alire Sáenz (30:16) - Burnt Sugar, Avni Doshi (30:34) - A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini (30:40) - Such a Fun Age, Kiley Reid (33:48) - The Vanishing Half & The Mothers, Brit Bennett (35:58) - The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, Dawnie Walton (38:00) - Open Water, Caleb Azumah Nelson (39:28) - The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas(41:23) - Black Flamingo, Dean Atta (41:52) - Last Night at the Telegraph Club, Malinda Lo (44:04) - O Avesso da Pele, Jefferson Tenório (54:22) - Kim Jiyoung: Born 1982, Cho Nam-Joo (55:49) - Queenie, Candice Carty-Williams (56:18) - The People in the Trees, Hanya Yanagihara (58:28) - Somebody's Daughter, Ashley C. Ford (1:00:22) - O País dos Outros, Leïla Slimani (1:02:21) - Kindred, Octavia E. Butler (01:04:00) - The Sun is Also a Star, Nicola Yoon (1:20:04) ________________ Enviem as vossas questões ou sugestões para livratepodcast@gmail.com. Juntem-se ao nosso Discord em: https://discord.gg/aRR7B2dfBT. Encontrem-nos nas redes sociais: www.instagram.com/julesdsilva www.instagram.com/ritadanova/ twitter.com/julesxdasilva twitter.com/RitaDaNova [a imagem do podcast é da autoria da maravilhosa, incrível e talentosa Mariana Cardoso, que podem encontrar em marianarfpcardoso@hotmail.com]

Inspired by mention of the fictionalized accounts of the assassination attempt on Bob Marley, Brian talks about some of his favorite rock n roll novels.

Episode 155 Notes and Links to Robert Jones Jr.'s Work       On Episode 155 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Robert Jones, Jr., and the two mainly discuss, among other things, the festive national Book Awards 2022, his early reading of comic books, his life-changing exposure to James Baldwin's work, his incredible Son of Baldwin platform, a dearth of representation for Black queer people that led him to write the book he wanted to read, the wonderful literary community and its inspiration for his work, and the work of art that is The Prophets, with its myriad standout lines, memorable characters, and structure that makes it a true classic and work of art.    Robert Jones, Jr., is the author of The New York Times bestselling novel, The Prophets, which won the 2022 Publishing Triangle Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction and the 2022 NAIBA Book of the Year Award for Fiction. It was also a finalist for the 2021 National Book Award for Fiction and was named a notable book by The New York Times and one of the best books of 2021 by Time, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, NPR, The Boston Globe, and The Washington Post, among many others. His writings have been featured in The New York Times, Essence, and The Paris Review, as well as in the critically acclaimed anthologies Four Hundred Souls and The 1619 Project. Subscribe to his newsletter Witness at robertjonesjr.substack.com. Buy The Prophets   Join Witness, Robert Jones, Jr.'s Substack   Robert Jones, Jr.'s Website   July, 2022, from NPR's All Things Considered-“Son of Baldwin — a place for discussions of race, sexuality and gender — retires” 2021 Review of The Prophets from The Guardian-by Holly Williams: "The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr review – outstanding debut"     At about 7:10, Robert describes the incredible experience he had at the recent National Book Awards    At about 8:10, Robert outlines his early reading and writing influences, and the indelible mark left by comic books, libraries, and Wonder Woman   At about 11:30-15:50, Robert's response to Pete's question about representation in what Robert read growing up connects to ideas of connectedness and internalized and external ideas of queerness, acceptance, and inspiration for his own writing    At about 15:50, Robert discusses loneliness versus uniqueness and the ideas of “polic[ing] gender”   At about 18:40, Pete wonders about James Baldwin's impact on Robert-Robert talks about being introduced to Baldwin “rather late” but being swept away by “Here Be Dragons,” among many other of Baldwin's works, and how a quote from James Baldwin's brother in the documentary, The Price of the Ticket  was the catalyst for the Son of Baldwin platform   At about 22:35, Pete talks about how closely Son of Baldwin and James Baldwin have been linked in recent years, including an incorrect attribution of an important quote   At about 25:15, Robert lists and describes some of the countless people to whom he gives credit and love for their inspiration and encouragement, as seen in his book's extensive Acknowledgments    At about 27:50, Pete and Robert sing the praises of Kiese Laymon, and Robert speaks so highly of Kiese tremendous help in getting Robert and his book    At about 30:05, Robert talks about contemporary writers like Deesha Philyaw, Dawnie Walton, Maisy Card, Mateo Askaripour, Jason Mott, and Xochitl Gonzalez whose work thrills and inspires and challenges him, and he shouts out an outstanding upcoming 2023 book from Jamila Minnicks    At about 32:50, Robert gives background on research for The Prophets, the time spent writing it, and the seeds for the books that largely came from his university studies   At about 37:25, Robert responds to Pete wondering what Robert was able to do by making his book fiction and not nonfiction    At about 39:00, Robert and Pete discusses connections between the invasion of African countries by Europeans, and how the forced religiosity connects to an encroaching and new homophobia and white supremacy    At about 41:50, The two discuss Amos from The Prophets and the “conundrum” that he faces with regards to Isaiah and Samuel, as well as Amos' role as preacher and Christian convert, as well as connections to modern preachers   At about 45:25, the two discuss Isaiah and Samuel, the book's protagonists, and their love and their backstories and their shared knowledge of being alone and “loaded onto a wagon like stuff”   At about 47:55, Robert responds to historical ideas of homosexuality sometimes seen as a tool to disrupt Black communities and explains how Paul, the book's slavemaster, sees Isaiah and Samuel's relationship and a “threat to capitalism”   At about 50:40, The two connect the hypocrisy of Paul and his philandering and    At about 51:45, Pete cites the book's unique/Biblical structure and talks about the book's starting with “the ancestors”; he asks Robert about the “you” to whom the ancestors spr   At about 53:10, Robert describes a dream that was hugely influential and transformative for his book   At about 55:00, Robert discusses the ways in which Isaiah and Samuel are unified, and how they are rendered as distinct    At about 58:25, Robert talks about the importance of names for enslaved peoples and for the slave owners, and he talks specifically about Isaiah's original name, its significance, and its importance in his relationship with Amos   At about 1:01:00, Robert and Pete discuss tovo and toubab, Beninese and Wolof words, respectively, and their connections to early African encounters with European invaders   At about 1:02:35, the two discuss the book's parallel storyline that involves Isaiah's familial lineage in Kasongo, a mythical kingdom in Africa; Robert homes in on the vastly-different ideas of gender identity in pre-colonial Africa   At about 1:05:30, Pete wonders about the role of Timothy in the book and Robert expands upon ideas of rapists and rape   At about 1:07:45, Robert discusses sympathy and writing characters who are seemingly 100% detestable, and ideas of oppression and oppressors and their connections with Timothy, Ruth, James, and Paul    At about 1:11:00, Pete focuses on Paul's behavior and his rush to justify his evil behavior through the Bible and Christianity; a scene from the book involving Adam, Paul's son, is highlighted    At about 1:12:35, The two discuss a scene of degradation and Robert highlights it as a scene where a lot is happening behind the scenes/under the surface with the crafty Essie and Maggie    At about 1:14:00, Pete highlights the incredibly-skillful ways in which Robert homes in on individual stories to draw the reader's attention and sympathy/empathy   At about 1:15:20, Robert talks about an exciting upcoming project, a second novel     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 me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you're checking out this episode.  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 my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content! This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I'd love for your help in promoting what I'm 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 156 with Namrata Poddar. Namrata writes fiction and nonfiction, serves as Interviews Editor for Kweli, and teaches literature and writing at UCLA. Her work has appeared in several publications including Poets & Writers, Literary Hub, Longreads, The Kenyon Review, and The Best Asian Short Stories. Her debut novel, Border Less, was a finalist for Feminist Press's Louise Meriwether Prize.    The episode will air on December 13.

On the Season One finale of Ursa Short Fiction, co-hosts Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton talk to Nana Nkweti, author of the acclaimed short story collection, Walking on Cowrie Shells (Graywolf Press).  Nkweti's story “Dance the Fiya Dance,” performed by Enih Agwe, was featured in Episode 15.  Read the full transcript. Support Future Episodes of Ursa Short Fiction Become a Member at ursastory.com/join. About the Author  Nana Nkweti is a Cameroonian-American writer, Whiting Award winner, and AKO Caine Prize finalist whose work has garnered fellowships from MacDowell, Vermont Studio Center, Ucross, Byrdcliffe, Kimbilio, Hub City Writers, the Stadler Center for Poetry, the Wurlitzer Foundation, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and Clarion West Writers Workshop. Her first book, Walking on Cowrie Shells, was hailed by The New York Times review as a “raucous and thoroughly impressive debut” with "stories to get lost in again and again." The collection is also a New York Times Editor's Choice, Indie Next pick, recipient of starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and BookPage; and has been featured in The New Yorker, Harper's Bazaar, Oprah Daily, The Root, NPR, Buzzfeed, and Thrillist; amongst others. The work features elements of mystery, horror, myth, and graphic novels to showcase the complexity and vibrance of African diaspora cultures and identities. She is a professor of English at the University of Alabama where she teaches creative writing courses that explore her eclectic literary interests: ranging from graphic novels to medical humanities onto exploring works by female authors in genres such as horror, Afrofuturism, and mystery. Episode Links and Reading List:  “Dance the Fiya Dance” (Ursa)  Walking on Cowrie Shells (Graywolf Press)  Nana Nkweti's website “Nana Nkweti's Tales of Cameroonians at Home and in America” (Deesha Philyaw, The New York Times Book Review) Citizen: An American Lyric, by Claudia Rankine Bloodchild, Octavia Butler “The Secret Sci-Fi Life of Alice B. Sheldon” (NPR) More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, by Deesha Philyaw The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, by Dawnie Walton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Welcome to Open Form, a weekly film podcast hosted by award-winning writer Mychal Denzel Smith. Each week, a different author chooses a movie: a movie they love, a movie they hate, a movie they hate to love. Something nostalgic from their childhood. A brand-new obsession. Something they've been dying to talk about for ages and their friends are constantly annoyed by them bringing it up. In this episode of Open Form, Mychal talks to Dawnie Walton (The Final Revival of Opal & Nev) about the 1989 film Say Anything, directed by Cameron Crowe. Dawnie Walton is a fiction writer and journalist whose work explores identity, place, and the influence of pop culture. She has won fellowships from the MacDowell Colony and the Tin House Summer Workshop, and earned her MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Previously, she worked as an executive-level editor for magazine and multimedia brands, including Essence, Entertainment Weekly, Getty Images, and LIFE. A native of Jacksonville, Florida, she lives with her husband in Brooklyn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton introduce their latest short story pick, Nana Nkweti's “Dance the Fiya Dance,” from her acclaimed 2021 debut collection, Walking On Cowrie Shells, published by Graywolf Press.  Through a series of journal entries, we meet Chambu, a DC-based linguistic anthropologist and “Halfrican” (daughter of a Cameroonian mom and African American dad) who processes a devastating loss while sparking a sexy new romance. For content advisories, scroll to the end of the show notes.   The story is performed by Enih Agwe, with music and mixing by Alexis Adimora, and illustrations by Halimah Smith at Artpce. Ursa Executive producers are Dawnie Walton and Mark Armstrong. You can read along at ursastory.com/dance. Support Future Episodes of Ursa Short Fiction Become a Member at ursastory.com/join. About the Author  Nana Nkweti is a Cameroonian-American writer, Whiting Award winner, and AKO Caine Prize finalist whose work has garnered fellowships from MacDowell, Vermont Studio Center, Ucross, Byrdcliffe, Kimbilio, Hub City Writers, the Stadler Center for Poetry, the Wurlitzer Foundation, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and Clarion West Writers Workshop. Her first book, Walking on Cowrie Shells, was hailed by The New York Times review as a “raucous and thoroughly impressive debut” with "stories to get lost in again and again." The collection is also a New York Times Editor's Choice, Indie Next pick, recipient of starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and BookPage; and has been featured in The New Yorker, Harper's Bazaar, Oprah Daily, The Root, NPR, Buzzfeed, and Thrillist; amongst others. The work features elements of mystery, horror, myth, and graphic novels to showcase the complexity and vibrance of African diaspora cultures and identities. She is a professor of English at the University of Alabama where she teaches creative writing courses that explore her eclectic literary interests: ranging from graphic novels to medical humanities onto exploring works by female authors in genres such as horror, Afrofuturism, and mystery. More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, by Deesha Philyaw The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, by Dawnie Walton Content advisory: Partner abuse, pregnancy loss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

What a pleasure to catch up with my old friend, Longreads founder and journalist Mark Armstrong who is now helming the short fiction podcast project Ursa where he works with authors Dawnie Walton and Deesha Philyaw to bring you short fiction stories from underrepresented voices. Mark and I met when we carpooled to a wedding shortly after I moved to New York and were fast friends for a number of years and then lost touch. Our conversation touched on the last time we talked, playing in bands, my sloppy New York years, founding Longreads, what he learned about crowdfunding, leaving New York, digital media, live streaming, various platforms, gen x, parenting, burnout and so much more. We also did a round of Just Me Or Everyone and HGFY. Products I Use/Recommend/Love: http://amazon.com/shop/alisonrosen Check us out on Patreon: http://patreon.com/alisonrosen Buy Alison's Book: Tropical Attire Encouraged (and Other Phrases That Scare Me)  https://amzn.to/2JuOqcd You probably need to buy the HGFY ringtone! https://www.alisonrosen.com/store/

“All things short fiction” Claude, David and Torie go a mile wide and an inch deep. They cover COB housekeeping, listener emails, and career advice from David. COB faves Dawnie Walton (“The Final Revival of Opal and Nev”) and Deesha Philyaw (“Secret Lives of Church Ladies”) zoom in. In addition to writing, publishing, and teaching, they've launched “Ursa”, a podcast dedicated to all things short fiction and underrepresented writers. Take a listen; it's really good!

This month marked the two-year anniversary of the publication of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, author Deesha Philyaw's groundbreaking and award-winning debut short story collection that examined the inner lives of Black women as they navigate relationships, sex, and the church.  On Episode 14 of Ursa Short Fiction, Dawnie Walton digs into the stories with her co-host Philyaw, and gets some hints on what might be in store for the characters as Philyaw and Tessa Thompson are adapting The Secret Lives of Church Ladies for HBO Max.  Philyaw's collection won the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the 2020/2021 Story Prize, and the 2020 LA Times Book Prize: The Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction and was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction. Philyaw is a Kimbilio Fiction Fellow and the 2022-2023 John and Renée Grisham Writer-in-Residence at the University of Mississippi. Get the full transcript here. Episode edited by Kelly Araja. From Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, by Deesha Philyaw The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, by Dawnie Walton   Support Future Episodes of Ursa Short Fiction Become a Member at ursastory.com/join. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton are joined by Maurice Carlos Ruffin, author of the short story collection The Ones Who Don't Say They Love You. That acclaimed 2021 book includes “Ghetto University,” the story we featured previously on the show.  Ruffin talks about the inspiration he takes from his native New Orleans, and his journey from a “three-piece suit-wearing, BMW-driving lawyer” to putting all of his energy into becoming a writer and telling the stories he was meant to tell. Read the full transcript. About the Author  Maurice Carlos Ruffin is the author of The Ones Who Don't Say They Love You, a New York Times Editor's Choice that was also longlisted for the Story Prize. His first book, We Cast a Shadow, was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and the PEN America Open Book Prize. Ruffin is the winner of several literary prizes, including the Iowa Review Award in fiction. A New Orleans native, Ruffin is a professor of Creative Writing at Louisiana State University, and the 2020-2021 John and Renee Grisham Writer-in-Residence at the University of Mississippi. Episode Links and Reading List:  “Ghetto University” (Ursa)  The Ones Who Don't Say They Love You (One World, 2021) We Cast a Shadow (One World, 2020) “Leaving the Law Behind for My Dream Job” (Oldster, 2021) About Maurice Carlos Ruffin Maurice Carlos Ruffin's newsletter  New Stories from the South (edited by ZZ Packer, 2008) More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, by Deesha Philyaw The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, by Dawnie Walton   Support Future Episodes of Ursa Short Fiction Become a Member at ursastory.com/join. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

A professor in New Orleans loses his job and resorts to a new line of work – mugging tourists in the French Quarter.  “Ghetto University” is a short story by Maurice Carlos Ruffin, featured in his 2021 collection, The Ones Who Don't Say They Love You. Listen to the story here, and read along at ursastory.com/ghetto-university  Then come back next week for Ruffin's in-depth conversation with Ursa Short Fiction co-hosts Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton.  About the Author  Maurice Carlos Ruffin is the author of The Ones Who Don't Say They Love You, a New York Times Editor's Choice that was also longlisted for the Story Prize. His first book, We Cast a Shadow, was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and the PEN America Open Book Prize. Ruffin is the winner of several literary prizes, including the Iowa Review Award in fiction. A New Orleans native, Ruffin is a professor of Creative Writing at Louisiana State University, and the 2020-2021 John and Renee Grisham Writer-in-Residence at the University of Mississippi. Episode Links and Reading List:  “Ghetto University” (Ursa)  The Ones Who Don't Say They Love You (One World, 2021) About Maurice Carlos Ruffin Maurice Carlos Ruffin's newsletter  Story Credits “Ghetto University” Written by Maurice Carlos Ruffin Performed by Allan Thomas Directed by Adetola Abdulkadir Sound Design and Mixing by Alicia Qian Illustrations by Anthony Santagati Music: “Zizu de Calp,” Blue Dot Studios Executive Producers: Dawnie Walton & Mark Armstrong   Support Future Episodes of Ursa Short Fiction Become a Member at ursastory.com/join. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton welcome writer Michael A. Gonzales for part two of our deep dive into the life and work of Diane Oliver, who published six short stories before her death at age 22. (Part one of our series is here.) Gonzales published an essay about Diane Oliver in The Bitter Southerner earlier this year, and he talks about his work digging into the archives to put a spotlight on Black authors who never got the recognition they deserved. His column for Catapult, The Blacklist, has shared stories about authors including Charlotte Carter, Julian Mayfield, Henry Dumas, and Darius James.  Get the full transcript. About the Author  Harlem native Michael A. Gonzales is a cultural critic/short story scribe who has written for The Hopkins Review, The Paris Review, Longreads, Wax Poetics and Soulhead.com. Gonzales writes true crime articles for Crimereads.com and wrote the series The Blacklist about out-of-print Black authors for Catapult. His fiction has appeared in Under the Thumb: Stories of Police Oppression edited by S.A. Cosby, Killens Review of Arts & Letters, Dead-End Jobs: A Hit Man Anthology edited by Andrew J. Rausch, Black Pulp edited by Gary Phillips and The Root. His latest short story "Really Gone" was published in the Summer 2022 issue of the Oxford American.  Episode Links and Reading List:  “The Short Stories and Too-Short Life of Diane Oliver” (Michael A. Gonzales, The Bitter Southerner, 2022) Ursa Short Fiction, Episode Nine: The Life and Stories of Diane Oliver, Part One “Mint Juleps Not Served Here” (Diane Oliver, Negro Digest, March 1967) The Blacklist essay series on out-of-print books from Black authors (Michael A. Gonzales, Catapult) Sticking It to the Man: Revolution and Counterculture in Pulp and Popular Fiction, 1950 to 1980 (2019) “Beautiful Women, Ugly Scenes: On Novelist Nettie Jones and the Madness of ‘Fish Tales'” (Michael A. Gonzales, Longreads, 2019) More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, by Deesha Philyaw The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, by Dawnie Walton Support Future Episodes of Ursa Short Fiction Become a Member at ursastory.com/join. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Content advisory: This episode contains a mention of a racist slur. Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton's two-part book club discussion on the life and work of Diane Oliver, who published six short stories before her life was tragically cut short in May 1966 at the age of 22.  Oliver was just a month away from graduating from the Iowa Writers' Workshop when she was killed in a motorcycle accident in Iowa City, Iowa.  Philyaw and Walton first discovered Oliver's stories from writer Michael A. Gonzales, who wrote an essay about Oliver for The Bitter Southerner. In part one of Ursa's book club episode, they go in-depth on four of Oliver's short stories: “Key to the City,” “Health Service,” “Traffic Jam,” and “Neighbors.”   Full episode transcript. Episode Links and Reading List:  The Short Stories and Too-Short Life of Diane Oliver (Michael A. Gonzales, The Bitter Southerner, 2022) “Key to the City” (Red Clay Reader II, 1965) “Health Service” (Negro Digest, November 1965) “Traffic Jam” (Negro Digest, July 1966) “Neighbors” (The Sewanee Review, 1966) Diane Oliver obituary (Jet, 1966) More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, by Deesha Philyaw The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, by Dawnie Walton Support Future Episodes of Ursa Short Fiction Become a Member at ursastory.com/join. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton chat with author Cleyvis Natera, author of the new Ursa Original short story, “Fog,” and the recently published debut novel Neruda on the Park. Read the full transcript. About the Author  Cleyvis Natera is the author of the debut novel Neruda on the Park. She was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York City. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Skidmore College and a Master of Fine Arts in Fiction from New York University. She's received honors from PEN America, Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and Voices of Our Nation Arts Foundation (VONA). Her fiction, essays and criticism have appeared in The New York Times Review of Books, The Brooklyn Rail, The Rumpus, Alien Nation: 36 True Tales of Immigration, TIME, Gagosian Quarterly, The Washington Post, The Kenyon Review, Aster(ix) and Kweli Journal, among other publications. Cleyvis teaches creative writing to undergraduate and graduate students in New York City. She lives with her husband and two young children in Montclair, New Jersey. Episode Links and Reading List:  “Fog” (Ursa)  Neruda on the Park (2022) “Played or How I Failed at Becoming a Chapiadora” (Kweli Journal, 2019) In Cuba I Was a German Shepherd by Ana Menéndez (2002)  More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, by Deesha Philyaw The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, by Dawnie Walton Support Future Episodes of Ursa Short Fiction Become a Member at ursastory.com/join. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Content warning: explicit language, sex, depiction of violence. Author Cleyvis Natera debuts her original short story “Fog.” It's the story of a worker at a Dominican resort who caters to high-end clients and must confront the choices he's made to elevate his status and seek a different life for himself.  Read Along Listen to the story in your favorite podcast app, and read along at ursastory.com/fog.  Support Ursa Help us fund future episodes. Become a Member at ursastory.com/join. Story Credits “Fog” is edited by Dawnie Walton and performed by Alberto “Mojo” Peña, with music and sound design by Alexis Adimora, illustrations by Bex Glendining, and audio engineering by Deon Vozov (LA Voiceover). Ursa executive producers are Dawnie Walton and Mark Armstrong.   About the Author  Cleyvis Natera is the author of the debut novel Neruda on the Park. She was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York City. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Skidmore College and a Master of Fine Arts in Fiction from New York University. She's received honors from PEN America, Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and Voices of Our Nation Arts Foundation (VONA). Her fiction, essays and criticism have appeared in The New York Times Review of Books, The Brooklyn Rail, The Rumpus, Alien Nation: 36 True Tales of Immigration, TIME, Gagosian Quarterly, The Washington Post, The Kenyon Review, Aster(ix) and Kweli Journal, among other publications. Cleyvis teaches creative writing to undergraduate and graduate students in New York City. She lives with her husband and two young children in Montclair, New Jersey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton dive into the short stories of the acclaimed new collection A Calm & Normal Heart, with its author, Chelsea T. Hicks.  Hicks is a member of the Osage Nation, and the collection, published in June 2022 by Unnamed Press, also incorporates her ancestral language of Wazhazhe ie (which translates to “Osage talk”). The collection opens with a poem in the orthography, along with the Latinized spelling and English translation. Read the full episode transcript. Support Future Episodes: Become a Member in Apple Podcasts or at ursastory.com/join. About Chelsea T. Hicks Chelsea T. Hicks is a model, author and current Tulsa Artist Fellow. She is a Native Arts & Cultures Foundation 2021 LIFT Awardee and her writing has been published in McSweeney's, Yellow Medicine Review, the LA Review of Books, Indian Country Today, The Believer, The Audacity, The Paris Review, and elsewhere. She is a past Writing By Writers Fellow, a 2016 Wah-Zha-Zhi Woman Artist featured by the Osage Nation Museum, and a 2020 finalist for the Eliza So Fellowship for Native American women writers.  Her advocacy work has included recruiting with the Virginia Indian Pre-College Outreach Initiative (VIP-COI), Northern and Southern California Osage diaspora groups, and heritage language creative writing and revitalization workshops. She authored poetry for the sound art collection Onomatopoeias For Wrangell-St. Elias, funded by the Double Hoo Grant at the University of Virginia, where she was awarded the Peter & Phyllis Pruden scholarship for excellence in the English major as well as the University Achievement Award (2008-2012). The Ford Foundation awarded her a 2021 honorable mention for promotion of Indigenous-language creative writing. She is planning an Indigenous language creative writing Conference for November 2022 in Tulsa, funded by an Interchange art grant.  Episode Links and Reading List:  A Calm & Normal Heart (2022) Of Wazhazhe Land and Language: The Ongoing Project of Ancestral Work (Lit Hub) Osage writing system and orthography There There, by Tommy Orange (2019) Invisible Cities, Italo Calvino (1978) Night of the Living Rez, by Morgan Talty (2022) America Is Not the Heart, by Elaine Castillo (2019) Men We Reaped: A Memoir, by Jesmyn Ward (2014) Heads of the Colored People, by Nafissa Thompson-Spires (2019) Milk Blood Heat, by Dantiel W. Moniz (2021) Nobody's Magic, by Destiny O. Birdsong (2022) You Don't Know Us Negroes, by Zora Neale Hurston More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, by Deesha Philyaw The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, by Dawnie Walton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Hey Black and Published family. I'm Checking in with you today to introduce you to a new podcast. The Ursa short fiction podcast hosted by Black & Published season 1 alums Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton. They're also from Jacksonville, which is where I live so, you know, they get the extra hometown Duval love. Join Deesha (The Secret Lives of Church Ladies) and Dawnie (The Final Revival of Opal & Nev) for author interviews, book club discussions, and immersive short stories — all celebrating fiction from some of today's most thrilling writers, with an emphasis on spotlighting underrepresented voices. Support their show by becoming a premium member! https://link.chtbl.com/kX4SGHQiSupport the show

Co-hosts Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton speak with writer William Pei Shih, author of the Ursa Original “Happy Family,” a story about a lost childhood, a struggling restaurant, and a bygone era of Chinatown. (Warning: This episode contains “Happy Family” spoilers.)  Read the transcript. “Your character has to fail in telling their story,” Shih says. “I think that's one of the beautiful things about fiction. It truly is the messiness of life.” Shih's stories have been published or are forthcoming in The Best American Short Stories 2020, VQR, McSweeney's, and The Southern Review, among many other publications. He spoke with Philyaw and Walton about his approach to writing and developing characters, how “Happy Family” first came to life, and how hearing the audio version changed his storytelling approach.  This episode is sponsored by Catapult: Award-winning classes by writers, for writers. Ursa listeners get 20% off upcoming online classes with the coupon code URSA20. Go to catapult.co/classes. Additional production support for this episode by Veronica Smith. Episode Links and Reading List:  “Happy Family” (Ursa) “Enlightenment” (VQR)  “Necessary Evils” (Southern Review) What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky, by Lesley Nneka Arimah Cleanness, by Garth Greenwell Look How Happy I'm Making You, by Polly Rosenwaike More from William Pei Shih:  "The Golden Arowana" (The Masters Review), about a precious and rare fish, a young man and his grandmother from China, and the road trip of a lifetime—to Pittsburgh, and what happens when one finds more than they bargained for. "My Son," (F(r)iction, Spring 2021), a story focusing on father/son cross-generational and cross-cultural struggles and miscommunications.  More stories: https://williampeishih.com/home/publications/ More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, by Deesha Philyaw The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, by Dawnie Walton Support Ursa by becoming a Member in Apple Podcasts, or by going to ursastory.com/join Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join

Querem ler, mas não vos apetece? Estão a meio do mesmo livro há quinhentos mil anos? Nada tema, esta semana trazemo-vos dicas e sugestões de livros para vos arrancar dessa uma reading slump. ⚠️ A Rita levou a tarefa tão a sério que até spoilou o In Five Years, da Rebecca Serle — por isso, se não leram, passem essa parte à frente. ⚠️ Livros mencionados neste episódio: - My Mess is a Bit of a Life, Georgia Pritchett (1:37) - One Italian Summer, Rebecca Serle (3:00) - Funny You Should Ask, Elissa Sussman (11:53) - In Five Years, Rebecca Serle (13:50) - We Should Be All Feminists, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (17:09) - Open Water, Caleb Azumah-Nelson (17:39) - Notas Sobre o Luto, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (18:25) - Swimming in the Dark, Tomasz Jedrowski (19:32) - Heartstopper, Alice Oseman (21:15) - Our Stop, Laura Jane Williams (22:02) - A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman (23:12) - Daisy Jones & The Six, Taylor Jenkins-Reid (24:24) - The Final Revival of Opal and Nev, Dawnie Walton (25:22) - Clap When You Land, Elizabeth Acevedo (26:28) - Black Flamingo, Dean Atta (27:00) - A Mulher de Neruda, Hugo Santos (27:29) - The House in the Cerulean Sea, T J Klune (28:48) - Behind Closed Doors, B A Paris (29:47) - The Rosie Project, Graeme Simsion (30:20) - Convenience Store Woman, Sayaka Murata (31:46) - O Carteiro de Pablo Neruda, Antonio Skarmeta (33:13) - Como Água para Chocolate, Laura Esquivel 34:08 - O Lugar das Árvores Tristes, Lénia Rufino (31:17) ________________ Enviem as vossas questões ou sugestões para livratepodcast@gmail.com. Encontrem-nos nas redes sociais: www.instagram.com/julesdsilva www.instagram.com/ritadanova/ twitter.com/julesxdasilva twitter.com/RitaDaNova [a imagem do podcast é da autoria da maravilhosa, incrível e talentosa Mariana Cardoso, que podem encontrar em marianarfpcardoso@hotmail.com]

Sometimes its okay to believe the hype. Brittany Anderson had heard so much about The Final Revival of Opal and New by Dawnie Walton that she figured it was worth picking up a copy. Little did she know that through this book, she would enter a world of surprises, secrets and betrayal, where a fictional story felt so real that Brittany learned a lot about herself and society. We were blown away by The Final Revival as well after reading it in preparation for this interview, so we made sure to geek out with Brittany about all of our favorite details and moments from the book. Check this episode out to learn what made a fictional character so relatable to Brittany, how strange the line between fact and fiction can really get, and why culturally responsive educators are critical in today's world. Brittany's Instagram Real Ballers Read Website Real Ballers Read Instagram --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year's Summer Reading Guides, some deep backlist books we think are great for summer reading, and our #1 picks for four categories featured in Sarah's 2022 Summer Reading Guide. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Introducing Summer Shelves (a companion to my Summer Reading Guide)… In addition to my annual 2022 Summer Reading Guide, I'm introducing Summer Shelves, a companion exclusively for Superstars Patrons ($7/mo). Summer Shelves features BACKLIST summer reading recommendations from over 25 former podcast guests and our team members. The Summer Shelves design is clean, crisp, and unique and you'll receive it in a PDF file format via Patreon. If you'd like to get the Summer Shelves companion guide, you can sign up to be a Superstars patron here. You'll also get access to a monthly bonus podcast series called Double Booked (where Catherine or Susie and I share our own book recommendations in the same format as the big show) and my Rock Your Reading Tracker. Our Summer Reading Guides Sarah's 2022 Summer Reading Guide Susie's 2022 Summer Reading Guide Summer Reading [4:23] Books That Missed Last Year's Summer Reading Guides [4:58] Sarah The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale | Amazon | Bookshop.org [5:29] The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun | Amazon | Bookshop.org [11:12] Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography by Laurie Woolever | Amazon | Bookshop.org [17:24]  Susie For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing | Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:29] Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie | Amazon | Bookshop.org [14:06]  Embassy Wife by Katie Crouch | Amazon | Bookshop.org [21:32]  Backlist Books That Are Great for Summer Reading [25:30] Sarah Quicksand by Malin Persson Giolito | Amazon | Bookshop.org [25:53]  Red Notice by Bill Browder | Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:39] The Fever by Megan Abbott | Amazon | Bookshop.org [36:52] Susie Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands by Chris Bohjalian | Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:12]  The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty by Vendela Vida | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:09] The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson | Amazon | Bookshop.org [39:15] Our #1 Summer Picks by Category  [42:08] Something Light / Fun Sarah: Dilettante by Dana Brown | Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:46]  Susie: Cover Story by Susan Rigetti | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:03]  Something Fast Paced / Intense Sarah: Upgrade by Blake Crouch (July 12, 2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:48]  Susie: Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone (May 24, 2022) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [52:52]  Something with a Bit More Substance Sarah: Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus | Amazon | Bookshop.org [56:27]  Susie: Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow | Amazon | Bookshop.org [58:05]  Something Different Sarah: Unlikely Animals by Annie Hartnett | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:01:45]  Susie: This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub | Amazon | Bookshop.org [1:03:23]  Other Books Mentioned The Family by Naomi Krupitsky [6:53]  The Turnout by Megan Abbott [7:01]  Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll [7:21]  My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing [9:35] The Secret History by Donna Tartt [9:48] Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates [9:48] One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London [12:37]  Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston [12:44]  Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid [15:14]  The Ensemble by Aja Gabel [15:14]  Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau [15:14]  The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton [15:14]  The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff [20:08]  The Office by Andy Greene [20:57] Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel [30:15]  Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez [30:41] Moneyball by Michael Lewis [33:21]  We Run the Tides by Vendela Vida [34:17]  Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight [38:18]  My Friend Anna by Rachel DeLoache Williams [45:51]  The Accident by Chris Pavone [55:54]  The Expats by Chris Pavone [56:02]  One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle [1:04:10]  Other Links The New York Times Magazine | What Happened to the Girls in Le Roy About Susie Boutry Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books she read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend's blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of her own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.

In this episode, our hosts discuss the book The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton. There are spoilers in this episode. If you don't mind spoilers continue at your own risk. We recommend picking it up and reading it before listening. Also, pick up their next Page Turners read When Wishes Bleed by Casey L Bond, and join in for the discussion on the next episode.

This month's featured read is The Final Revival of Opal & Nev.Episode contains some spoilers so proceed with caution!

This week's is a wild card episode. We're discussing song lyrics and our favorite musical storytellers. We've also got a game — because you all love to put Alexis on the spot (and Kari is more than happy to oblige).  Joining us this week is acclaimed author Dawnie Walton. A seasoned publication editor turned novelist - Walton has worked for Essence and Entertainment Weekly, to name only a few. Her experience gives her first-hand knowledge of both the music and publishing industries. The Final Revival of Opal and Nev, her debut novel, is a fictional story written as a real-life profile of one of the greatest and most misunderstood rock duos in history. The book details Opal and Nev's rise to fame and the horrific event that led to a man's death, and the band's ostracization by industry insiders and wannabes for years to come. How has music influenced you as a storyteller? LET'S GET LIT!   Find Alexis and Kari online: Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod/; Twitter — twitter.com/litsocietypod; Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod/; and our website www.LitSocietyPod.com. Get in on the conversation by using #booksanddrama.

Dawnie Walton left Jacksonville after high school to pursue a successful career in magazines. Now she returns to town to chat with us about her first novel, which features a music magazine editor on a mission to discover the truth about an enigmatic music duo – a mission which includes a quick trip to Northeast Florida! Dawnie Walton is the author of the novel The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, a “spectacular debut” (Publisher's Weekly, starred review) that has been named one of 2021's most anticipated books by Essence, Vogue, The Oprah Magazine, Elle, The Independent, Lit Hub, PopSugar, The Millions, and Hypebae. Her work as a fiction writer and journalist explores identity, place, and the influence of pop culture. A MacDowell Colony fellow (2015), a Tin House Scholar (2017), and a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop (MFA, 2018), she has worked as an executive-level editor for magazine and multimedia brands including Essence, Entertainment Weekly, Getty Images, and LIFE. A native of Jacksonville, Florida, she lives in Brooklyn. Interviewer Nikesha Elise Williams is a two-time Emmy award winning producer, an award-winning author, and producer and host of the Black & Published podcast. Her latest novel, Beyond Bourbon Street, was awarded Best Fiction by the Black Caucus of African-American Librarians in the 2021 Self-Published eBook Literary Awards. It also received the 2020 Outstanding Book Award from the National Association of Black Journalists. Nikesha is a Chicago native and she attended The Florida State University. Nikesha writes full time with bylines in The Washington Post, ESSENCE, and VOX. Sign Up for Library U to hear about the latest Lit Chats and catch them live! — https://jaxpubliclibrary.org/library-u-enrollment  Dawnie WaltonBorrow Dawnie Walton's books from our catalog Website: dawniewalton.com Twitter: @dawniewalton Nikesha Elise WilliamsBorrow Nikesha Elise Williams' books from our catalog Website: newwrites.com Twitter: @Nikesha_Elise Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: jaxpubliclibrary.org  Twitter: twitter.com/jaxlibrary  Facebook: facebook.com/JaxLibrary  Instagram: instagram.com/jaxlibrary  YouTube: youtube.com/user/jaxpubliclibraryfl  Contact Us: jplpromotions (at) coj.net

In this episode, our hosts discuss the book Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. There are spoilers in this episode. If you don't mind spoilers continue at your own risk. We recommend picking it up and reading it before listening. Also, pick up their next Page Turners read, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton, and join in for the discussion on the next episode.

This week, Emily tells us about queer historical fantasy A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske, while Rebecca shares fictional oral history The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton. We talk about the people who inspired us to write, share the meanings of some gemstones, and Emily has a giggle-induced breakdown!    Thank you to Black Crow and Tor for gifting a copy of A Marvellous Light to Emily.   Our infatuations: A Marvellous Light - Freya Marske The Final Revival of Opal & Nev - Dawnie Walton Mr. Kate - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVPcEbVLQgLZX0Rt6jo34A  Northsiders - Christian Lee Hutson  The Infatuated Mix - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3YjGlH5FkuYe0jLdWTT4oH?si=BmCCbA96TPKD9AJXykhAaA    Follow us: infatuatedpodcast@outlook.com Instagram - https://instagram.com/infatuatedpod Twitter - https://twitter.com/infatuatedpod  Emily's Instagram - https://instagram.com/emiloue_  Emily's Twitter - https://twitter.com/emiloue_ Emily's TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@emiloue Rebecca's Instagram - https://instagram.com/grammour.puss Rebecca's Twitter - https://twitter.com/grammourpuss    Music: https://www.purple-planet.com

Library Gals Go to the Library comes at you every other Friday and is your one stop for reading, watching, listening, and gaming recommendations from your favorite library staff members!  This week's recommendations include a highlighted selection of Audies Award Winners!  Some of our favorite selections include The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton, The Parted Earth by Anjali Enjeti, Clanlands by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish and The Joy of Sweat by Sarah Everts.  Megan from Adult Services at the Orange Branch also joins us for a review of this year's Audies Book of the Year, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.  We also discuss the podcast I Saw What You Did and the newly released film Last Night in SoHo. Music Credit:  Blippy Trance by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5759-blippy-trance License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Dawnie Walton's engaging audiobook is narrated with energy and style by a full cast. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Alan Minskoff discuss this 2022 Audie Award winner in Fiction, a well-imagined take on the music scene of the 1970s. Janina Edwards, who plays central character S. Sunny Curtis, is convincing, thoughtful, and measured. Both Bahni Turpin (Opal) and James Langston (Nev) give their idiosyncratic '70s rockers nuanced portrayals. The story fires on all cylinders as a pop culture history, a finely imagined story, and a self-reflective search. It's often laugh-out-loud funny—a grand listening experience. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Simon & Schuster Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Our Audiobook Break podcast is in its 3rd season, and this time listeners are journeying to Pemberley with narrator Alison Larkin as our guide. Enjoy Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE with new chapters each week, free on the Audiobook Break podcast. This episode of Behind the Mic is sponsored by the audiobook editions of Sherryl Woods's Sweet Magnolias series. With the new season available to watch now on Netflix, now is the time to listen to the entire Sweet Magnolias audiobook series, all brought to you by Dreamscape Media. For more information about Sweet Magnolias, please visit www.Dreamscapepublishing.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To celebrate International Women's day and Women's History Month Jess and Lauren are exclusively reading books written by women all month long. In this week's episode they discuss Dolly Parton's new novel Run Rose Run, as well as their thoughts on the Women's Prize for Fiction longlist. This episode is brought to you by Wild, the UK's number one natural deodorant company that focuses on performance, sustainability and style! Their long lasting deodorants are free of aluminium and parabens, whilst also be cruelty free and vegan. For 15% off your order head to Wearewild.com and use code BOOKS at checkout. Books Mentioned in this Episode: Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson, Final Revivial of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton, The Sentence by Louise French, Build Your House Around My Body by Violet Kupersmith, Flamingo by Rachel Elliot, Careless by Kirsty Capes, Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie. Competition Time: We have partnered with Books That Matter to gift one lucky listener a free Books The Matter gift box! To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is subscribe, rate and review this podcast. If you're listening on Apple Podcasts leave a review and put your Instagram handle as your 'Nickname', if you're listening on another platform, subscribe then share our podcast on your instagram story and we'll track your entry that way. Each month a winner will be selected at random and informed via Instagram. Get in Touch: Instagram: @bookreccos Email: bookreccos@gmail.com Jingle written and produced by Alex Thomas licensed exclusively for Book Reccos

Novelist Dawnie Walton (The Final Revival of Opal and Nev) joins Dave and Joe to discuss the work and enduring influence of trailblazing funk diva Betty Davis, who recently passed away. Dawnie talks about how Betty influenced the protagonist of her acclaimed novel and Joe and Dave dissect and rate Betty's entire recorded output. - official curated playlist by Joe and Dave on Spotify - Betty's first single from 1964, the sassy "Get Ready For Betty" - Clips from the "Tales From The Tour Bus" episode about Betty - The as-of-yet unreleased Crashin' From Passion album, available for listening on YouTube --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/discograffiti/message

Nicole and Gayle do a recap of what they are currently reading or have finished reading. Then, they jump to present the new Paperbacks that just came out or are about to be! As always you can find below the whole booklist they run through during the episode: Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez | https://amzn.to/34pDmfX (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9781250786173 (Bookshop) Vladimir by Julia May Jonas | https://amzn.to/3LpocYB (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9781982187637 (Bookshop) The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen | https://amzn.to/3M0l6KM (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9781250273208 (Bookshop) Leave The World Behind by Rumaan Alam | https://amzn.to/35rLM6g (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9780062667632 (Bookshop) The Push by Ashley Audrain | https://amzn.to/3t1kSc9 (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9781984881663 (Bookshop) The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett | https://amzn.to/3HjqDJ0 (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9780525536291 (Bookshop) Too Good To Be True by Carola Loverin | https://amzn.to/3gEYO39 (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9781250271372 (Bookshop) Educated by Tara Westover | https://amzn.to/3j60nHU (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9780399590504 (Bookshop) Geography of an Adultery by Agnes Riva | https://amzn.to/35rOw3y (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9781590511107 (Bookshop) Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro | https://amzn.to/33tNGmF (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9780593318171 (Bookshop) Find Me by Alafair Burke | https://amzn.to/33LWbcC (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9780062853363 (Bookshop) True Crime Story by Joseph Knox | https://www.amazon.com/True-Crime-Story-Joseph-Knox-ebook/dp/B08HGMDNP2/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=True-Crime-Story&qid=1644519273&sr=8-1 (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9781728245867 (Bookshop) Like A Sister by Kellye Garrett | https://amzn.to/3BOyRYq (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9780316256704 (Bookshop) The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict | https://amzn.to/3yLs7by (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9781492682721 (Bookshop) Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel | https://amzn.to/350kgxd (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9780804172448 (Bookshop) Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri | https://amzn.to/3lZe1Qh (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9780593318317 (Bookshop) The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton | https://amzn.to/2VU2XIY (Amazon) | https://bookshop.org/a/2143/9781982140168 (Bookshop)

Black cake by Charmaine Wilkerson is about family, love, pride, tradition, and lies | Book Review Podcast Website: https://gobookmart.com Buy Now: https://amzn.to/331uxbp “Black Cake is a satisfying literary meal, heralding the arrival of a new novelist to watch.” —Associated Press “A stellar first-time entry from a talented new writer that's full of food, surfing, and rich patois.”—BET “Crafted with delicate intention and textured with a blend of perspectives.”—Vulture “I was instantly taken in by this multigenerational tale of identity, family, and the lifelong push and pull of home. This novel has a tremendous heart at its center, and I felt its beat on every page. What an extraordinary debut.”—Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes “Exquisite and expansive, Black Cake took ahold of me from the first page and didn't let go. This is a novel about the formation and reformation of a family, and the many people, places, and events that can shape our inheritances without our knowing. A gripping, poignant debut from an important, new voice.”—Naima Coster, New York Times bestselling author of What's Mine and Yours “Black Cake has all the ingredients of the tastiest stories: secrets, romance, danger, and a cast of characters so real you want to scream at them one moment and hug them the next.”—Dawnie Walton, author of The Final Revival of Opal & Nev “So beautifully written I'm struggling to believe it's a debut . . . The cake is the glue that holds all the layers together and the scenes are so well drawn I could almost taste the cake, feel the warm sea on my skin.”—Nikki May, author of Wahala --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/gobookmart-review/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gobookmart-review/support

WAPL librarians Sarah and Desirae discuss fabulous fiction by Black authors for Black History Month. They chat about Brit Bennett's The Vanishing Half, as well as other novels they recommend. Plus, they talk about why some audiobooks delight them and others annoy them, as well as why they aren't put off by unlikable characters. Titles and authors discussed in this episode include: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton, These Toxic Things and Land of Shadows by Rachel Howzell Hall, and Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid. Also mentioned: Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid and the films Passing and Imitation of Life. Music: Tim Moor via Pixabay

Author Dawnie Walton talks with hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot about what inspired her debut novel, The Final Revival of Opal and Nev, a fantasy rock history about a fierce black singer in the 1970s. Plus Jim and Greg talk with Merry Clayton, whose iconic performance on "Gimme Shelter" still didn't make her a household name. Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3sivr9TBecome a member on Patreon: https://bit.ly/3slWZvcSign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/3eEvRnGMake a donation via PayPal: https://bit.ly/3dmt9lURecord a Voice Memo: https://bit.ly/2RyD5Ah Featured Songs:Merry Clayton, "Southern Man," Merry Clayton, Ode, 1971Material, "Bustin' Out," Bustin' Out, Celluloid, 1981Talking Heads, "Slippery People (Live)," Stop Making Sense, Sire, 1984Betty Davis, "Dedicated To the Press," Nasty Gal, Island, 1975Betty Davis, "They Say I'm Different," They Say I'm Different, Just Sunshine, 1974The Rolling Stones, "Gimme Shelter," Let It Bleed, Decca, 1969Bobby Darin, "Who Can I Count On?," You're the Reason I'm Living, Capitol, 1963Elvis Presley, "Happy Ending," It All Happened At the World's Fair (Original Soundtrack), RCA Victor, 1963Ray Charles, "I Won't Leave," A Portrait of Ray, ABC, 1968Lynyrd Skynyrd, "Sweet Home Alabama," Second Helping, MCA, 1974Merry Clayton, "Touch The Hem Of His Garment," Beautiful Scars, Ode Sounds & Visuals, 2021Merry Clayton, "A Song For You," Merry Clayton, Ode, 1971Merry Clayton, "Deliverance," Beautiful Scars, Ode Sounds & Visuals, 2021Lil Nas X, "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)," Montero, Columbia, 2021

It is time for our annual Toni Morrison episode of The Stacks as part of The Stacks Book Club. We are discussing Morrison's third novel, Song of Solomon, and to help us dissect this sweeping story we've brought back author Dawnie Walton (The Final Revival of Opal and Nev). On the show we discuss this book as part of the conversation for "the great American novel", gush over our favorite characters and scenes, and so much more.There are spoilers on this episode.You can find links to everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestackspodcast.com/2021/11/24/ep-191-song-of-solomonBe sure to listen to the end of the episode to hear what our December book club pick will be.Connect with Dawnie: Twitter | Instagram | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | SubscribeSUPPORT THE STACKSJoin The Stacks Pack on PatreonProse - get 15% off your first order of Prose haircare products when you head to prose.com/thestacks.Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On this episode we are joined by author, linguist, and podcast host Amanda Montell. Amanda is the author of Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism and Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language. We use her books as a lens to discuss the relationship of language to power and community, the ways women continue to be at the forefront of language innovation, and to look at cultural normativity.The Stacks Book Club selection for November is Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, we will discuss the book on November 24th with Dawnie Walton.Connect with Amanda: Instagram | Twitter | Website | Sounds Like a Cult PodcastConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | SubscribeSUPPORT THE STACKSJoin The Stacks Pack on PatreonBombas - get 20% off your first order with Bombas by using code THESTACKS at checkout.Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our guest today is Dr. Myisha Cherry, a philosopher, professor, and author, whose work focuses on emotions and attitudes in public life. Her latest book is The Case for Rage: Why Anger is Essential to Anti-Racist Struggle. Myisha shares why we must embrace our rage if we want to improve our society, how we've been socialized around anger, and how allies can cause harm.You can find links to everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestackspodcast.com/2021/11/10/ep-189-myisha-cherryThe Stacks Book Club selection for November is Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, we will discuss the book on November 24th with Dawnie Walton.Connect with Myisha: Twitter | Instagram | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | SubscribeSUPPORT THE STACKSJoin The Stacks Pack on PatreonLibro.Fm - use promo code THESTACKS to get 2 audiobooks for the price of 1 and to support your favorite independent bookstore.Plum Deluxe - get 10% off your order tea order by going to plumdeluxe.com and using the code THESTACKS at checkout.Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dawnie Walton reads an excerpt from "The Final Revival of Opal & Nev," backed by an original Storybound remix, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Dawnie Walton's work as a fiction writer and journalist explores identity, place, and the influence of pop culture. A MacDowell Colony fellow (2015), a Tin House Scholar (2017), and a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop (MFA, 2018), she has worked as an executive-level editor for magazine and multimedia brands including Essence, Entertainment Weekly, Getty Images, and LIFE. A native of Jacksonville, Florida, she lives in Brooklyn. Support Storybound by supporting our sponsors: Norton brings you Michael Lewis' The Premonition: A Pandemic Story, a nonfiction thriller that pits a band of medical visionaries against a wall of ignorance as the COVID-19 pandemic looms. Scribd combines the latest technology with the best human minds to recommend content that you'll love. Go to try.scribd.com/storybound to get 60 days of Scribd for free. Acorn.tv is the largest commercial free British streaming service with hundreds of exclusive shows from around the world. Try acorn.tv for free for 30 days by going to acorn.tv and using promo code Storybound. Match with a licensed therapist when you go to talkspace.com and get $100 off your first month with the promo code STORYBOUND Visit betterhelp.com/Storybound and join the over 2,000,000 people who have taken charge of their mental health with the help of an experienced professional ButcherBox sources their meat from partners with the highest standards for quality. Go to ButcherBox.com/STORYBOUND to receive a FREE turkey in your first box. Storybound is hosted by Jude Brewer and brought to you by The Podglomerate and Lit Hub Radio. Let us know what you think of the show on Instagram and Twitter @storyboundpod. *** This show is a part of the Podglomerate network, a company that produces, distributes, and monetizes podcasts. We encourage you to visit the website and sign up for our newsletter for more information about our shows, launches, and events. For more information on how The Podglomerate treats data, please see our Privacy Policy.  Since you're listening to Storybound, you might enjoy reading, writing, and storytelling. We'd like to suggest you also try the History of Literature or Book Dreams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There was a time when the kind of music you listened to could fully define the kind of lifestyle you led, says Dawnie Walton, author of The Final Revival of Opal and Nev. It's less restricting now, but your taste in music can still say quite a bit about who you are. In her book and in Tiphanie Yanique's novel Monster in the Middle, music plays at the center of its characters' stories, as they wrestle with figuring out who they are in their relationships, with significant others and their families. NPR's Scott Simon talks with each author about it in today's episode.

Our guest today is journalist and editor Dawnie Walton, she is the debut author behind one of this year's most talked about novels, The Final Revival of Opal and Nev. Dawnie shares her research process, how oral histories can elevate fictional characters, and the rock stars that inspired her own rock icon.You can find links to everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' Website: https://thestackspodcast.com/2021/11/03/ep-188-dawnie-waltonThe Stacks Book Club selection for November is Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, we will discuss the book on November 24th with Dawnie Walton.Connect with Dawnie: Twitter | Instagram | WebsiteConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | SubscribeSUPPORT THE STACKSJoin The Stacks Pack on PatreonBetter Help - To enjoy 10% off your first month of Better Help counseling head to betterhelp.com/thestacks.Purchasing books through Bookshop.org or Amazon earns The Stacks a small commission. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

“Pantser” Award winning author and Denison U. prof Michael Croley joins David and Torie. They love/hate Katie Couric's new book and agree/disagree on the latest literary scandal (men posing as a female author). Nobody wins the “worst review ever” contest. Jason Reynolds said “..I'm so happy Dawnie Walton has arrived.” So are we, and we're glad she zoomed in to talk about The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, a wildly creative look at identity, bigotry, love and politics through the life of a 1970s Black punk artist, performing way before her time.

Geoff is back living out his lifetime loves of surfing and music through fiction. The first book discussed is Paul Theroux's Under the Wave at Waimea.  Set in Hawaii, this epic novel follows the life of aging surfer Joe Sharkey as he grapples with a fatal accident that forces him to face down his past. The second book, The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton, is a  rock novel set in the 1970s. Cleverly written as an oral history, this book by first-time author Walton examines gender inequality, race and pop culture through the lens of the music industry. The audio version of this book features several voice actors and makes for a compelling listening experience that blurs the line between fiction and reality.Book and resources discussed:100 Foot Wave, HBOUnder the Wave at Waimea by Paul TherouxThe Mosquito Coast by Paul TherouxThe Mosquito Coast, Apple TVThe Great Railway Bizarre by Paul TherouxDaisy and the Six by Taylor Jenkins ReidCrossroads by Jonathan FranzenThe Corrections by Jonathan FranzenGreat Circle: A Novel by Maggie ShipsteadThe Broom of the System by David Foster WallaceInfinite Jest by David Foster WallaceFollow Red Fern Book Review:Instagram: @redfernbookreviewFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/redfernbookreview/Newsletter: https://redfernwriting.com/newsletter

This week, Alexis puts Kari on the spot, for a change, with a game she invented based on the music of the '70s. Will Kari emerge the winner or suffer a defeat so humiliating that she quits the podcast and moves to Florida. Stay tuned. Then, it's on to our book: A fictional story, written as a brilliant profile on one of the greatest and most misunderstood rock duos in history. Think Mick Jagger and Tina Turner - or Grace Jones + David Bowie. It interviews those responsible for Opal and Nev's rise to fame. Each producer, bandmate, and agent tell their side of who the two stars were and what role they played in the horrific event that led to a man's death and Opal and Nev's ostracization by industry insiders and wannabes for years to come. Find Alexis and Kari online:  Instagram — www.instagram.com/litsocietypod;  Twitter — www.twitter.com/litsocietypod;  Facebook — www.facebook.com/LitSocietyPod;  Website — www.LitSocietyPod.com

In this episode, Gabi and Megan interview Nnenna Odeluga @scsreads about the many industries she has worked in, how she balances work with her blog, and of course, her books.Nnenna's Interview with Zakiya Dalila Harris, author of The Other Black GirlNnenna's Interview with Dawnie Walton, author of The Final Revival of Opal and Nev Books Discussed:A book you recently loved:Nnenna's Pick: The Heart Principle by Helen HoangMegan's Pick: Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi Gabi's Pick: Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney A book you always recommend:Nnenna's Pick: Legendborn by Tracy DeonnMegan's Pick: Happily Ever Afters by Elise BryantGabi's Pick: Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda HolmesA new release you're excited about: Nnenna's Pick: To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara Megan's Pick: Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony DoerrGabi's Pick: The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox

Join the kiki of Trish & Alanna as they discuss Dawnie Walton debut novel.

On this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with journalist and author, Dawnie Walton about her debut novel, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev. Dawnie is a Jacksonville native. She worked as an executive-level editor for magazine and multimedia brands including Essence, Entertainment Weekly, Getty Images, and LIFE before she decided to take a leap of faith and pursue her passion for fiction. A MacDowell Colony fellow (2015) and Tin House Scholar (2017), Dawnie earned her MFA from the Iowa Writers's Workshop in 2018.  She has been hailed as a "bold new voice in contemporary fiction" with her novel's fictional oral history of a Black punk rocker in 1970s New York. Episode NotesOn this episode of Black & Published, Nikesha is speaking with journalist and author, Dawnie Walton about her debut novel, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev. Dawnie is a Jacksonville native. She worked as an executive-level editor for magazine and multimedia brands including Essence, Entertainment Weekly, Getty Images, and LIFE before she decided to take a leap of faith and pursue her passion for fiction. A MacDowell Colony fellow (2015) and Tin House Scholar (2017), Dawnie earned her MFA from the Iowa Writers's Workshop in 2018.  She has been hailed as a "bold new voice in contemporary fiction" with her novel's fictional oral history of a Black punk rocker in 1970s New York. During the interview, Dawnie discusses the role music has played over the course of her life, not seeing herself reflected in her favorite genre, and making the switch from journalism to fiction writing in her 40s. She also talks about the discipline required as a writer, especially when you don't have a publishing deal and you're making your own deadlines. ***Follow @Nikesha_Elise on Twitter and Instagram and check out her latest novel Beyond Bourbon Street available everywhere books are sold. Don't forget to subscribe to Black & Published on your podcast platform of choice as well as rate and review. If you have thoughts, feedback, or questions about the episode, hit us up at @blkandpublished on Twitter and Instagramusing the hashtag #blackandpublished. 

Extended interviews by Kate Evans with writers Taylor Jenkins Reid (Malibu Rising and Daisy Jones and the Six) and Dawnie Walton (The Final Revival of Opal and Nev), following on from the recent music-and-fiction Book Club, and finding the 'bookshelf that made me' for both these writers

Double J's Zan Rowe and music journalist and novelist Barry Divola join Kate and Cassie as they talk music in books, focusing on Dawnie Walton's The Final Revival of Opal and Nev and Patti Smith's Just Kids (with bookish recommendations from musicians Amy Shark, Robert Forster and Emma Swift)

Dawnie Walton launches her debut novel, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, a fictional oral history of a 1970s rock 'n' roll duo, in conversation with fellow author Kiley Reid (author of Such a Fun Age).  The two women talk about the challenges of writing about music and juggling multiple voices, their overlapping experiences with the Iowa Writers Workshop, and creating characters they wished existed in reality. (Recorded March 30, 2021)

Episode 1 of Season 2 is the magnificent Dawnie Walton. The final revival of Opal & Nev is a brilliant novel about two superstar musicians who combine on and off stage. It's written like an oral history you might encounter in Rolling Stone or Q magazine. It's SO good, Phil had to google Opal Jewel because he thought she must've been a real singer he hadn't heard of. High Quality fiction at it's best, championed on this podcast by Natalie. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, August and Kendra recommend some vacation reads. Everyone looks for a different experience when reading on their vacation, so the hosts offer their own preferences and what makes a book a vacation read for them (big surprise, they have very different picks!). This episode is completely spoiler-free. Books mentioned in the episode: Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino (2019) Home by Toni Morrison (2012) Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion(1968) Laura by Vera Casparay (1943) Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu (2020) A Burning by Megha Majumdar (2020) White Teeth by Zadie Smith (2000) The Thief's Journal by Jean Genet (1949) The Real Lolita by Sarah Weinman (2018) Ariadne by Jennifer Saint (2021) A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams (1947) No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy (2005) The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector (1977) Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng (2014) Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith (1950) Lord of the Flies by William Golding (1954) Mystic River by Dennis Lehane (2001) The World's Wife by Carol Ann Duffy (1999) The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (2020) Dear Girls by Ali Wong (2019) The Maidens by Alex Michaelides (2021) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton (2020) My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russel (2020) Anxious People by Fredrick Backman (2019) If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin (1974) The Fever by Megan Abbott (2014) The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (2019) Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (2011)

This week we sit down with the very talented Dawnie Walton, whose brilliant debut novel, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, has been named one of the most anticipated books of 2021 by Essence, Vogue, O Magazine, Elle, Lit Hub, and The Independent. Listen to hear Dawnie talk about making the career transition from journalism to fiction author, how the story of Opal & Nev came to be, and the approach she takes to crafting a novel. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now that many of us are getting vaccinated, and can begin to contemplate vacationing, and going places again, it's time to consider who, and what, to take along for the ride. I'm Lisa Morgan and today on The Weekly Reader, our book critic Marion Winik reviews two new audio books that are perfect companions for your next road trip: The Mirror and the Light, by Hilary Mantel and The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DAWNIE WALTON is a fiction writer and journalist whose work explores identity, place, and the influence of pop culture. She has won fellowships from MacDowell and the Tin House Summer Workshop, and earned her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Previously she worked as an executive-level editor for magazine and multimedia brands including Essence, Entertainment Weekly, Getty Images, and LIFE. A native of Jacksonville, Florida, she lives with her husband in Brooklyn. The ecstatic early reader response to the debut novel The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by former magazine editor Dawnie Walton (37 Ink/Simon & Schuster; Hardcover) is unlike any in Simon & Schuster's recent history. Opal Jewel is the proudly Black, female, in-your-face-with-heropinions, Afro-punk pioneer the author wished she'd had the opportunity to idolize when she was 14 and obsessed with rock music. So in the Toni Morrison tradition (“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it”), she brought Opal to the page—bald-headed, goldsuited, and fierce as Grace Jones or Tina Turner. The result is an electric, kaleidoscopic journey told in an oral-history structure of the rise and fall of the fictional early-1970s rock ‘n’ roll duo Opal & Nev. But underneath the colorful characters, bumping concerts, and wild wardrobes, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev is a study of gender disparities, race relations, class, infidelity, tragedy, and moral choices on the road to fame and success.

Dawnie Walton's novel, 'The Final Revival of Opal & Nev,' is a faux oral history about a '70s interracial rock duo. Opal is a Black proto Afro-punk singer from Detroit, and Nev is a goofy white British singer-songwriter. Walton was inspired by Grace Jones, Betty Davis, Elton John and Bowie. We talk with Walton about how her career in journalism and her taste in music growing up informed the book.Maureen Corrigan reviews 2 suspense novels: 'A Lonely Man,' by Chris Power, and 'The Plot,' by Jean Hanff Korelitz.Juneteenth, formerly Emancipation Day or Jubilee, celebrates the day slavery ended in Texas, June 19, 1865. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed studies the early American republic and the legacy of slavery. Her book is 'On Juneteenth.'

Dawnie Walton's novel, 'The Final Revival of Opal & Nev,' is a faux oral history about a '70s interracial rock duo. Opal is a Black proto Afro-punk singer from Detroit, and Nev is a goofy white British singer-songwriter. Walton was inspired by Grace Jones, Betty Davis, Elton John and Bowie. We talk with Walton about how her career in journalism and her taste in music growing up informed the book.Maureen Corrigan reviews 2 suspense novels: 'A Lonely Man,' by Chris Power, and 'The Plot,' by Jean Hanff Korelitz.Juneteenth, formerly Emancipation Day or Jubilee, celebrates the day slavery ended in Texas, June 19, 1865. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed studies the early American republic and the legacy of slavery. Her book is 'On Juneteenth.'