Podcasts about Electric Literature

Cinelle Barnes joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about her brain aneurism rupture, writing a memoir two years after brain surgery, the healing modality that is writing personal narrative, memoir as a palimpsest, having multiple memoirs, narrating from the perspective of the adult, choosing to be in a place of discovery, alternating timelines, offloading thoughts onto sticky notes, when writing becomes episodic and collage like, gratitude as fertilizer for the brain, holding onto our words and art to keep holding onto who we are, investigating the many selves within the self, and her new memoir A Way Home: A Memoir of Losing Yourself and the Beauty of Returning.   Ronit's upcoming workshop: Writing Dynamic Memoir: From Lived Experience to Gripping Story https://www.lmcmurtrylitcenter.org/workshops/writing-dynamic-memoir-from-lived-experience-to-gripping-story   Also in this episode: -micromemoirs -fostering neuroplasticity -changing as we explore   Books mentioned in this episode:  -Easy Beauty by Chloe Cooper Jones -Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy -The Man Who Could Move Clouds by Ingrid Contreras   Cinelle Barnes is the Philippine-born author of Monsoon Mansion: A Memoir, Malaya: Essays on Freedom, and A Way Home: A Memoir of Losing Yourself and the Beauty of Returning. She is also the editor of the New York Times “New and Noteworthy” A Measure of Belonging: Twenty-One Writers of Color on the New American South. Cinelle is a survivor of a brain aneurysm rupture and sits on the Brain Injury Leadership Council of South Carolina, and is the recipient of awards and fellowships from the Sustainable Arts Fund, the Authors League Fund, the National Endowment for the Arts, South Arts, and the North American Travel Journalists Association, among others. She has served on the jury panels for several literary awards, including the inaugural Pulitzer Prize for Memoir. Her writing has appeared in Coastal Living, Travel + Leisure, Buzzfeed, Catapult, Electric Literature, and Longreads, among others. Cinelle lives in Charleston, SC, with her husband, daughter, and cat.    Connect with Cinelle: Webiste: cinellebarnes.com Instagram: @cinellebarnesbooks   Purchase Book via Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-way-home-a-memoir-of-losing-yourself-and-the-beauty-of-returning-cinelle-barnes/1a3f1cce1c657294?ean=9781662510618&next=t   - Ronit Plank bio and links:  Ronit Plank is a writer, teacher, and editor whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, Poets & Writers, River Teeth's Beautiful Things, The Rumpus, Salon, Hippocampus, The New York Times, and elsewhere, earning Best of the Net, Best Microfiction, and multiple Pushcart Prize nominations. Her memoir When She Comes Back was a Book Riot Best True Crime Book and Kirkus Reviews calls it, “An intimate, intuitive, emotionally vivid family account that finds hope in reconciliation". Ronit is also the author of the award-winning short story collection Home is a Made-Up Place, and her work has been anthologized in Selected Memories, Vol. 2: 15 Years of Hippocampus Magazine and Manna Songs: Stories of Jewish Culture and Heritage. Ronit is the Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, teaches memoir at a host of venues including the University of Washington's Continuum Program, Antioch University, and 92NY's Roundtable, and is host of the podcast Let's Talk Memoir and the Substack Let's Talk Memoir. Find her on social media @ronitplank   Website: www.ronitplank.com Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ When She Comes Back: https://ronitplank.com/when-she-comes-back/

Ro Skelton speaks to Emily Everett about her essay “Naow's Boutique,” which appears in The Common's fall issue. The essay explores Ro's time living and working in Dakar, where she formed a friendship in her neighborhood that eventually led to a sense of community, and then a community garden, and then a lifelong friendship. Ro also discusses how the essay fits into her focus as a writer – writing about gardening in unconventional spaces – and her memoir-in-progress on the subject, Easement. Ro Skelton is a writer and gardener from Scotland. She is currently working on her first book, Easement, a memoir about mental health, queer parenting, and radical acts of gardening. Her work has appeared in Four Way Review, Waxwing, New Ohio Review, and Ecotone. Previously a reporter in West Africa and a member of an ocean-going rescue crew, she now lives and gardens on the Isle of Mull. ­­Read the essay in The Common here. Learn more about Ro and her work at here. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine at thecommononline.org, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. In 2025 her debut novel All That Life Can Afford was a Reese's Book Club pick, and her work appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column. Previous publications include the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Ro Skelton speaks to Emily Everett about her essay “Naow's Boutique,” which appears in The Common's fall issue. The essay explores Ro's time living and working in Dakar, where she formed a friendship in her neighborhood that eventually led to a sense of community, and then a community garden, and then a lifelong friendship. Ro also discusses how the essay fits into her focus as a writer – writing about gardening in unconventional spaces – and her memoir-in-progress on the subject, Easement. Ro Skelton is a writer and gardener from Scotland. She is currently working on her first book, Easement, a memoir about mental health, queer parenting, and radical acts of gardening. Her work has appeared in Four Way Review, Waxwing, New Ohio Review, and Ecotone. Previously a reporter in West Africa and a member of an ocean-going rescue crew, she now lives and gardens on the Isle of Mull. ­­Read the essay in The Common here. Learn more about Ro and her work at here. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine at thecommononline.org, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. In 2025 her debut novel All That Life Can Afford was a Reese's Book Club pick, and her work appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column. Previous publications include the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

Ro Skelton speaks to Emily Everett about her essay “Naow's Boutique,” which appears in The Common's fall issue. The essay explores Ro's time living and working in Dakar, where she formed a friendship in her neighborhood that eventually led to a sense of community, and then a community garden, and then a lifelong friendship. Ro also discusses how the essay fits into her focus as a writer – writing about gardening in unconventional spaces – and her memoir-in-progress on the subject, Easement. Ro Skelton is a writer and gardener from Scotland. She is currently working on her first book, Easement, a memoir about mental health, queer parenting, and radical acts of gardening. Her work has appeared in Four Way Review, Waxwing, New Ohio Review, and Ecotone. Previously a reporter in West Africa and a member of an ocean-going rescue crew, she now lives and gardens on the Isle of Mull. ­­Read the essay in The Common here. Learn more about Ro and her work at here. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine at thecommononline.org, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. In 2025 her debut novel All That Life Can Afford was a Reese's Book Club pick, and her work appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column. Previous publications include the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"It all has to come from within. So we each have to be in conversation with ourselves and with the work. It's really a relationship, not a project," says Ramona Ausubel, author of Unstuck: A Writer's Guide.Today we have Ramona Ausubel, author of Unstuck: A Writer's Guide. It's published by Tin House.Ramona's curriculum vitae is pretty dope. She's the author of the novels The Last Animal, Sons and Daughters of East and Plenty and No One is Here Except All of Us and the craft book Unstuck: 101 Doorways Leading from the Blank Page to the Last Page.Had a TON of fun with this one and it's a craft bomb.Ramona's work has appeared in The New Yorker, Tin House, The New York Times, Electric Literature, and The Paris Review online. She has taught with Tin House, Bread Loaf, and she's a professor at Colorado State University.This is a really fun and really crafty chat. We talk about: Why people want to be writers in the first place The people who stick around Coming up with ways through It's a relationship not a project No writing is ever wasted Nobody needs a kind-of-written book Submission clubs The offering is the action Community Shame, doubt, and envy Lifelong process of voice Inviting in other influences When querying asking 'who will you be?' PlatformYou can learn more about Ramona at ramonaausubel.com and follow her on Instagram @ramonaausubel.If you like this episode, I would definitely check out: Eps. 48 and 207 with Roy Peter Clark Ep. 49 with Dinty W. Moore Ep. 50 with Ted Conover

Step inside a 1980s Kentucky department store as Kayla Rae Whitaker shares the family secrets and ambition behind her novel Returns & Exchanges. Book Gang welcomes acclaimed author Kayla Rae Whitaker to discuss her much-anticipated new novel, Returns & Exchanges. Whitaker's immersive storytelling and meticulous research bring the 1980s era and its consumer culture to vibrant life. Set in Kentucky during the 1980s, this sweeping family drama follows Fred and Fran, a couple whose rags-to-riches ascent as department store owners brings both fortune and unexpected turmoil. As their business thrives, the family's personal lives become increasingly complicated in this messy family saga. Through multiple perspectives and intricate subplots, the novel explores themes of identity, desire, mental health, and the complexities of the American dream in this page-turning story. In this warm and insightful conversation, we discuss:

A. J. Bermudez speaks to Emily Everett about her story “The Sixteenth Brother,” which appears in The Common's fall issue. With a fable-like feel, the story explores the dynamics of family and gender roles in Morocco, as fifteen brothers scheme to convince their youngest sibling to allow the sale of the family's ancient and opulent riyad. A. J. discusses the story's framing device—a storyteller relaying it, almost like gossip—and how it creates both intimacy and distance. She also talks about her work in film, and the interplay between writing for the page and for the screen. A. J. Bermudez is an award-winning writer and director who divides her time between Los Angeles and New York. She is the author of Stories No One Hopes Are About Them, winner of the Iowa Short Fiction Award and a Lambda Literary Award finalist. She is a recipient of the PAGE Award, the Diverse Voices Award, the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize, the Pushcart Prize, and the Steinbeck Fellowship. In addition to writing and filmmaking, she is also a former boxer and EMT, and her work gravitates toward contemporary intersections of power, privilege, and place. ­­Read the story in The Common here. Learn more about A. J. and her work here. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine here, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. In 2025 her debut novel All That Life Can Afford was a Reese's Book Club pick, and her work appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column. Previous publications include the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

A. J. Bermudez speaks to Emily Everett about her story “The Sixteenth Brother,” which appears in The Common's fall issue. With a fable-like feel, the story explores the dynamics of family and gender roles in Morocco, as fifteen brothers scheme to convince their youngest sibling to allow the sale of the family's ancient and opulent riyad. A. J. discusses the story's framing device—a storyteller relaying it, almost like gossip—and how it creates both intimacy and distance. She also talks about her work in film, and the interplay between writing for the page and for the screen. A. J. Bermudez is an award-winning writer and director who divides her time between Los Angeles and New York. She is the author of Stories No One Hopes Are About Them, winner of the Iowa Short Fiction Award and a Lambda Literary Award finalist. She is a recipient of the PAGE Award, the Diverse Voices Award, the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize, the Pushcart Prize, and the Steinbeck Fellowship. In addition to writing and filmmaking, she is also a former boxer and EMT, and her work gravitates toward contemporary intersections of power, privilege, and place. ­­Read the story in The Common here. Learn more about A. J. and her work here. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine here, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. In 2025 her debut novel All That Life Can Afford was a Reese's Book Club pick, and her work appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column. Previous publications include the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

A. J. Bermudez speaks to Emily Everett about her story “The Sixteenth Brother,” which appears in The Common's fall issue. With a fable-like feel, the story explores the dynamics of family and gender roles in Morocco, as fifteen brothers scheme to convince their youngest sibling to allow the sale of the family's ancient and opulent riyad. A. J. discusses the story's framing device—a storyteller relaying it, almost like gossip—and how it creates both intimacy and distance. She also talks about her work in film, and the interplay between writing for the page and for the screen. A. J. Bermudez is an award-winning writer and director who divides her time between Los Angeles and New York. She is the author of Stories No One Hopes Are About Them, winner of the Iowa Short Fiction Award and a Lambda Literary Award finalist. She is a recipient of the PAGE Award, the Diverse Voices Award, the Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize, the Pushcart Prize, and the Steinbeck Fellowship. In addition to writing and filmmaking, she is also a former boxer and EMT, and her work gravitates toward contemporary intersections of power, privilege, and place. ­­Read the story in The Common here. Learn more about A. J. and her work here. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine here, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. In 2025 her debut novel All That Life Can Afford was a Reese's Book Club pick, and her work appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column. Previous publications include the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of Moonbeaming is proudly sponsored by Clear Channels, the Moon Studio's upcoming newsletter and channeling course. Use code POD10 for 10% off through May 10th at midnight. What happens to your creativity when life gets full? In this deeply honest and expansive conversation, Sarah is joined by writer, artist, and creativity coach Catherine LaSota to explore what it actually means to live a creative life… especially when time, energy, and capacity are limited. Together, they dive into creativity as a practice of trust, presence, and self-definition, and unpack the tension between who we think we “should” be as artists and who we actually are in our real lives. On this episode of Moon Beaming, you'll hear: Why creativity is not just output How to stay connected to your creative identity during intense life seasons The role of time, capacity, and emotional energy in creative practice Why “not creating” is sometimes part of the creative cycle How caregiving, parenting, and real life can expand your creativity The connection between creativity, trust, and surrender Why defining yourself as an artist is an internal practice This episode is an invitation to redefine what it means to be creative, to honor the season you're in, and to trust that your creativity is still alive… even when it looks different than you expected. ----- Meet Catharine:  Catherine LaSota is a creative advisor & inspirer who is here to help you build and sustain a creative practice that works for you, taking into account your resources, capacity, deep desires, and unique vision. She parents two young children in Queens, NYC, and in addition to her MFAs in Sculpture and Creative Nonfiction, she has professional training and experience as a coach, singer, French horn player, and advanced SCUBA diver. A former bartender and retail manager, Catherine is also the founder of the LIC Reading Series, the former Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Social Difference at Columbia, and the current Associate Director of Social Practice CUNY. Her writing can be found in Literary Hub, Vice, The Rumpus, Electric Literature, Catapult, and elsewhere. She offers 1-on-1 coaching for writers and anyone ready to prioritize their creativity; online workshops; in-person writing parties; and occasional retreats. Catherine loves being in conversation and listening deeply, and you can hear more from her on Feed the Art, her podcast about nourishing your creative practice. website: catherinelasota.com Instagram: @catherinelasota Feed the Art podcast on Apple free resource: Creative Containers interview series ---  Join The Moonbeaming Community: Join the Moon Studio Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/themoonstudio Buy the 2026 Many Moons Lunar Planner: https://moon-studio.co/products/many-moons-2026?srsltid=AfmBOopThx1yrmKl0tMjecc_EFeeN5DAiIafqPqvQ4Uke1WEi5droeam Subscribe to our newsletter: https://moon-studio.co/pages/newsletter Find Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gottesss/

Julian Zabalbeascoa is the author of the debut novel called What We Tried to Bury Grows Here, available now in trade paperback from Two Dollar Radio. It was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. A dual citizen of Spain and the US, Julian Zabalbeascoa was born and raised in California's Central Valley. He earned his MFA in Creative Writing in Madrid from the University of New Orleans and taught at various institutions throughout California before moving to Boston, where he now teaches in the Honors College at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, leading annual study abroad programs to Donostia-San Sebastian, Havana, Madrid, Paris, and Seville. Among other journals, his stories have appeared in American Short Fiction, Boulevard, The Common, Electric Literature, The Gettysburg Review, Glimmer Train, One Story, and Ploughshares. His interviews and reviews have been published in The Believer, Electric Literature, The Millions, and Salamander. *** ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Otherppl with Brad Listi⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a weekly podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, etc. Get ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How to Write a Novel,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the debut audio course from DeepDive. 50+ hours of never-before-heard insight, inspiration, and instruction from dozens of today's most celebrated contemporary authors. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Brad's email newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Email the show: letters [at] otherppl [dot] com The podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠proud affiliate partner of Bookshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, working to support local, independent bookstores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Welcome to Harshaneeyam. Today, we delve into a powerful work of Bulgarian literature that has recently made its way to the 2026 International Booker Prize shortlist: 'She Who Remains' by Renée Karbash.The novel explores the life of a 'sworn virgin'—a woman who, according to an ancient Balkan tradition, takes a vow of celibacy and lives as a man to gain the rights and status reserved for men in a patriarchal society. However, Karbash moves beyond the tradition itself to examine the psychological weight of this choice. It is a story about identity, the cost of survival, and the profound isolation that comes with erasing one's past.Joining us to discuss this work is the English translator Izidora Angel. Having translated other notable Bulgarian writers like Natalia Deleva, Izidora found this particular project to be uniquely challenging and innovative.In our conversation, she talks about the experience of the book being recognized by the International Booker Prize—from the initial longlist to the formal invitation to London. We also discuss her translation process, specifically how she approached Karbash's experimental style and the linguistic shifts required to capture a character who transitions between a female past and a male present. It is a fascinating look at how a translator navigates a text that is as much about what is unsaid as what is written."Izidora Angel is a Bulgarian-born memoirist, essayist and literary translator based in Chicago. Her translation of She Who Remains by Rene Karabash has been shortlisted for the 2026 International Booker Prize.Izidora's writing has appeared in A Public Space, Astra Magazine, Electric Literature, Gulf Coast, and elsewhere, and anthologized in Best Literary Translations. She's been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation, PEN/Heim, and others.Izidora is completing her debut memoir, Solomon's Daughter, first excerpted in The American Scholar.If you enjoy Harshaneeyam Podcast please follow the show on Apple, Spotify, or your favourite podcasting platform and leave a review for us. It will help truly help us; and don't forget to Share our podcast link with your other friends who enjoy similar content.To help us provide even more value, using the link given below in the show notes to complete our brief Listener Survey. Your feedback is the secret ingredient that helps us improve and create content tailored to your interests!https://www.harshaneeyam.com/survey/Listener/* Please complete Harshaneeyam Listener Survey using the above link.It would be lovely to have your feedback.***Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by Interviewees in interviews conducted by Harshaneeyam Podcast are those of the Interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Harshaneeyam Podcast. Any content provided by Interviewees is of their opinion and is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Casey Walker speaks to Emily Everett about his story “Islands,” which appears in The Common's fall issue. Set at an old lake house rife with unresolved family tensions, the story explores the dynamics between three orphaned brothers, and between the narrator and his pregnant wife. Casey discusses how the piece evolved over more than a decade, and how he always hopes a story will take on a life of its own during the writing process. Also discussed is his forthcoming novel Mexicali, set in the US-Mexico borderlands during the first half of the 20th century. Casey Walker's new novel Mexicali is forthcoming from Knopf in 2027. He is also the author of the novel Last Days in Shanghai and has published fiction and essays in The Common, Ninth Letter, The Believer, The New York Times, and El País, among others. He holds a PhD in English Literature from Princeton University and an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. ­­Read Casey's story in The Common here. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine at thecommononline.org, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. Her new debut novel All That Life Can Afford was a Reese's Book Club pick. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column, the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

Casey Walker speaks to Emily Everett about his story “Islands,” which appears in The Common's fall issue. Set at an old lake house rife with unresolved family tensions, the story explores the dynamics between three orphaned brothers, and between the narrator and his pregnant wife. Casey discusses how the piece evolved over more than a decade, and how he always hopes a story will take on a life of its own during the writing process. Also discussed is his forthcoming novel Mexicali, set in the US-Mexico borderlands during the first half of the 20th century. Casey Walker's new novel Mexicali is forthcoming from Knopf in 2027. He is also the author of the novel Last Days in Shanghai and has published fiction and essays in The Common, Ninth Letter, The Believer, The New York Times, and El País, among others. He holds a PhD in English Literature from Princeton University and an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. ­­Read Casey's story in The Common here. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine at thecommononline.org, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. Her new debut novel All That Life Can Afford was a Reese's Book Club pick. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column, the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Casey Walker speaks to Emily Everett about his story “Islands,” which appears in The Common's fall issue. Set at an old lake house rife with unresolved family tensions, the story explores the dynamics between three orphaned brothers, and between the narrator and his pregnant wife. Casey discusses how the piece evolved over more than a decade, and how he always hopes a story will take on a life of its own during the writing process. Also discussed is his forthcoming novel Mexicali, set in the US-Mexico borderlands during the first half of the 20th century. Casey Walker's new novel Mexicali is forthcoming from Knopf in 2027. He is also the author of the novel Last Days in Shanghai and has published fiction and essays in The Common, Ninth Letter, The Believer, The New York Times, and El País, among others. He holds a PhD in English Literature from Princeton University and an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. ­­Read Casey's story in The Common here. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine at thecommononline.org, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. Her new debut novel All That Life Can Afford was a Reese's Book Club pick. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column, the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Edith interviews author and college professor Jess Bowers about her debut short story collection, Horse Show, named one of Electric Literature's most exciting debut collections of 2024. Bowers, a lifelong equestrian and haflinger owner, explains that each story features a horse (or horse-adjacent animal/object) and a “show,” using entertainment and spectacle to examine human mistreatment and misunderstanding of horses and other sentient beings. She discusses research methods shaped by her PhD in English, including archives, photographs, and repeated film viewing, and shares a disturbing unused anecdote about Eben Byers giving radioactive water to racehorses. Bowers reflects on favorite stories, the appeal and demands of short fiction, challenges of dialogue, harmful breeding trends, and her next animal-focused collection, including a new story, “Canis X Machina.”00:00 Welcome and Introductions00:29 Horse Woman Origins02:06 Vienna Horse Culture05:14 Inside Horse Show07:37 Write What You Know12:36 Research Rabbit Holes16:17 Darkest Unused Fact19:39 Most Touching Stories22:23 Breeding for Vanity26:50 Spanish Riding School29:51 Why Short Stories Work31:28 Why Short Stories Win33:12 Reading Short Stories Differently35:50 Writing Short Stories Takes Patience40:18 Ideas Over Plot42:12 Visual Thinking and Photos46:22 Dialogue and Script Curiosity50:29 Horses and Forgotten History53:29 Advice for Aspiring Writers55:46 New Work and Animal Collection58:36 Final Thoughts and FarewellIf you like what we do, you might consider buying us a coffee. You can do so here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/booklovercom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://ko-fi.com/bookcompanion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us: Web: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://book-lovers-companion.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/book_companion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ez.fiction.7/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/book_companion/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6vyAyrh3zzsxNeexfyU0uA⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Feedback is always welcome: bookcompanioncontact@gmail.com Music: English Country Garden by Aaron Kenny Video Link: https://youtu.be/mDcADD4oS5E

Acclaimed short fiction writers Sarah Hall, Jonathan Escoffery, and Niamh Mulvey on building immersive worlds in compressed spaces, grounding stories in real human stakes, and writing openings and endings that transform both character and reader.   Timestamps: 00:01:06 Sarah Hall (from Episode 161) 00:14:43 Jonathan Escoffery (from Episode 56) 00:26:42 Niamh Mulvey (previously unreleased conversation) You'll learn: Sarah Hall's “keyhole” approach to short stories — and how the unseen world beyond the scene gives a story its depth. Why trusting your preoccupations beats forcing a theme, and how over-awareness of your own subject can kill the fiction. A technique for thickening a thin first draft: telescope into your character's childhood, then out to their future. Why Jonathan Escoffery believes stories without real-world stakes will lose to equally crafted stories that engage with the world, every time. How Escoffery pairs imagination with lived emotional experience to make unfamiliar settings resonate — and why personal growth feeds artistic growth. What choosing a linked story collection over a novel taught Escoffery about pacing, pause, and propulsive energy. Why Niamh Mulvey thinks showing off your best writing in an opening is a mistake — and what to do instead (start specific, name a character, put two people in relation). A prompt for finding your story's urgency: ask “why this moment?” and aim for the energy of really good gossip. How character desire shapes place and plot at the same time, so setting becomes what your character wants rather than backdrop. Mulvey's “third element” — a character, object, or event seeded early that can emerge later to unlock your ending. Resources & Links: Join our LWS community! Sarah's full episode and notes Jonathan's full episode and notes If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery Hearts and Bones: Love Songs for Late Youth by Niamh Mulvey The Amendments by Niamh Mulvey Sombrero Fallout by Richard Brautigan   About Sarah Hall: Sarah Hall is one of the UK's most talented authors. Twice nominated for the Man Booker Prize, the first and only writer to win the BBC National Short Story Award twice, she has written ten highly acclaimed novels and short story collections. About Jonathan Escoffery: 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. His stories have appeared in The Paris Review, Oprah Daily, Electric Literature, Zyzzyva, AGNI, Pleiades, American Short Fiction, Prairie Schooner, Passages North, and elsewhere. About Niamh Mulvey: Niamh Mulvey is from Kilkenny, Ireland. Her short fiction has been published in The Stinging Fly, Banshee and Southword and was shortlisted for the Seán O'Faoláin Prize for Short Fiction 2020. Her short story collection Hearts and Bones: Love Songs for Late Youth was published by Picador. The Amendments is her first novel. For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers' Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS' SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you're enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

In this week's episode, we discuss Romantasy, the Franken-genre that has conquered the publishing world and defined the libidinal landscapes of a generation of women. We decode the genre's DNA from dimestore bodice-rippers to high fantasy epics, examine the sociological profile of its authors and audiences, and explore how it's mutated in the digital age via AI visualizers and high-budget audio erotica. We also talk about Renaissance faires, fujoshi discourse, the mirror image of male vs. female gooning in popular culture, Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights as the BookTok movie of the century, and more. Links: Image boardSam's Romantasy Spotify Playlist“Did a Best-Selling Romantasy Author Steal Another Writer's Story?” by Katy Waldman in The New Yorker“She Fell in Love With ChatGPT. Then She Ghosted It.” (r/MyBoyfriendIsAI profile) by Kashmir Hill in The New York Times“Gender difference in brain activation to audio-visual sexual stimulation” by Chung et. al. in PubMed“Sexual Scripts: Permanence and Change” by William Simon and John H. Gagnon in Archives of Sexual Behavior, Vol. 15, No. 2“How the Renaissance Fair became America's favorite fantasy” by Kelly Faircloth in National Geographicr/AskAHistorian discussions about medievalism and high fantasy (one, two, three)The Oxford Handbook of Victorian Medievalism ed. Joanne Parker and Corinna WagnerHard to Be a God (2013) dir. Aleksei GermanCandlelight Ecstasy Romance Guidelines c. 1980Love Story magazine ed. Daisy Bacon (1921–1947) (see covers here) “The Uses of Reading Mass-Produced Romance Fiction” (Harlequin study) by Susan B. Neuman (1985) History of the “sex and shopping” genre by Pascal Tréguer“Girls Who Love Boys Who Love Boys” by E. Alex Jung in VultureInterview with Quinn founder and CEO Caroline Spiegel in Refinery29“Aural Fixation: Celebrity Audio Erotica Is 2025's Answer to the Centerfold” by Hannah Jackson in Vogue“The Importance of Critical Thinking in a Zombiefied World” (Why romantasy is crucial to understanding Apple TV's hit show Pluribus) by Maris Kreizman in The Atlantic“Liking Books is Not a Personality” by Hannah McGregor in Electric Literature@shauna_the_author on Instagram This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe

Notes and Links to Yiming Ma's Work      Born in Shanghai, Yiming Ma spent a decade in tech and finance before writing the dystopian novel These Memories Do Not Belong to Us, named a Spotify Editors' Pick, longlisted for the Goodreads Choice Award, and featured on Best Book of 2025 lists by Electric Literature, Debutiful, PEN America,and elsewhere.    Yiming attended Stanford for his MBA, and Warren Wilson for his MFA. His stories and essays appear in the New York Times, The Guardian, The Globe and Mail, Florida Review, and elsewhere. His story “Swimmer of Yangtze” won the 2018 Guardian 4th Estate Story Prize. Buy These Memories Do Not Belong to Us   Locus Magazine Review of These Memories Don't Belong to Us     Yiming Ma's Website   Interview with Michael Zapata for Chicago Review of Books: “Mirrors, Memories, Rebellions: An Interview with Yiming Ma” At about 2:10, Yiming shares the feedback he's gotten and the ways in which These Memories Do Not Belong to Us has “resonated” with readers At about 4:20, Yiming talks about his relationship with “home” and reading as a kid At about 5:15, Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go is highlighted as a formative and transformative read for Yiming At about 8:15, Yiming expands on how his immigrant background informed his career choices, agency, and adaptive skills and outlook on capitalism-he connects these to his book's plot and themes  At about 10:25, Pete reflects on the book as science fiction/speculative fiction At about 11:25, Yiming responds to Pete's question about contemporary books that “flipped the switch” At about 12:50, Yiming reflects on the dearth of fiction read by people in his former work life, as well as ideas of empathy and the changing landscape of diversity in authorship At about 15:00, Yiming talks about AI and men reading (or not reading) fiction, and differences between his writer friends and tech friends  At about 18:00, Yiming describes the structure of the book in conjunction with seeds for the book, largely coming from the pandemic and ideas of what is remembered and not remembered and how At about 21:55, Yiming explains how his award-winning story “Swimmer of Yangtze” and the idea of “constellation writing” At about 23:00, Yiming lays out the book's opening/exposition  At about 24:40, Yiming responds to Pete's questions about early connections and memories between Jill and Hao At about 28:00, Yiming recalls the early question about seeds for the book in reflecting on the motif of watches in the novel  At about 30:15, the two discuss “Easter eggs” in the book regarding “Ri-Ben” (China in Japanese), and Pete reflects on geopolitical tragedies that frame the “constellation writing”  At about 32:10, Pete asks Yiming about the book's “Memory Epics” and ideas of art vs. commercialism and censorship in connection to today's similarities  At about 36:40, Yiming expands on the story “Chankonabe” and its connections to real-life and its fit in the novel's “constellation” At about 37:35, Yiming talks about the importance of mantras in his book as guides for his storytelling At about 40:00, Yiming talks about research on sumo wrestling and the resulting questions and reflection that brought out some profound scenes  At about 43:15, The two discuss the book's first-person accounts from the main narrator, and Yiming expands upon ideas of agency and resistance against systems  At about 45:30, Yiming reflects on connections between the Chrysanthemum Virus and the coronavirus At about 51:00, The two discuss the story “Swimmer of Yangtze” At about 52:10, Yiming tells of the beautiful homage to his grandmother in the book At about 53:10, Yiming turns the tables and asks Pete probing questions about the ever-encroaching AI At about 56:40, Yiming talks about the “incredible” students he's spoken with and reflects on a “biased sample” and the “paradigm shift” between disparate groups he speaks with regarding AI and its implementation  At about 1:01:00, Yiming reflects on the “worry” he has over critical thinking skills and employment in a future focused on AI At about 1:02:20, Pete asks about “+86 Shanghai” and its immigration stories  At about 1:03:20, The two discuss the balance between changing the system and ideas of assimilation and Yiming talks about personal connections to “mining [his] own immigration story” and changing immigration narratives At about 1:07:50, The two reflect on Kaveh Akbar's brilliant work that Yiming riffs off in the book; Pete shares a story about Kaveh's profundity in action, and Yiming talks about censorship and the timing of the release of his book      You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 327 with Adolfo Guzman-Lopez. Adolfo Guzman-Lopez has been a reporter at LAist 89.3, the Los Angeles NPR affiliate since 2000. He reported and hosted Imperfect Paradise: The Forgotten Revolutionary, a true crime podcast looking into the death in 1994 of Chicano college activist Oscar Gomez. He has reported on L.A. politics, education, art, museums and other topics. His stories have also aired and published nationally on NPR, The Washington Post, and other media, and his poetry, especially from time with the Taco Shop Poets, has been awarded and anthologized.     The episode airs later today, March 3.      Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.       You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Acclaimed TC contributor Lauren Groff speaks to managing editor Emily Everett about her new story collection, Brawler, out this month from Riverhead, and her origins as a writer at Amherst College, where The Common is based. She also discusses how a story collection comes together over many years, how working with her longtime agent Bill Clegg has shaped her work, and what she's working on now and next. Groff's work appears most often in The New Yorker these days, but The Common published a story of hers in Issue 01, more than 15 years ago. Lauren Groff is a three-time National Book Award finalist and the New York Times bestselling author of the novels The Monsters of Templeton, Arcadia, Fates and Furies, Matrix, and The Vaster Wilds, and the celebrated short story collections Delicate Edible Birds and Florida. She has won the Story Prize and the Joyce Carol Oates Prize, and has been a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. In 2024 she was named one of the “TIME 100 most influential people.” Groff's work regularly appears in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. Her work has been translated into thirty-six languages. She lives in Gainesville, Florida, where she and her husband run an independent bookstore, The Lynx. ­­Read Lauren Groff's story “Exquisite Corpse” in The Common here. Learn more about Brawler and order it here. Find out more here. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine here, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. Her 2025 debut novel All That Life Can Afford was a Reese's Book Club pick, and her work has appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column, the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Acclaimed TC contributor Lauren Groff speaks to managing editor Emily Everett about her new story collection, Brawler, out this month from Riverhead, and her origins as a writer at Amherst College, where The Common is based. She also discusses how a story collection comes together over many years, how working with her longtime agent Bill Clegg has shaped her work, and what she's working on now and next. Groff's work appears most often in The New Yorker these days, but The Common published a story of hers in Issue 01, more than 15 years ago. Lauren Groff is a three-time National Book Award finalist and the New York Times bestselling author of the novels The Monsters of Templeton, Arcadia, Fates and Furies, Matrix, and The Vaster Wilds, and the celebrated short story collections Delicate Edible Birds and Florida. She has won the Story Prize and the Joyce Carol Oates Prize, and has been a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. In 2024 she was named one of the “TIME 100 most influential people.” Groff's work regularly appears in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. Her work has been translated into thirty-six languages. She lives in Gainesville, Florida, where she and her husband run an independent bookstore, The Lynx. ­­Read Lauren Groff's story “Exquisite Corpse” in The Common here. Learn more about Brawler and order it here. Find out more here. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine here, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. Her 2025 debut novel All That Life Can Afford was a Reese's Book Club pick, and her work has appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column, the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

Acclaimed TC contributor Lauren Groff speaks to managing editor Emily Everett about her new story collection, Brawler, out this month from Riverhead, and her origins as a writer at Amherst College, where The Common is based. She also discusses how a story collection comes together over many years, how working with her longtime agent Bill Clegg has shaped her work, and what she's working on now and next. Groff's work appears most often in The New Yorker these days, but The Common published a story of hers in Issue 01, more than 15 years ago. Lauren Groff is a three-time National Book Award finalist and the New York Times bestselling author of the novels The Monsters of Templeton, Arcadia, Fates and Furies, Matrix, and The Vaster Wilds, and the celebrated short story collections Delicate Edible Birds and Florida. She has won the Story Prize and the Joyce Carol Oates Prize, and has been a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. In 2024 she was named one of the “TIME 100 most influential people.” Groff's work regularly appears in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. Her work has been translated into thirty-six languages. She lives in Gainesville, Florida, where she and her husband run an independent bookstore, The Lynx. ­­Read Lauren Groff's story “Exquisite Corpse” in The Common here. Learn more about Brawler and order it here. Find out more here. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine here, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. Her 2025 debut novel All That Life Can Afford was a Reese's Book Club pick, and her work has appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column, the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Notes and Links to Oliver James' Work   Oliver James is a literacy advocate and motivational speaker who has been sharing his journey about learning to read as an adult, through TikTok and Instagram. Through videos and posts, he has been charting the books he's read, and the lessons he's learned and relearned. He has been featured on The Jennifer Hudson Show, The Today Show, NPR, and more.   Buy Unread: A Memoir of Learning (and Loving) to Read on TikTok   Oliver's Website   Oliver on The Jennifer Hudson Show At about 1:25, Oliver talks about feedback he has gotten from early readers of Unread At about 2:35, Oliver responds to Pete's question about vulnerability in writing the book and presenting the book to the world At about 4:00, Oliver talks about his social media availability and upcoming tour stops At about 5:20, Pete asks Oliver about the book's Dedication and important epigraph; Oliver expands upon the connections between reading and exercises At about 7:40, Oliver talks about the emotions at the moment after he shared with his social media followers that he couldn't read, in 2021 At about 10:00, Oliver explains how he would get by when being called on to read in school At about 12:20, Oliver replies to Pete's question about good ways for people to start learning to read/cement their developing reading skills At about 15:00, Oliver talks about his singing and reading and other things that he does on Tik Tok Live and Instagram At about 16:10, Oliver and Pete discuss  At about 18:00, Pete highlights Oliver's great book recommendations throughout his book, and particularly connections between The Giver and Oliver's pains and triumphs in learning and reading At about 21:45, The two discuss missing important learning opportunities and learning cycles in adolescence  At about 23:15, Oliver talks about “creating [his] own identity” based on what teachers and other authority figures sometimes told him, subtly or not At about 24:40, The two discuss how The Phantom Tollbooth connects to Oliver's reading and learning journey At about 26:30, Oliver gives background on how a speech class gave him more confidence and how it led to speech becoming a vocation At about 29:50, Oliver reflects on what might have been different had he been a reader when he was set up in a sting operation At about 31:50, Oliver explains how people in jail gave him hope and how this experience connects to the character of Zero in Holes, particularly with regard to a sense of “duty” and community learning  At about 33:50, Oliver highlights Dirty Laundry and shame and relationships with girls and dependence  At about 37:20, Oliver talks about the importance of a quote book that was his first gifted book and the “helpless[ness]” that came at the beginning of the COVID pandemic  At about 43:20, Oliver makes connections between COVID and “how to carry” on his reading and emotional journey At about 44:20, The Diary of Anne Frank and The Outsiders and ideas of reading and being in community with readers and reading is discussed  At about 45:40, Pete gives a rec for one of his all-time favorites, That Was Then, This is Now At about 46:20, The two discuss the Piiraha people and “living in the moment” based on Oliver's car accident and other traumatic and triumphant moments  At about 51:00, Pete highlights The Alchemist and ideas of how books “unlock” so much, and expands upon the “agreements” featured in Don Ruiz's books, in particular with regards to his father  At about 54:30, Empathy is discussed, as experienced in reading and in life, and love and thanks for his mother At about 56:10, Oliver reflects on children's books and “tap[ping] into emotions” and “be[ing] a kid” At about 1:00:30, Pete highlights ways in which Oliver gave him a different perspective on finishing a book and on the classic The Giving Tree At about 1:02:10, Oliver responds to Pete's questions about his feelings upon meeting famous people for interviews, like Jennifer Hudson    You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up soon at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 326 with Yiming Ma, who spent a decade in tech and finance before writing the dystopian novel These Memories Do Not Belong to Us, named a Spotify Editors' Pick, longlisted for the Goodreads Choice Award, and featured on Best Book of 2025 lists by Electric Literature, Debutiful, PEN America,  and elsewhere.    The episode airs on February 24 or 25.       Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.       You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

R.L. Maizes is the author of A Complete Fiction. Her debut novel, Other People's Pets, won the 2021 Colorado Book Award in Fiction and was a Library Journal Best Debut of Summer/Fall 2020. She also is the author of the short story collection, We Love Anderson Cooper. Her short stories have aired on National Public Radio and can be found in Electric Literature's Recommended Reading and in The Best Small Fictions 2020. Maizes's essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, O Magazine, and McSweeney's Internet Tendency, and have aired on NPR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anna Rollins is the author of Famished: On Food, Sex, and Growing Up as a Good Girl. Anna's debut memoir examines the rhyming scripts of diet culture and evangelical purity culture, both of which direct women to fear their own bodies and appetites.Anna is an award-winning instructor who taught English in higher education for nearly 15 years, and her writing has appeared in outlets like The New York Times, Slate, Electric Literature, Salon, Joyland, and more. In today's episode, Anna shares how societal messages around beauty and body image contributed to her struggles with disordered eating. We also discuss Anna's research on purity and diet culture's impacts on women's relationships with their bodies and food, as well as how the concept of self-control might be helpfully framed as we enter the season of Lent.My hope is that as we name and shed unhelpful theologies related to food and our bodies, we might find more freedom, healing, and wholeness.Buy Melissa L. Johnson's book, Soul-Deep Beauty: Fighting for Our True Worth in a World Demanding Flawless, here. Learn more about Impossible Beauty and join the community here.

Much like guest Sarah Aziza's beautiful memoir, The Hollow Half, this week's show covers a lot of territory and shines light on multiple topics of interest to memoirists. We explore memoir as art—what that means and whether memoirists should strive for their work to be art per se. Aziza's book is experimental and ambitious, and as such gives this week's episode delves into craft choices and process and more. Aziza shares her family history and how her grandmother started to show up in her dreams—and how this memoir took root and ultimately became the gift it is—timely, urgent, and beautiful. Sarah Aziza is a Palestinian American writer, translator, and artist with roots in ‘Ibdis and Deir al-Balah, Gaza. She is the author of the genre-bending memoir The Hollow Half, winner of the Palestine Book Award and named a Most Anticipated and Best Book of the Year by Vulture, Vanity Fair, Literary Hub, Elle, Electric Literature, and Mizna, among others. Sarah's award-winning journalism, poetry, essays, and experimental nonfiction have appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, and Best American Essays, among other publications. She is the recipient of fellowships and support from Fulbright, MacDowell, USA Artists, the Asian American Writers Workshop, and others. Sarah has lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, South Africa, and Palestine, and now resides in the U.S. on occupied Munsee Lenape and Canarsie land. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Reena Shah is a writer, editor, and teacher. Her work has been featured in the Masters Review, Electric Literature, Joyland, BBC, the American Prospect, National Geographic and the Guardian, among other publications. She has been awarded fellowships and residencies from the Millay Arts, Tin House, and the Fulbright Foundation. She received an MFA in fiction from the Michener Center for Writers, where she won the Keene Prize for Literature. For many years, she was a kathak dancer in New York and India. She now lives on Roosevelt Island, NY, with her family and teaches in a public school. Her debut novel is Every Happiness, the focus of our discussion. Reena joins Barbara DeMarco-Barrett and they talk about being a writer in training, a short story that led to the novel, complicated friend relationships, the time it takes to finish a novel, having faith in a project while also doubting, the book's title and cover, reader reviews, and more.  For more information on Writers on Writing and to become a supporter, visit our Patreon page. For a one-time donation, visit Ko-fi. You can help out the show and indie bookstores by buying books at our bookstore on bookshop.org. It's stocked with titles by our guest authors, as well as our personal favorites. And on Spotify, you'll find an album's worth of typewriter music like what you hear on the show. It's perfect for writing. Look for the artist, Just My Type. You can find hundreds of past interviews on our website. (Recorded February 6, 2026) Host: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett Host: Marrie StoneMusic: Travis Barrett (Stream his music on Spotify, Apple Music, Etc.)

What does it really take to build a successful novel? Kate Broad discusses leaving her romance author career to write literary fiction and how her debut novel, Greenwich, required multiple drafts and rewrites. She shares what it's like to scrap early drafts, rebuild the story from the ground up, write complex characters that are hard to like, and what she tells herself when the writing feels hard. If you need a reminder that your first draft can become something magical, that struggling is just part of the work and process of bringing a novel to fruition, and that you're not doing anything wrong, you'll enjoy our conversation. Timestamps 00:00 – Why Revision Is Where the Magic Happens 00:19 – Welcome to Write It Scared 01:29 – Meet Kate Road 03:20 – Writing Greenwich and Starting Over 05:03 – Themes of Wealth, Power, and Privilege 07:34 – Crafting Complex, Unlikable Characters 15:47 – How the Book Changed in Revision 21:40 – Self-Doubt and Staying in the Work 30:25 – Resilience and the Reality of the Writing Life 39:43 – Final ReflectionsKate Broad holds a BA from Wellesley College and a PhD in English from the CUNY Graduate Center. She is a Bronx Council on the Arts award winner for fiction, and her writing has appeared in The Rumpus, No Tokens, Electric Literature, LitHub, The Baltimore Review, and elsewhere. Her debut novel, Greenwich, was released in 2025 from St. Martin's Press and was named one of People Magazine's Best New Books, a Vanity Fair Summer Read, and an Amazon Editor's Pick for Best New Literature and Fiction. Originally from Massachusetts, she lives in the Bronx.  GREENWICH - Out now from St. Martin's Press / Macmillan!https://katebroad.comHave a comment or idea about the show? Send me a direct text! Love to hear from you.Support the show To become a supporter of the show, click here!To get in touch with Stacy: Email: Stacy@writeitscared.co https://www.writeitscared.co/wis https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/ Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared: Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears

On this edition of Madison BookBeat, host Sara Batkie chats with author Melissa Faliveno about her debut novel, Hemlock, now available from Little, Brown. Sam, finally sober and stable with a cat and a long-term boyfriend in Brooklyn, returns alone to Hemlock, her family's deteriorating cabin deep in the Wisconsin Northwoods, where her mother disappeared years before and never returned. But a quick, practical trip takes a turn for the worse when the rot and creak of the forest starts to creep in around the edges of Sam's mind. It starts, as it always does, with a beer. As Sam dips back into the murky waters of dependency, the inexplicable begins to arrive at her door in the forms of a neighbor who leaves no trace, a talking doe who sounds just like Sam's missing mother, and a series of mysterious gifts that might be a welcome or a warning. And as Sam's stay extends—as the town's grip on her tightens and her body takes on a strange new shape—the borders of reality begin to blur, and she senses she is battling something sinister—whether nested in the woods or within herself. Melissa Faliveno is the author of the essay collection Tomboyland, named a Best Book of 2020 by NPR, New York Public Library, Oprah Magazine, Electric Literature, and Debutiful, and recipient of a 2021 Award for Outstanding Literary Achievement from the Wisconsin Library Association. Her essays, interviews, and reviews have appeared in Esquire, Paris Review, Kenyon Review, and Literary Hub, among many others. A first-generation college graduate, Melissa received a BA from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College. She is currently the Margaret R. Shuping Fellow and assistant professor of creative writing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Cush Rodríguez Moz speaks to Emily Everett about his essay “Future Remains: The Mysterious Allure of a Town in Ruins,” which appears in The Common's fall issue. The piece chronicles a trip to Villa Epecuén: once a vacation destination for the wealthy in Argentina's golden age, now a site for disaster tourism after salt-water flooding first ruined and then preserved it. Cush discusses how the piece evolved from simple travelogue to a complex personal essay examining national and personal decline, climate and political change, and our fascination with destruction and decay. Cush Rodríguez Moz is a journalist, writer and photographer currently based in Madrid. His investigative articles and long-form narrative pieces cover an array of themes that include environmental issues, agriculture and urbanism. His work has appeared in El Malpensante, Altäir, The New Yorker and Climática, among other outlets. He also collaborates regularly with Revista Late. He holds degrees in history, geography and journalism. Prior to Spain, he lived in Italy and Argentina. ­­Read Cush's essay in The Common here. Read more from Cush at linktr.ee/cush.moz, and follow him on Instagram @cush.moz. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine here, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. Her new debut novel All That Life Can Afford is the Reese's Book Club pick for April 2025. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column, the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Cush Rodríguez Moz speaks to Emily Everett about his essay “Future Remains: The Mysterious Allure of a Town in Ruins,” which appears in The Common's fall issue. The piece chronicles a trip to Villa Epecuén: once a vacation destination for the wealthy in Argentina's golden age, now a site for disaster tourism after salt-water flooding first ruined and then preserved it. Cush discusses how the piece evolved from simple travelogue to a complex personal essay examining national and personal decline, climate and political change, and our fascination with destruction and decay. Cush Rodríguez Moz is a journalist, writer and photographer currently based in Madrid. His investigative articles and long-form narrative pieces cover an array of themes that include environmental issues, agriculture and urbanism. His work has appeared in El Malpensante, Altäir, The New Yorker and Climática, among other outlets. He also collaborates regularly with Revista Late. He holds degrees in history, geography and journalism. Prior to Spain, he lived in Italy and Argentina. ­­Read Cush's essay in The Common here. Read more from Cush at linktr.ee/cush.moz, and follow him on Instagram @cush.moz. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine here, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. Her new debut novel All That Life Can Afford is the Reese's Book Club pick for April 2025. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column, the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

Cush Rodríguez Moz speaks to Emily Everett about his essay “Future Remains: The Mysterious Allure of a Town in Ruins,” which appears in The Common's fall issue. The piece chronicles a trip to Villa Epecuén: once a vacation destination for the wealthy in Argentina's golden age, now a site for disaster tourism after salt-water flooding first ruined and then preserved it. Cush discusses how the piece evolved from simple travelogue to a complex personal essay examining national and personal decline, climate and political change, and our fascination with destruction and decay. Cush Rodríguez Moz is a journalist, writer and photographer currently based in Madrid. His investigative articles and long-form narrative pieces cover an array of themes that include environmental issues, agriculture and urbanism. His work has appeared in El Malpensante, Altäir, The New Yorker and Climática, among other outlets. He also collaborates regularly with Revista Late. He holds degrees in history, geography and journalism. Prior to Spain, he lived in Italy and Argentina. ­­Read Cush's essay in The Common here. Read more from Cush at linktr.ee/cush.moz, and follow him on Instagram @cush.moz. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine here, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. Her new debut novel All That Life Can Afford is the Reese's Book Club pick for April 2025. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column, the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anna Rollins joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about the relationship between evangelical purity culture and diet culture, incorporating research and reporting into personal narrative, the intricate connections between religion, God, and body shame, fearing our own desires, extreme thinking, body dysmorphia, viewing our bodies as suspect, the physical effects of belief systems, writing memoir plus, tying our work to the culture, learning how to pitch and get bylines, the logistics of placing short pieces in large outlets, religion on our own terms, rejecting scripts, and her new memoir Famished: On Food, Sex, and Growing Up as a Good Girl. Info/Registration for Ronit's 10-Week Memoir Class Memoir Writing: Finding Your Story https://www.pce.uw.edu/courses/memoir-writing-finding-your-story   This episode is brought to you by Prose Playground. If you've been writing for years but haven't published, have tons of ideas but can't get them on the page, if you have a book coming out, or you're simply curious about writing, join Prose Playground—an active, supportive writing community for writers at every level. Visit www.ProsePlayground.com to sign up free.   Also in this episode: -church hurt -publishing scores of stand alone essays -tuning into the newscycle and calendar to sell our work   Books mentioned in this episode: Before and After the Book Deal by Courtney Maum Writing That Gets Noticed by Estelle Erasmus The Byline Bible by Susan Shapiro The Creative Act by Rick Rubin A Swim in the Pond in the Rain by George Saunders   Anna Rollins is the author of Famished: On Food, Sex, and Growing Up as a Good Girl. Her groundbreaking debut memoir examines the rhyming scripts of diet culture and evangelical purity culture, both of which direct women to fear their own bodies and appetites. Her writing has appeared in outlets like The New York Times, Slate, Electric Literature, Salon, Joyland, and more. She's also written scholarly articles about composition and writing center studies. She's an award-winning instructor who taught English in higher education for nearly 15 years. She is a 2025 West Virginia Creative Network Literary Arts Fellow. A lifelong Appalachian, she lives with her husband in West Virginia where they're raising their three small children.   Connect with Anna: Website: http://annajrollins.com Substack: http://annajrollins.substack.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/annajrollins Book: https://amzn.to/3Lu6uHR   – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank   Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

Jennifer Acker, founder and editor in chief of The Common, speaks to Emily Everett about her essay “On 15 Years of The Common,” which appears in The Common's recent fall issue. The piece is a reflection on the hard work and stick-to-itiveness it takes to train a horse—and keep a literary magazine running. Jennifer talks about how The Common has grown and expanded since its early days—when it was only her and a few student interns and section editors—including some highlights like favorite portfolios and a new film adaptation of a story from Issue 16. Jennifer also discusses her forthcoming novel, Surrender, out in April 2026 from Delphinium. The book explores smalltown life, following a woman who returns to her family's farm to raise goats, and encounters life challenges that extend far beyond farmwork. Jennifer Acker is author of the debut novel The Limits of the World, a fiction honoree for the Massachusetts Book Award. Her memoir “Fatigue” is an Amazon bestseller, and her short stories, essays, translations, and reviews have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Oprah Daily, the Washington Post, Literary Hub, n+1, and The Yale Review, among other places. She has an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars and is founder and editor in chief of The Common. At Amherst College, she directs the Literary Publishing Internship and LitFest. Her second novel, Surrender, will be released in April 2026. ­­Read Jennifer's new essay in The Common here Check out more of her translations and essays here. Learn more about Jennifer here, and follow her on Instagram @jen_acker. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine here, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. Her new debut novel All That Life Can Afford is the Reese's Book Club pick for April 2025. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column, the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Jennifer Acker, founder and editor in chief of The Common, speaks to Emily Everett about her essay “On 15 Years of The Common,” which appears in The Common's recent fall issue. The piece is a reflection on the hard work and stick-to-itiveness it takes to train a horse—and keep a literary magazine running. Jennifer talks about how The Common has grown and expanded since its early days—when it was only her and a few student interns and section editors—including some highlights like favorite portfolios and a new film adaptation of a story from Issue 16. Jennifer also discusses her forthcoming novel, Surrender, out in April 2026 from Delphinium. The book explores smalltown life, following a woman who returns to her family's farm to raise goats, and encounters life challenges that extend far beyond farmwork. Jennifer Acker is author of the debut novel The Limits of the World, a fiction honoree for the Massachusetts Book Award. Her memoir “Fatigue” is an Amazon bestseller, and her short stories, essays, translations, and reviews have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Oprah Daily, the Washington Post, Literary Hub, n+1, and The Yale Review, among other places. She has an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars and is founder and editor in chief of The Common. At Amherst College, she directs the Literary Publishing Internship and LitFest. Her second novel, Surrender, will be released in April 2026. ­­Read Jennifer's new essay in The Common here Check out more of her translations and essays here. Learn more about Jennifer here, and follow her on Instagram @jen_acker. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine here, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. Her new debut novel All That Life Can Afford is the Reese's Book Club pick for April 2025. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column, the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the latest episode of Now, Appalachia, Eliot interviews author Anna Rollins about her debut memoir FAMISHED. Anna lives and works in Appalachia. She has taught courses in composition and rhetoric, writing center studies, creative nonfiction, and text analysis for over a decade. Her work has appeared in outlets such as the New York Times, Slate, Salon, Electric Literature, Joyland, Newsweek, and The Today Show.

On the latest episode of Now, Appalachia, Eliot interviews author Anna Rollins about her debut memoir FAMISHED. Anna Rollins lives and works in Appalachia. She has taught courses in composition and rhetoric, writing center studies, creative nonfiction, and text analysis for over a decade. Her work has appeared in outlets such as the New York Times, Slate, Salon, Electric Literature, Joyland, Newsweek, and The Today Show.

In this episode of 'The Biggest Table,' host Andrew Camp welcomes Anna Rollins, author of 'Famished: On Food, Sex, and Growing Up as a Good Girl.' They discuss her memoir, which examines the harmful parallels between diet culture and evangelical purity culture, both of which pressurize women to fear their bodies and appetites. Anna shares her personal struggles with disordered eating, rooted in her upbringing in a strict Christian environment, and how she has navigated healing. The conversation also touches on societal norms, racial implications of body ideals, and the importance of discussing these topics openly. Anna emphasizes grace, forgiveness, and the necessity of honest, nuanced conversations to break free from harmful cultural scripts.Anna Rollins is the author of Famished: On Food, Sex, and Growing Up as a Good Girl (out December 9, 2025 from Eerdmans). Her groundbreaking debut memoir examines the rhyming scripts of diet culture and evangelical purity culture, both of which direct women to fear their own bodies and appetites. Her writing has appeared in outlets like The New York Times, Slate, Electric Literature, Salon, Joyland, and more. She's also written scholarly articles about composition and writing center studies. She's an award-winning instructor who taught English in higher education for nearly 15 years. She is a 2025 Tamarack Foundation for the Arts Literary Arts Fellow. A lifelong Appalachian, she lives with her husband in West Virginia where they're raising their three small children.Follow Anna:Anna's Substack: annajrollinsAnna's Instagram: @annajrollinsThis episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com. 

Notes and Links to Kurt Baumeister's Work   Kurt Baumeister's writing has appeared in Salon, Guernica, Electric Literature, Rain Taxi, The Brooklyn Rail, The Rumpus, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, The Nervous Breakdown, The Weeklings, and other outlets. An acquisitions editor with 7.13 Books, Baumeister holds an MFA in creative writing from Emerson College, and is a member of The National Book Critics Circle and The Authors Guild. Twilight of the Gods is his second novel. Buy Twilight of the Gods   Kurt's Website   Chicago Review of Books Interview Re: Twilight of the Gods  At about 2:45, Kurt talks about the book's original publication date falling around the 2024 elections At about 6:15, Kurt reflects on the vagaries of publishing, and interesting and complimentary feedback from readers on the book At about 11:30, Pete shares a wonderful quote about Kurt's writing, and Kurt discusses Martin Amis and other influences on his writing At about 15:45, The two discuss the book's “Dramatis Personae” to start the book and some tongue-in-cheek descriptions of some Norse gods At about 17:30, Kurt responds to Pete's questions about Loki's historical and mythical evolutions At about 20:30, Kurt reflects on metafiction and gives background on why he names a main character in the book “Kurt” At about 23:50, Kurt talks about media representations of Loki in connection to his own At about 25:30, Kurt describes why he makes Loki as he is  At about 28:20, Kurt gives background on the Norns, of which Sunshine/Sabrina from the book is a member At about 29:30, Pete compliments the ways the book traces human history, particularly with regard to Hitler's rise  At about 34:15, Kurt responds to Pete's question about mixing fiction and fact At about 37:00, Kurt talks about history repeating itself and connecting disparate eras  At about 39:55, Kurt responds to Pete's question about the subtleties and the nuances of the book, i.e, plot focus v. allegory focus At about 42:00, Kurt discusses his mindset in writing the ending(s) of the book At about 45:00, An intriguing question posed in the book about fate is probed At about 45:50, Pete cites the book's ending as highly successful, and Kurt shouts out a shared beloved movie, Training Day, with regard to slowly-creeping evil  At about 47:50, a “reverence and pity” for artists is discussed, as mentioned in the book   You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content! This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of flawed characters, protagonists who are too real in their actions, and horror and noir as being where so much good and realistic writing takes place. Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 312 with Amber Sparks, the author of the short story collections And I Do Not Forgive You and The Unfinished World. Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review, Granta, Slate, and elsewhere. Her book, Happy People Don't Live Here, was published in October 2025. The episode drops on November 25, today. Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Notes and Links to Stephanie Elizondo Griest's Work *Content Warning: Please be aware that the book discusses sexual assault   Stephanie Elizondo Griest is a globetrotting author from the Texas/Mexico borderlands. Her six books include Around the Bloc: My Life in Moscow, Beijing, and Havana; Mexican Enough; All the Agents and Saints; and Art Above Everything: One Woman's Global Exploration of the Joys and Torments of a Creative Life. She has also written for the New York Times, Washington Post, VQR, The Believer, BBC, Orion, Lit Hub, and Oxford American. Her work has been supported by the Lannan Foundation, Henry Luce Foundation, Princeton University, and the Institute for Arts and Humanities, and she has won a Margolis Award, an International Latino Book Award, a PEN Southwest Book Award, and two Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism prizes. Currently Professor of Creative Nonfiction at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Elizondo Griest has performed in capacities ranging from a Moth storyteller to a literary ambassador for the U.S. State Department. Wanderlust has led her to 50 countries and 49 states. Her hardest journey was to Planet Cancer in 2017, but she's officially in remission now. She recently endowed Testimonios Fronterizos, a research grant for student journalists from the borderlands enrolled at her alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin's School of Journalism. Buy Art Above Everything   Stephanie's Website   Review of Art Above Everything in Southern Review At about 3:40 Stephanie expands on her creative background and family connections to music and language  At about 10:15, Stephanie talks about formative and transformative texts, including work by and her relationship with her “spiritual madrina,” Sandra Cisneros At about 11:30, Stephanie discusses similarities and differences in some Mexican Spanish and Tejano Spanish At about 13:30, Stephanie provides seeds for her book At about 16:50, The two discuss a dearth of publicity and respect for female travel writers, and generally females writing about art At about 18:15, Stephanie talks about the formative artist residency in 2014 in India, at Nrityagram  At about 20:30, Stephanie responds to Pete's question about Sheryl Oring's inspiration for Stephanie's creative life  At about 24:45, the two discuss “Art as Reconciliation” and Stephanie's experiences in Rwanda with therapeutic theater and hard and painful and moving conversations and reconciliations  At about 29:05, Pete and Stephanie discuss post-dictatorship and art done in response to the House of the People in Romania At about 34:20, Stephanie and Pete discuss similarities between female artists around the world, as seen in Stephanie's research and travels, regardless of economic status and country of origin; Stephanie cites “callings” at young ages At about 38:30, Wendy Whelan and her absolute “devotion” to art is discussed, as well as the ways in which domineering males have often abused and defamed artistic women At about 44:00, Bjork and Iceland's masterful director Vilborg Davíðsdóttir and “Art as Revenge” are discussed  At about 48:55, Stephanie talks about the process of writing so personally At about 50:45, “Art as Medicine” and Stephanie's journey with cancer and ideas of humor and sustenance are discussed, along with Stephanie being “revived” by sharing stories on a mini book tour At about 54:20, Havana Habibi and its resonance are discussed  At about 56:40, Sandra Cisneros as a “spiritual madrina” to Stephanie and so many others is discussed  At about 1:00:40, Stephanie expands on the “force” that is Mama Mihirangi and her connection to Maori and female liberation  At about 1:04:10, Ayana Evans and her performance and her subverting expectations of Black women are discussed, including the Loophole of Retreat At about 1:09:00, The two discuss “Art as Immoratality” and ideas of legacy and passing on creativity and art as so meaningful  At about 1:11:20, Stephanie reflects on the book's 10 year span and its meanings       You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content! This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of flawed characters, protagonists who are too real in their actions, and horror and noir as being where so much good and realistic writing takes place. Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 311 with Kurt Baumeister, whose writing has appeared in Salon, Electric Literature, The Brooklyn Rail, The Rumpus, and other outlets. An acquisitions editor with 7.13 Books, Baumeister is a member of The National Book Critics Circle and The Authors Guild, and 2025's Twilight of the Gods is his second novel.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

The second part of our Royal Special. Yesterday we broke down the patterns in the coverage and comments. But today we ask why Meghan Markle remains the lightning rod for public fury, even when the former Prince Andrew is in absolute disgrace? From the “Duchess of Pork”, to “Princess Pushy” and “Waity Katie” - the media loves a Royal nickname, but what does it say about what we expect from the Royal women? Join us as we breakdown why we love a royal scandal, question whether princesses are just supposed to look pretty and shut up, and explore whether Disney is to blame. In today's episode, we also investigate how this latest scandal has reignited the debate about what purpose the British Monarchy plays in a post-Queen 21st Century.    Questions or Comments you'd like us to cover? We love answering your questions and analysing the stories you've found. Send them to us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s2tcpodcast Enjoyed the show? Leave us a 5-star review on Spotify and a review on Apple Podcasts - it really helps others discover the podcast. References: Pod Save The King Podcast: Episode - The Prince Andrew Distraction: the unwanted gift that keeps giving. Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York (2025). By Andrew Lownie Carlsmith, K. M., Darley, J. M., & Robinson, P. H. (2002). Why do we punish? Deterrence and just deserts as motives for punishment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Article on Electric Literature.com - Cliff Huxtable Stole My Heart, Bill Cosby Broke It. By V.V. Ganeshananthan  Article on The Conversation - A problematic history of obsessing over royal women's looks, from Camilla to the ‘ugly' Elizabeth of Austria.  Bustle Article - The Complicated, Empowering, Messy History Behind Our Obsession With Princesses. By Lucia Peters Ms Magazine Article - Megxit and The Death of Fairytale Romance. By Laurie Essig BBC Article - The strange world of the Royal Family. By Hephzibah Anderson Al Jazeera Article - Taxpayer ripoff or bargain? The cost of the British royal family. By John Power The New Statesman Article - Abolish the monarchy. It's more than Prince Andrew - the whole House of Windsor is rotten to the core. By Will Lloyd Article on Debunking Myths About Fairytales.com - Myth: Fairy Tales Are Narratives About Passive Heroines. By Anne E. Duggan Babak Ganjei on Instagram Megan Markle podcast interview on The Jamie Kern Lima Show 

National Book Award finalist Sarah Smarsh speaks to managing editor Emily Everett about her career writing memoir, essays, and journalism centered on the experience of the rural working class in the US. Her essay in The Common's fall 2014 issue, “Death of the Farm Family,” became part of her 2018 book Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth, which became an instant New York Times bestseller, was shortlisted for the National Book Award and the Kirkus Prize, and named on President Barack Obama's best books of the year list. Smarsh discusses her most recent book, a collection of essays from 2012 to 2024 titled Bone of the Bone: Essays on America from a Daughter of the Working Class (Scribner, 2024), out this fall in paperback. The conversation ranges from what the media gets wrong about working class Americans to how our understanding of and interest in talking about class and access has changed since the early 2000s. Stick around to hear how Smarsh manages the dual identities of rural Kansas farm kid and nationally recognized writer-commentator on class and culture, and hear what she's working on next. Born a fifth-generation Kansas wheat farmer on her paternal side, Sarah Smarsh is a journalist who has reported for the New York Times, Harper's, the Guardian, and many other publications. Her 2020 book She Come By It Natural: Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. She is a frequent political commentator and speaker on socioeconomic class. A former writing professor, Smarsh has served as a Shorenstein Fellow at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and a Pritzker Fellow at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. She lives in rural Kansas, where she is currently at work on a book about the endangered tallgrass prairie ecosystem. ­­Read Sarah Smarsh's essay “Death of the Farm Family” in The Common here. Learn more about her books and work at her website. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine at here, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. Her new debut novel All That Life Can Afford is the Reese's Book Club pick for April 2025. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column, the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

National Book Award finalist Sarah Smarsh speaks to managing editor Emily Everett about her career writing memoir, essays, and journalism centered on the experience of the rural working class in the US. Her essay in The Common's fall 2014 issue, “Death of the Farm Family,” became part of her 2018 book Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth, which became an instant New York Times bestseller, was shortlisted for the National Book Award and the Kirkus Prize, and named on President Barack Obama's best books of the year list. Smarsh discusses her most recent book, a collection of essays from 2012 to 2024 titled Bone of the Bone: Essays on America from a Daughter of the Working Class (Scribner, 2024), out this fall in paperback. The conversation ranges from what the media gets wrong about working class Americans to how our understanding of and interest in talking about class and access has changed since the early 2000s. Stick around to hear how Smarsh manages the dual identities of rural Kansas farm kid and nationally recognized writer-commentator on class and culture, and hear what she's working on next. Born a fifth-generation Kansas wheat farmer on her paternal side, Sarah Smarsh is a journalist who has reported for the New York Times, Harper's, the Guardian, and many other publications. Her 2020 book She Come By It Natural: Dolly Parton and the Women Who Lived Her Songs was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. She is a frequent political commentator and speaker on socioeconomic class. A former writing professor, Smarsh has served as a Shorenstein Fellow at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and a Pritzker Fellow at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. She lives in rural Kansas, where she is currently at work on a book about the endangered tallgrass prairie ecosystem. ­­Read Sarah Smarsh's essay “Death of the Farm Family” in The Common here. Learn more about her books and work at her website. The Common is a print and online literary magazine publishing stories, essays, and poems that deepen our collective sense of place. On our podcast and in our pages, The Common features established and emerging writers from around the world. Read more and subscribe to the magazine at here, and follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook. Emily Everett is managing editor of the magazine and host of the podcast. Her new debut novel All That Life Can Afford is the Reese's Book Club pick for April 2025. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Modern Love column, the Kenyon Review, Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review. She was a 2022 Massachusetts Cultural Council Fellow in Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

On today's episode of The Lives of Writers, Erin Slaughter and Lena Ziegler interview each other about literary friendship, navigating disclosure, dignity, and responsibility in memoirs about trauma, writing with compassion about your previous self and real-life people who have harmed you, the emotional realities and real-life risks of publishing memoir, and more.Erin Slaughter is the author of The Dead Dad Diaries (Autofocus Books, 2025). She is also the author of the short story collection A Manual for How to Love Us (Harper Perennial, 2023), and two books of poetry: The Sorrow Festival (CLASH Books, 2022) and I Will Tell This Story to the Sun Until You Remember That You Are the Sun (New Rivers Press, 2019). Her writing has appeared in Lit Hub, Electric Literature, CRAFT, The Georgia Review, Prairie Schooner, and elsewhere. Originally from Texas, she holds an MFA from Western Kentucky University and a PhD from Florida State University. She is currently Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Coastal Carolina University.Lena Ziegler is the author of A Revisionist History of Loving Men (Autofocus Books, 2025). Her writing has appeared in Split Lip Magazine, Indiana Review, Literary Orphans, Miracle Monocle, Duende, Dream Pop Press, Anti-Heroin Chic, Gambling the Aisle, and others, and she has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She is a co-founder of the literary journal and press The Hunger. She holds an MFA from Western Kentucky University and a PhD from Bowling Green State University. She is the host of the music and literature podcast Reading Michael Jackson, available on all major podcast platforms. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband. She believes in magic, the transformative power of language, and the resilience of the human heart. Both these books are available together as part of the Autofocus Fall 2025 box.____________Conversation topics include:-- Becoming best friends and ideal readers a decade ago-- Starting The Hunger journal and press after MFAs and going into PhDs-- Their memoirs with Autofocus coming out a week apart-- Non-judgement and trust as readers, audiences, and friends-- Lena's A Revisionist History of Loving Men, which deals with understanding sexual abuse in a context of normalized sexual violence-- Erin's The Dead Dad Diaries, which deals with the murder of her father by her stepmom when Erin was 16 (and its effects as she came of age in her twenties)-- The dangers of memoir in creating a fixed narrative for the self-- Navigating disclosure, dignity, and responsibility in memoirs about trauma-- Memoir as the willingness to take up space -- The value in writing from personal experience-- Capturing the messiness of your coming of age with compassion-- The terminology victim and survivor and the complexity of human experience-- Accepted or expected narratives of trauma / self-determining justice-- Bringing compassion and humanity in writing to people who have harmed you-- The emotional reality about publishing a personal book about family or that family may read-- Bending form to tell these stories in memoir-- Questioning the story you're telling in memoir-- The shifting nature of truth-- More about the emotional reality about publishing a personal book about family or that family may read-- Shame and healing (and not healing)_______________Podcast theme music  by Mike Nagel, author of Duplex and Culdesac. Here's his music project: Yeah Yeah Cool Cool.The Lives of Writers is edited and produced by Michael Wheaton.

Notes and Links to Ursula Villarreal-Moura's Work     A native of San Antonio, Texas, Ursula Villarreal-Moura is the author of two works of fiction. Her debut novel Like Happiness is a finalist for The Rudolfo Anaya Fiction Award, longlisted for The Crook's Corner Book Prize, selected as an Indie Next Pick, and was named a Best Book of 2024 by NPR, San Francisco Chronicle, ELLE, and Them. Math for the Self-Crippling, her flash fiction story collection, was a small press bestseller and has been taught at numerous universities. Her stories, essays, and interviews can be found in Lit Hub, Electric Literature, Story, Alta Journal, and The Rumpus, among others. She is a longtime advocate of reading diversely and of Land Back.    Buy Like Happiness   Ursula's Website   Book Review for Like Happiness from NPR   At about 30:50, Ursula expands on “subverting” ideas of teenage rebelliousness and daughter/parent relationships At about 34:40, Pete talks about Happiness, M. Dominguez's book, as an “oasis”  At about 35:15, Ursula responds to Pete's questions about Tatum “using her voice” and revisiting past events with Mateo At about 36:20, The two discuss the initial email correspondence between Tatum and Mateo At about 37:40, Ursula responds to Pete's question about At about 39:40, Pete remarks on the literary world's idiosyncrasies, and Ursula shares an amazing story about the National Book Awards and some writing industry “slipper[iness]” At about 42:05, Pete and Ursula reflect on book readings and their myriad crowds; Ursula shares a cool summary of seeing Sigrid Nuñez speak   At about 44:00, Ursula expands on Pete's wondering and asking about Mateo and Tatum's early relationship and ideas of a platonic and perhaps unequal relationship At about 47:35, Ursula gives background on real-life parallels to the nunnery portrayed in the novel  At about 49:00, Ursula talks about the juxtaposition of Mayumi and Valeria as reflections of Tatum's naivete and growth At about 51:10, Ursula talks about the “limbo” that governs Tatum's reaction to early indications of Mateo's possible womanizing At about 54:05, Pete wonders about Tatum being in denial and also aware that Mateo may be guilty of charges, and Ursula talks about the Kitty Genovese story and it “always staying with [her]” At about 55:15, Ursula expands on her interest in the “bystander effect” and how this phenomenon has played out with outreach for Gaza At about 56:50, Pete asks Ursula about the importance of Tatum staying in New York At about 59:00, Ursula responds to Pete's question about the pull of teachers and teaching in Tatum's life At about 1:01:30, the two discuss the phases of life and subtleties of the Mateo and Tatum relationship At about 1:02:10, Pete talks about Tatum reading Maria Luz's account of the abuse inflicted by Mateo At about 1:3:00, Pete asks Ursula about writing the phases of the relationship  At about 1:06:00, Pete and Ursula talk about Tatum's writing her own account of his time with Mateo and if her “ ‘complicated feelings' ” are helping to “sanitize” Mateo's behaviors      You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of flawed characters, protagonists who are too real in their actions, and horror and noir as being where so much good and realistic writing takes place.    Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 297 with Cynthia Miller-Idriss, who is an opinion columnist for MSNBC and writes for The New York Times, The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, The Washington Post, Politico, USA Today, The Boston Globe, and more. The episode airs today, Sept 16, Pub Day for Man Up: The New Misogyny and the Rise of Violent Extremism.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Notes and Links to Andrew Porter's Work     Andrew Porter is the author of four books, including the short story collection The Theory of Light and Matter (Vintage/Penguin Random House), which won the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction, the novel In Between Days (Knopf), which was a Barnes & Noble “Discover Great New Writers”  selection, an IndieBound “Indie Next” selection, and the San Antonio Express News's “Fictional Work of the Year,” the short story collection The Disappeared (Knopf), which was longlisted for The Story Prize and the Joyce Carol Oates Prize, and the novel The Imagined Life, which was published by Knopf in April 2025. Porter's books have been published in foreign editions in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand and translated into numerous languages, including French, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Bulgarian, and Korean. In addition to winning the Flannery O'Connor Award, his collection, The Theory of Light and Matter,  received Foreword Magazine's “Book of the Year” Award for Short  Fiction, was a finalist for The Steven Turner Award, The Paterson Prize  and The WLT Book Award, was shortlisted for the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing, and was selected by both The Kansas City Star and The San Antonio Express-News  as one of the “Best Books of the Year.” The recipient of a Pushcart Prize and fellowships from the James Michener-Copernicus Foundation, the W.K. Rose Foundation,  and the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation,  Porter's  short stories have appeared in The Best American Short Stories, One Story, Ploughshares, The Southern Review, The Threepenny Review, The Missouri Review, American Short Fiction, Narrative Magazine, Epoch, Story, The Colorado Review, Electric Literature, and Texas Monthly, among others. He has had his work read on NPR's Selected Shorts and numerous times selected as one of the Distinguished Stories of the Year by Best American Short Stories.  A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, Porter is currently a Professor of English and Director of the Creative Writing Program at Trinity University in San Antonio.   Buy The Imagined Life   Andrew's Website   Andrew's Wikipedia Page   Book Review for The Imagined Life from New York Times   At about 1:30, Pete makes a clumsy but heartfelt comparison between The Imagined Life and Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea and Andrew shares feedback from readers of his novel At about 3:10, Andrew responds to Pete's question about the book's seeds and talks about “tinker[ing]” with the book's opening for years At about 4:45, Pete remarks on the book's first-person account, and Andrew and Pete discuss the book's opening and ideas of naivete and fallible parents At about 6:45, Pete asks Andrew, who expands about structuring the book and its connection to revision  At about 8:45, Pete compares the setting of the book, 1983 Fullerton, CA, to The Smashing Pumpkins' “1979,” and Andrew discusses similarities  At about 10:30, Pete reflects on the importance of the age given to the book's narrator and the two characterize the book's “father” and Andrew talks about using a 70s/early 80s atmosphere through the young narrator's lens At about 15:30, Pete summarizes an important character introduction and Andrew talks about the importance of an embarrassing faux pas by the narrator's father that might have "professional ramifications” At about 17:30, Andrew responds to Pete's question about the visits that Steven takes to speak with his father's former colleagues in the present-day At about 21:20, Andrew explains connections between Proust (“Proo-st”) and the father, who is obsessed in some ways with Proust's work; Andrew notes personal parallels between the father and Proust At about 24:10, Andrew gives background on Uncle Julian's connection to his brother and his family  At about 25:40, Andrew responds to Pete's questions about the importance of the book's cabana and complicated coupling  At about 27:40, Andrew reflects on Chau's relationship with Steven and the connection as a shared “escape from their home lives” At about 31:00, Andrew responds to Pete's questions about fleeting beautiful moments between father and son At about 32:25, Pete wonders about how Andrew picks character names At about 34:10, Andrew discusses the narrator's son, Finn, and his acting out in school as a function of his parents' marital shakiness  At about 35:30, Pete asks Andrew about a pivotal party and any “ruptures” in relationships that may have followed   At about 38:00, Andrew reflects on possible foreshadowing through letters and notes left behind by Steven's father  At about 40:40, Andrew discusses his mindset in writing an important and off-the-wall culminating scene At about 43:35, The two reflect on ideas of traumas and cycles and anger, especially with regard to Steven's recognition of same  At about 46:30, Pete compliments the ending of the book, ideas of legacy and wonderful book timing At about 47:30, Andrew reflects on his book's setting as key in exploring contrasts between Steven's life then and now, as well as with the world as a whole At about 48:30, Swatch Watch discourse! and vague Bel Biv Devoe reference!      You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you're checking out this episode.       Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete's one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content! This month's Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of flawed characters, protagonists who are too real in their actions, and horror and noir as being where so much good and realistic writing takes place. Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.     This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 295 with Wright Thompson, a senior writer for ESPN, contributing writer to the Atlantic, and the New York Times bestselling author of Pappylandand The Cost of These Dreams. The Barn, a captivating story of the tragedy of Emmett Till's racist murder, is out in paperback on the day the episode airs, today, September 9.    Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.  

Host Jason Blitman talks to Patrick Ryan about his new novel, Buckeye, which is this month's Read with Jenna Book Club selection. They talk about writing inspirations, father-son relationships, and Ryan's love for pinball. Jason is then joined by Guest Gay Reader, Rabih Alameddine (The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother)) his perspective on dealing with trauma, devotion, and forgiveness. Patrick Ryan is the author of the novel Buckeye. He is also the author of the story collections The Dream Life of Astronauts (named one of the Best Books of the Year by the St. Louis Times-Dispatch, LitHub, Refinery 29, and Electric Literature, and longlisted for The Story Prize) and Send Me. His work has appeared in The Best American Short Stories, the anthology Tales of Two Cities, and elsewhere. The former associate editor of Granta, he is the editor of the literary magazine One Story and lives in New York City.Rabih Alameddine is the author of the novels The Wrong End of the Telescope; Angel of History; An Unnecessary Woman; The Hakawati; I, the Divine; Koolaids; the story collection, The Perv; and one work of nonfiction, Comforting Myths. He has won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and was a finalist for the National Book Award. He received the Dos Passos Prize in 2019 and a Lannan Award in 2021.Support the showBOOK CLUB!Sign up for the Gays Reading Book Club HERE September Book: The Sunflower Boys by Sam Wachman SUBSTACK!https://gaysreading.substack.com/ MERCH!http://gaysreading.printful.me WATCH!https://youtube.com/@gaysreading FOLLOW!Instagram: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanBluesky: @gaysreading | @jasonblitmanCONTACT!hello@gaysreading.com

This week on The Stacks we are joined by Denne Michele Norris, the editor and chief of Electric Literature. She is the first Black, openly trans woman to helm a major literary publication. She is also behind two 2025 books, her debut novel, When the Harvest Comes and the anthology Both/And: Essays by Trans and Gender-Nonconforming Writers of Color. Today, we discuss her path to becoming “full time literary", and how she's using her seat at the table to bring more trans writers of color into the fold.For the month of September, the Stacks Book Club will be reading The Lilac People by Milo Todd. We will discuss the book on Wednesday, September 24th with Denne Michele Norris returning as our guest.You can find everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks' website:https://www.thestackspodcast.com/2025/9/3/ep-387-denne-michele-norrisConnect with Denne: Instagram | PodcastConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Twitter | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alex DiFrancesco joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about using rituals and tarot as a framework in a manuscript, Italian folk tradition as a spiritual outlet, the sometimes difficult path to publishing, being sued for defamation, finding a publisher brave enough to publish our work, writing about sexual assault, thinking in sections, using books as inspiration, complex PTSD, hiding who we are, alters, saints, and card divination, taking it slow, keeping our body in working order, making our own magic, and their new memoir Breaking the Curse.   Also in this episode: -anti-SLAPP laws -seeking protection -multi-tonal books -Snakes and Acey's Print Shop: https://www.snakesandaceys.com/   Books mentioned in this episode: 78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack  The Part That Burns by Jeannine Ouellette Aura by Hillary Leftwich Saint Dymphna's Playbook by Hillary Leftwich  Glory Guitars by Gogo Germaine I Liked You Better Before I Knew You So Well by James Allen Hall   Alex DiFrancesco is the author of ALL CITY, PSYCHOPOMPS, TRANSMUTATION, and BREAKING THE CURSE. Their work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Electric Literature, Lit Hub, Tim House, and more. They are a 2022 recipient of the Ohio Atts Council's individual excellence awards, as well as the first transgender awards finalist in over 80 years of the Ohioana Book Awards.  Connect with Alex: Website: www.alexdifrancesco.com Get the book: https://www.sevenstories.com/authors/453-alex-difrancesco?srsltid=AfmBOor0TGaH2gWxGoaqEPlv2rNOrjiALa2iEha3b-z1m0s6mFIosnja   – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social   Background photo credit: Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash Headshot photo credit: Sarah Anne Photography Theme music: Isaac Joel, Dead Moll's Fingers

"I am tyrannical about noise and about quiet. I don't feel that I can control the amount of mess I make. I mean, I know I can, but I kind of can't. And there's just so many things about my character that are really detrimental to having a writing process, which I need, and it's just so opposed to everything that's going on in my disgustoid little spirit," says Rax King, author of Sloppy.As I tell Rax in this conversation, I hadn't been reading a lot of what I'd call “fun” books. I wasn't having much by way of fun reading for a long time and that changed with Sloppy, which isn't to say the book doesn't have its heavy moments, but it's couched in a buoyant and irreverent voice that I found very appealing.Like Melissa Febos, Rax is something of a quote machine with acerbic wit that made this episode really electric. That's something I notice from voice-heavy memoirists and essayists. Like, if you're not throwing heat as an essayist, you gotta work on your game. Maybe there are some who can lyric their way through, but that's not my taste, personally. I need people pointing out the absurdities and their complicity in the absurdity. I don't even know what that means, but it sounded good.Rax King also is the author of Tacky: Love Letters to the Worst Culture We Have to Offer and the co-host of Low Culture Boil with Courtney Rawlings and Amber Rollo. Rax's work has been nominated for a James Beard Award and has appeared in Food & Wine, MEL Magazine, Glamour and Electric Literature. You can learn more about Rax at her website raxkingisdead.com or follow her on the gram @raxkingisdead.We talk about revisions, her sobriety, her sloppiness, money issues, steady-income spouses and a lot of other stuff. She really brought the heat.Order The Front RunnerNewsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmWelcome to Pitch ClubShow notes: brendanomeara.com