Podcast appearances and mentions of Justin Torres

Inspiriert von expectobooktronums Video „Fünf dicke Bücher vom SuB: Fette Wälzer aus meinem Regal“ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjvu8puvvvo) stelle ich euch heute meine 5 dicksten und dünnsten Bücher von meinem SuB vor. Dabei erwähne ich: „Die Aggregation“ aus der „Eon - Das letzte Zeitalter“-Reihe von Sascha Vennemann (111 Seiten) „Wir Tiere“ von Justin Torres (176 Seiten) „Sense of Winter“ aus der „Section 47“-Reihe von Jennifer Estep (206 Seiten) „22 Bahnen“ von Caroline Wahl (208 Seiten) „So rot wie Blut“ aus der „Lumikki“-Reihe von Salla Simukka (304 Seiten) „Liebe hat tausend Seiten“ aus der „Bookish Belles“-Reihe von Kelly Moran+ (304 Seiten) „Krieger des Feuers“ (990 Seiten) und „Herrscher des Lichts“ aus der „Mistborn“-Reihe von Brandon Sanderson (992 Seiten) „Der Übergang“ aus der „Der Übergang“-Reihe von Justin Cronin (1024/1132 Seiten) „Das dunkle Zeitalter“ aus der "Red Rising“-Reihe von Pierce Brown (1070 seiten) „Die Arena“ von Stephen King (1296 Seiten) Welche Titel sind bei euch die dicksten und dünnsten des Stapel ungelesener Bücher? Eure Ilana *Das Buch wurde mir als Rezensionsexemplar vom Verlag oder dem Autor/der Autorin zur Verfügung gestellt. Ich benutze Affiliate Links von Amazon.de, d.h. ich erhalte eine Provision, wenn ihr sie klickt und Produkte bestellt. Näheres siehe “Impressum und Rechtliches“.

Director Amy Taylor and actor Justin Torres stop by to talk about RENT, opening soon at the Thomaston Opera House thanks to Landmark Community Theater.

The neuroscientist-turned-pastry chef meets the bestselling author Jamie Chai Yun Liew for the first time; CBC Books senior producer Ryan B. Patrick and columnist Alicia Cox Thomson discuss rising Black Canadian writers; Joshua Whitehead recommends three books that centre queerness; and Dylan Sinclair shares his favourite book on this episode of The Next Chapter.Books discussed on this week's show include:Coexistence: Stories by Billy Ray BelcourtBlackouts by Justin TorresWhat I'd Rather Not Think About by Jente Posthuma, translated by Sarah Timmer HarveyThe Prophet by Kahlil GibranDandelion by Jamie Chai Yun LiewThe Pages of the Sea by Anne HawkSubterrane by Valérie BahPerfect Little Angels by Vincent AniokeScientific Marvel by Chimwemwe Undi

On this episode, Bernie Lombardi, a professor and researcher, discusses how his popular bookstagram and award lists are intertwined, along with his experiences reading the lists and even getting to go to the final ceremonies of a few awards! We also hear about his new author obsession and a very cool way that he tracks his reading each year.    Bernie's Instagram The Read & Run Chicago Gift Guide    Books mentioned in this episode:    What Betsy's reading:  How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix Held by Anne Michaels  Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner    Books Highlighted by Bernie: Milkman by Anna Burns  Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli  The Road by Cormac McCarthy  We the Animals by Justin Torres  The Promise by Damon Galgut  Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellman  Beautiful World, Where are You by Sally Rooney   All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.   Other books mentioned in this episode: On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan  Atonement by Ian McEwan  An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro  The Safekeep by Yael Van Der Wouden  Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell  The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell Intermezzo by Sally Rooney  Prophet Song by Paul Lynch  The Bee Sting by Paul Murray  Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein  Orbital by Samantha Harvey  James by Percival Everett  Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain  Martyr! By Kaveh Akbar Blackouts by Justin Torres

Notre libraire adoré des Cahiers de Colette revient comme tous les mois avec un ouvrage pour le présenter et nous donner l'envie de se plonger dans les chapitres. Justin Torres "Blackouts" - Éditions de l'Olivier

durée : 00:27:10 - Les Midis de Culture - par : Marie Labory - Au menu du débat critique : de la littérature américaine ! Nos critiques discutent de l'incontournable James Ellroy et du livre énigmatique de Justin Torres. - réalisation : Laurence Malonda - invités : Philippe Azoury Journaliste, critique et auteur; François Angelier Producteur de l'émission "Mauvais Genres" sur France Culture, spécialiste de littérature populaire

durée : 00:03:23 - Le Regard culturel - par : Lucile Commeaux - Le deuxième roman de l'Américain Justin Torres est un livre exigeant et intense, qui travaille singulièrement et poétiquement l'histoire des homosexuels aux États-Unis en multipliant formes et figures.

Suri from Time Out Bookstore visits the studio to chat about Blackouts by Justin Torres!

Notes and Links to Annie Liontas' Work        For Episode 244, Pete welcomes Annie Liontas, and the two discuss, among other topics, their childhood love of books after early years of learning English as a second language, their teaching life, formative and transformative books and writers, the hot literary scene in Philly, and salient themes and issues in her memoir like writing emotionally-charged material, “invisible disability,” traumatic brain injuries and their personal history, as well as larger narratives about TBI in the carceral system, NFL, and beyond.      Annie Liontas is the genderqueer author of the memoir Sex with a Brain Injury: On Concussion and Recovery, which was featured on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross and selected as SELF Magazine's Book of the Month. Their debut novel, Let Me Explain You, was selected as New York Times Editors Choice. They co-edited the anthology A Manner of Being: Writers on their Mentors, and their work has appeared in The New York Times Book Review, Gay Magazine, NPR, Electric Literature, BOMB, Lithub, The Believer, Guernica, McSweeney's, The Rumpus, and elsewhere. A graduate of Syracuse University's MFA program, they are a professor of writing at George Washington University. Annie has served as a mentor for Pen City's incarcerated writers and helped secure a Mellon Foundation grant on Disability Justice to bring storytelling to communities in the criminal justice system. They co-host the literary podcast LitFriends and live in Philadelphia.   Buy Sex with a Brain Injury   Annie's George Washington University Bio   NPR's Fresh Air Interview with Annie   Emma Copley Eisenberg Writes about Sex with a Brain Injury for Electric Lit   LitFriends Podcast with Annie and Lito Velazquez   At about 1:40, Annie talks about their experience with the legendary Terri Gross At about 3:45, Annie talks about their upbringing and Greek family lineage At about 5:20, Annie homes in on their early days in frustration in transmitting ideas in English  At about 6:20, Annie responds to Pete's questions about how Greek affects their English writing and reading  At about 8:30, Annie discusses their early love of reading At about 11:30, Annie and Pete discuss pleasurable reading and the idea of “favorite books” At about 12:15, Annie and Pete nerd out over Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Pete recommends “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” At about 13:40, Annie speaks to ideas of representation in what they have read  At about 15:20, Annie talks about “wonderful” professors in their time at Syracuse At about 16:20, Annie highlights Justin Torres, Yiyun Li, and other writers whose work is favorited by their students At about 17:50, Annie highlights Philadelphia's huge amount of talent-writers like Marie Helene Bertino, Emma Eisenberg, and Liz Moore At about 20:15, Pete and Annie talks about Annie's memoir's exposition and opening lines; Annie expounds upon seeds for the book At about 23:00, Pete shouts out Ingrid Rojas Contreras' The Man Who Could Move Clouds At about 23:50, The two discuss the ways in which Annie uses second person and tropes about concussions in the memoir At about 26:40, Pete wonders about Annie's decisions in summarizing three main injuries and compliments the draw of the structure; Annie talks about suspense and withholding and shares a resonant quote from George Saunders At about 29:30, Annie discusses “the longitudinal experience” that goes into “I will have my life” that ends the second chapter At about 31:05, Annie responds to Pete's questions about writing emotionally-charged material about beloved people At about 33:05, Annie talks about people doubting the severity of their injuries and a “five-year plan” At about 36:10, Annie shares interesting history about the rail industry and its “bonkers” track record-pun intended-in connection to injuries and “faking” At about 38:30, Pete asks Annie about effects of the brain injury At about 41:05, Pete's got jokes! and Annie talks about the physical effects of their brain injuries At about 42:25, Henry VIII's possible brain traumas are discussed, as are Harriet Tubman's At about 45:15, “Lying as a social act” is discussed in context of Annie's injury and subsequent ill effects At about 48:20, Annie discusses their mother's life and connections between addiction and brain trauma, including Marchell Taylor's moving fight for better care for TBI victims in the carceral system  At about 54:00, Pete highlights a resonant excerpt from the book, Page 67, revolving around queerness At about 57:15, Pete and Annie cite examples from the sporting world and the ways in which women's health concerns are not treated equally  At about 58:30, the NFL and concussions are discussed  At about 1:01:55, Pete and Annie discuss Q&A's with Annie's wife, and Pete wonders about the choice to use redacted parts  At about 1:04:30, Annie juxtaposes the different ways in which Tig Notaro and Ernest Shackleton dealt with trauma At about 1:08:50, Annie highlights the greatness of and beautiful relationship with Ursula von Ridingsvard At about 1:12:00, Annie shouts out their publisher and places to buy the book, as well as how to contact them and find them online; they give background information on her podcast        You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this and other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you're checking out this episode.    I am very excited about having 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. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review-I'm looking forward to the partnership!     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl     Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!       This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I'd love for your help in promoting what I'm convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.    The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 245 with Shannon Sanders, who is a Black writer, attorney, and author of the linked story collection Company, which was winner of the 2023 LA Times Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction. Additionally, her short fiction was the recipient of a 2020 PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers.     The episode will go live on July 31.     Lastly, please go to https://ceasefiretoday.com/, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.  

Notes and Links to Santiago José Sanchez's Work        For Episode 242, Pete welcomes Santiago José Sanchez, and the two discuss, among other topics, their childhood in Colombia and Miami, their experiences with bilingualism, formative and transformative reading, especially in his college years, how teaching informs their writing and vice versa, the wonderful multiple points of view in Hombrecito, salient themes in his collection like masculinity, immigration, queerness, familial ties, reinvention and Americanization, and ideas of home.        Santiago José Sánchez, a Grinnell College assistant professor of English and a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, is a queer Colombian American writer. Santiago's writing has appeared in McSweeney's, ZYZZYVA, Subtropics, and Joyland and been distinguished in Best American Short Stories. They are the recipient of a Truman Capote Fellowship from the University of Iowa and an Emerging LGBTQ Voices Fellowship from Lambda Literary. Their debut novel is Hombrecito, out as of June 25.     Buy Hombrecito   Santiago's Website   New York Times Review of Hombrecito At about 2:35, Santiago talks about their early relationship with the written word, and their early fascination with and exposure to storytelling At about 4:55, Santiago expounds upon how Hombrecito is a “love letter” to their mom, and their special relationship with her  At about 6:00, Santiago speaks to the interplay between English and Spanish in their life and in their writing At about 9:15, Santiago talks about Colombian Spanish and its uniqueness  At about 11:20, Santiago highlights books and writers (like Greenwell's Mitko) and a class with Professor Michael Cunningham that grew their huge love of writing and literature At about 13:25, Santiago discusses ideas of representation, including works by Justin Torres, that made them feel seen, but also gaps in representation At about 14:40, Santiago cites Small Rain by Greenwell, Ocean Vuong's new book, Ruben Reyes, Jr.'s There is a Rio Grande in Heaven, and Melissa Mogollon's Oye as exciting and inspiring At about 16:05, Santiago responds to Pete's question about how writing informs their teaching At about 18:30, Pete and Santiago rave about Jamil Jan Kochai's “Playing Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” and Santiago talks about their students loving the story At about 22:45, Santiago gives background on using different points-of-view and terminology for the narrator(s) in Hombrecito At about 26:40, Santiago describes the book as “autofiction” At about 28:10, “He lives between the world and his own mind,” a key quote from the beginning of the book, and the narrator's mother, are explored through a discussion of an early pivotal scene, which also bring talk of a certain type of sexism/misogyny directed at single mothers At about 32:15, Santiago explains the ways in which they use and views the term “queer” At about 34:10, Pete gives a little exposition of the book, featuring a scene where the book's title is first introduced-Santiago expands on the book's title and its myriad significance At about 38:10, An understated scene that ends Part I is discussed; Santiago describes their mindset in writing the scene in that way  At about 40:55, The two explore the narrator's insistence on calling his mother “Doctora” upon their move to Miami At about 43:10, Santiago gives an explanation of the book's oft-referenced “portal” At about 46:00, The last scene where the narrator is “Santiago” and an important transition, is looked at At about 46:50, The two reflect upon ideas of Americanization, and a supposedly-perfect/”normative” family dynamic that Santiago and their mother seek out At about 53:25, Santiago's mother and brother and their circumstances early in their time in Miami is discussed-Santiago details the “reshaping” of the family's situation  At about 56:05, Pete asks Santiago about the narrator's first lover and what repelled and brought them back together so many times At about 59:35, Santiago explains how the book is “a lot about silences” and focuses on the short and incredibly-powerful Chapter 11 At about 1:01:45, Pete cites the previously-mentioned meaningful and resonant flashback At about 1:02:50, The book's last section and its focus on the narrator and his father's ever-evolving, ever-loving  relationship is discussed At about 1:06:00, Santiago shares some of the feedback they have received since the book has been released, as well as information on their upcoming tour At about 1:10:35, Santiago reads an excerpt from the book that forces the reader to salivate and smile At about 1:12:45, Pete tells a story about translation gone wrong for the fourth or fifth time-eek!       You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this and other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you're checking out this episode.     I am very excited about having 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. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review-I'm looking forward to the partnership!      Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl      Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!        This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I'd love for your help in promoting what I'm convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.     The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.     Please tune in for Episode 243 with Kathleen Rooney,  who is founding editor of Rose Metal Press and a founding member of Poems While You Wait. She teaches English and creative writing at DePaul University and is the author, most recently, of the novel From Dust to Stardust, as well as the poetry collection Where Are the Snows.    The episode will go live on July 16.     Lastly, please go to https://ceasefiretoday.com/, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Celebrate Gil Cuadros with Kevin Martin, Rafael Pérez-Torres, & Amy Scholder. Opening by Greyson Wright & readings by Joseph Cassara & Flavia Elisa Mora. City Lights & the SF LGBT Center celebrate the publication of "My Body Is Paper: Stories and Poems" by Gil Cuadros, edited by Pablo Alvarez, Kevin Martin, Rafael Pérez-Torres, & Terry Wolverton, foreword by Justin Torres. Published by City Lights Books. Purchase "My Body Is Paper" here: https://citylights.com/my-body-is-paper-stories-poems/ Purchase "City of God" here: https://citylights.com/city-lights-published/city-of-god/ Since "City of God" was published by City Lights 30 years ago, it has become an unlikely classic (an “essential book of Los Angeles” according to the LA Times). The book has touched those who find in his work a singular evocation of Chicanx life in Los Angeles around the time of the AIDS epidemic, which took his life in 1996. Little did we know, Cuadros continued writing exuberant works in the period between his one published book & his untimely death at 34. This recently discovered treasure, "My Body Is Paper," is a stunning portrait of sex, family, religion, culture of origin, & the betrayals of the body. Tender & blistering, erotic & spiritual, Cuadros dives into these complexities which we grapple with today, showing us how to survive these times & beyond. Gil Cuadros (1962–1996) was a groundbreaking gay Latino writer whose work explored the intersections of sexuality, race, & spirituality. Diagnosed with HIV in 1987, Cuadros channeled his experiences into "City of God," capturing the raw emotions of living with a life-threatening illness. His lyrical intensity & unflinching honesty shined a light on marginalized communities & familial expectations. "City of God" has gone on to become a classic of Chicanx literature. Kevin J. Martin is the executor of the Estate of Gil Cuadros, & a longtime copyeditor & writer. He serves as Senior Writer & Associate Editor for MagellanTV, where he writes on various topics related to art & culture. Rafael Pérez-Torres is professor of English & Gender Studies at UCLA & author of "Movements in Chicano Poetry and Critical Mestizaje," co-author of "Memories of an East L.A. Outlaw," & co-editor of "The Chicano Studies Reader." Amy Scholder is a literary editor & documentary filmmaker known for amplifying the stories of marginalized artists & activists. Amy began her career as an editor at City Lights. She has since served as US Publisher to Verso Books, later joining 7 Stories Press as Editor & Chief. In 2008, Scholder left 7 Stories to become the executive editor of the Feminist Press at the City University of New York. Scholder was approached by director Pratibha Parmar & producer Shaheen Haq to help finish their hybrid documentary feature, "My Name Is Andrea," about Andrea Dworkin. She became an executive producer of the film, which premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival. Joseph Cassara is the author of "The House of Impossible Beauties" (Ecco), winner of the 2019 Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction & finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction. A graduate of Columbia University & the Iowa Writers' Workshop, he currently serves as the George & Judy Marcus Endowed Chair of Creative Writing at San Francisco State University. Flavia Elisa Mora is a queer, Mexican migrant artist, activist, & community organizer raised in occupied Ramaytush Ohlone land, in La Mission. Her main two foci are muralismo & Flor y Canto poesía. Flavia's work delves into the exploration of her identity, relationships, migration story, family & community history. She is a published writer, performs poetry throughout the Bay, & is one of the lead artists for the mural "Alto al Fuego en la Misión," located on 24th and Capp, SF. Event originally broadcast from City Lights' Poetry Room on Thursday, May 30, 2024. Hosted by Peter Maravelis. Made possible by support from the City Lights Foundation. citylights.com/foundation

Let's travel back in time to... 2023. What are some books we didn't get to that we finally read for today's show? Books mentioned on this episode: Homecoming by Kate Morton, Grave Expectations by Alice Bell, and Blackouts by Justin Torres. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/keepitfictional/message

In Episode 166, author Andrew Boryga joins me to discuss his debut novel, Victim, a funny and gripping satire about success and identity. Through the adventures of Javier, Victim explores what “diversity” means, why society loves a victim narrative, and the pitfalls of chasing fame online. Boryga combines humor with biting social commentary without sacrificing heart. This is a juicy and highly discussable story! In our chat, Andrew shares his inspiration behind the book, his decade long road to publication, and what he finds most effective in a satirical novel.  Plus, Andrew shares some fantastic book recommendations! This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Highlights A spoiler-free overview of Victim. Andrew shares the inspiration and decade-long development of the story. How his journalism background is reflected in his book. Why Andrew decided to craft Javier's story as a memoir. Andrew's journey to finding an agent and getting published. Why Andrew followed his dream of writing fiction, rather than publishing an essay collection like many publishing insiders were advising him. The way his story drafts and characters evolved over time. How his MFA workshop helped shaped the story. Riding that fine line for a balanced satire: focusing on the social commentary without going over the top. The themes Andrew is exploring in his next book! Andrew's Book Recommendations [34:19] Two OLD Books He Loves Bodega Dreams by Ernesto Quiñonez | Amazon | Bookshop.org [34:30] Loving Day by Mat Johnson  | Amazon | Bookshop.org  [36:11] Other Book Mentioned: Pym by Mat Johnson [37:56] Two NEW Books He Loves The Birthparents by Frank Santo | Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:09] Blackouts by Justin Torres | Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:38] Other Book Mentioned: We the Animals by Justin Torres [40:57] One Book He DIDN'T Love Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah | Amazon | Bookshop.org[42:13] Other Book Mentioned: The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz [43:21] One NEW RELEASE He's Excited About Oye by Melissa Mogollon (May 14, 2024) | Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:14] Last 5-Star Book Andrew Read Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder | Amazon | Bookshop.org [45:37] Other Books Mentioned Yellowface by R. F. Kuang [27:31] The Sellout by Paul Beatty [31:14] About Andrew Boryga Website | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) Andrew Boryga is a writer, editor, and author from the Bronx, New York, currently residing in Miami, Florida with his wife and two children. Victim is his debut novel. Boryga began his career writing for a local newspaper in the Bronx at age 16, eventually securing an internship with The New York Timesby age 18. His nonfiction writing has since been featured in prominent publications such as The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Paris Review, and The Daily Beast, among others.  Boryga's contributions to writing education extend beyond his own work, encompassing teaching roles for elementary school students, college students, and incarcerated individuals in Florida. He has also shared his insights on writing and the writing life through lectures at various academic institutions.  Throughout his career, Boryga has been awarded prizes by Cornell University, The University of Miami, The Susquehanna Review, and The Michener Foundation. 

Five China Grove police officers took action outside their jurisdiction Feb. 15 in response to a crime in San Antonio. Police Capt. Tiffany Aguillen, Sgt. Daniel Vickers, and officers Justin Torres and Morgan Lucas were having supper at an eatery in the 3800 block of East Southcross Boulevard in the Alamo City when a citizen approached and told them that a man was exposing himself in public. The officers immediately went out to look for him. “He fled the location on foot,” China Grove police Chief Ralph Sramek told the Wilson County News. “However, he was spotted further up the...Article Link

Martene McCaffrey of Unity Books Auckland reviews Blackouts by Justin Torres published by Granta.

In this highly anticipated second part of Justin Torres' episode on the Light It Up podcast, we delve deeper into strategies for boosting real estate sales and explore advanced lead generation techniques. As the owner/CEO of JUST | SELLS, Justin shares invaluable insights and practical tips derived from his extensive experience in the industry. Join us as we continue our conversation with Justin, uncovering the tactics and strategies that have propelled his success in real estate. Whether you're a seasoned agent looking to enhance your sales techniques or a newcomer seeking proven lead generation methods, this episode offers valuable guidance for achieving success in the competitive real estate market. Tune in to discover how Justin Torres leverages innovative strategies to drive real estate sales and generate leads effectively. ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ We'd love to Connect, Collaborate, or Help. Reach out! KIRO NASRALAH 201-312-7708 ------------------------------ JOHN SCIPIONE 201-841-8935

In this compelling first part of a two-part episode of the Light It Up podcast, we explore the impact of The Mike Ferry Effect on Justin Torres' remarkable rise in real estate. As the owner/CEO of JUST | SELLS, Justin shares his insights and experiences, drawing inspiration from the teachings of Mike Ferry. Join us as we uncover Justin's journey, from leveraging The Mike Ferry System to building his own successful real estate business. Whether you're a seasoned agent or aspiring entrepreneur, this episode offers valuable lessons and inspiration for achieving success in the competitive world of real estate. Tune in to discover how The Mike Ferry Effect influenced Justin Torres' path to becoming a prominent figure in the industry. ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ We'd love to Connect, Collaborate, or Help. Reach out! KIRO NASRALAH 201-312-7708 ------------------------------ JOHN SCIPIONE 201-841-8935

Chicago artists Ryan Hake and Lizzy Mosher join Jagbags for an outstanding discussion of the best books we all read in 2023. They are not necessarily books published in 2023, but rather books we discovered and books we loved. We also discuss other book-related topics (such as the authors we would most like to have dinner with) in a stimulating 90 minute podcast. JOIN US for ultimate literature back and forth! Put some Jagbags in your ear!

Read this week: Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas, The Seaplane on Final Approach by Rebecca Rukeseyer, Wellness by Nathan Hill, and Ghost Music by An Yu. 2023 favs: The Bee Sting by Paul Murray, In Memoriam by Alice Winn, Land of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang, In Ascension by Martin MacInnes, The Glutton by A K Blakemore, Julia by Sandra Newman, Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri, Dying of Politeness (A Memoir) by Geena Davis, The Darkness Manifesto: Why The World Needs The Night by Johan Eklöf, North Woods by Daniel Mason.Christmas reads: The End of Alice by A.M. Homes, Dykette by Jenny Fran Davis, The Town of Babylon by Alejandro Varela. Blackouts by Justin Torres, Closer by Dennis Cooper, I Have Some Questions For You by Rebecca Makkai. Recommendations: Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, My Name Is Why by Lemn Sissay, Chavs by Owen Jones, The End of Eddy by Édouard Louis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2023 National Book Award for Fiction winner Justin Torres joins us to discuss his novels We The Animals (2011, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) and Blackouts (2023, Farrar, Straus and Giroux). We talk about what Torres considers success in his writing, the value of fiction that diverges from the realm of reality, and how he approached his award-winning new work. Inspired in part by the book Sex Variants: A Study in Homosexual Patterns, Blackouts moves between fact and fiction as it explores the life of an unnamed narrator referred to as "nene," his older friend Juan Gay, and historical figure Jan Gay. Torres creates stories from what's missing, challenging readers to confront questions that have no answers. Torres's bestselling debut, We the Animals, won the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, was translated into fifteen languages, and was adapted into a feature film. He was named a National Book Foundation “5 Under 35,” a Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University, a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, and a Cullman Center Fellow at the New York Public Library. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper's, Granta, Tin House, The Washington Post, LA Times Image Magazine, and Best American Essays.  Host: Davin Malasarn The Artist's Statement is brought to you by The Granum Foundation. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-artists-statement/message

In the first episode of Season 1, co-hosts Annie Liontas and Lito Velázquez speak with LitFriends Angela Flournoy & Justin Torres about their enduring friendship, writing in a precarious world, and chosen family. Links https://sites.libsyn.com/494238 www.annieliontas.com www.litovelazquez.com https://linktr.ee/litfriendspodcast https://www.instagram.com/litfriendspodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553436475678 https://justin-torres.com/ https://www.angelaflournoy.com/ https://www.asalisolomon.com/ Transcript Annie & Lito (00:01) Welcome to LitFriends! Hey LitFriends! Annie: Welcome to the show. Lito: Today we're speaking with the great writers and LitFriends, Justin Torres and Angela Flournoy. Annie: About chosen family, the dreaded second novel, and failure and success. Lito: So grab your bestie and— 
 Both: Get ready to get lit! Lito: That's so cute. Annie: It's cute. It's cute. We're cute! Lito: Cute, cute… So you had a question? Annie (00:29) I do. I have a question for you, Lito. Are you a cat or an ox? Lito: I mean, I would hope that the answer is so obvious that it almost bears not asking the question. I'm a cat. Annie: Okay, so Asali Solomon at The Claw asked us all, are you an ox or a cat? Lito: That's a great question. Annie: And as a writer... You know, the oxen are the people who work every day in the field, clock in, clock out, pay themselves a quarter an hour. I'm literally talking about me. The cats are people who are playful, exploratory, when the mood strikes them… Lito: Why are you looking at me when you say that? Annie Lito (01:26) So are you an ox or a cat? Lito: I'm a cat. I think anyone who's ever met me would say I'm a cat. Annie: How does that show up in your writing? Lito: Well, I mean, play is so important to me—she'll be on the  podcast in a couple of episodes, but when I first...was studying with Lucy, that was one of the first things that she spoke about in our class, and it kind of blew up my whole world. I had been writing for a long time already, but I hadn't thought of it as play, or there was some permission I needed or something. So the idea of play is really central to what I do and love. You wouldn't necessarily know that from the novel that I'm writing, which is sort of a dark book. Um, but it did start out with a lot of play and, I'm also, as you could probably just hear, my cat is coming into the room. Annie: Your cat is like, yes, Lito is us. RiffRaff is like, "Lito is cat." Lito: My cat Riff Raff, yes. Smarty pants. Um, he needed to join in on this conversation. Anyways, I'm a cat. I, I'm fickle when it comes to my work. Um. I don't want to work on my novel all the time, which is great because life has found so many ways to prevent it from happening. So in the new year, in 2024, it will be 7 years since I've started writing this book, and it's still, it's going to take a few more months at least. And what about you? Annie:  (03:09) I'm four oxen pulling a cart carrying all of my ancestors. I am very much the immigrant who says, get up, go do the work, come back, go do the work. And believe it or not, for me, there is a lot of joy in that. It's a... It allows, you know, it's Csikszentmihalyi's Flow, actually. So it doesn't feel like drudgery, usually. It does feel like joy. And I'm actually curious for all you LitFriends out there, if you're an ox or a cat. Lito: Yes, that's such a great idea. Please email us at litfriendspodcast@gmail.com, and tell us if you're a cat or an oxen or share on all your socials. Annie: Yeah, maybe we should poll them. That would be fun. Lito: That's a good idea. #LitFriendsPodcast. Annie: The reason I'm asking is because, of course, both Justin and Angela, who we speak with today in this episode, talk about what it's like to go for 10 years between books. "A banger a decade," is what Angela says. Lito: It's so funny. Annie: And you, you know, part of that, they have this very rich conversation about how, when you put everything into the first book, it takes a lot to get to the second book. But I think also there's a lot of play, right? And there's a lot of understanding that writing appears in different forms. And it might be the second novel, but it might be something else. Lito: For sure. I really like how they talk about— that the practice of writing is actually a practice of reading. And I think that any serious writer spends most of their time reading. And not just reading books, but texts of all kinds, in the world, at museums, as Justin points out, art, television, even the trashiest TV show has so much to offer. Annie: (05:12) And there's such a generosity to the way they think of themselves as artists, and also generosity in how they show up for one another as friends, and acknowledging when they fail one another as we as we see in this episode. And I remember my introduction to Justin when I was a grad student at Syracuse. I read We the Animals and fell in love with it, asked him to come do a reading at Syracuse, which was wonderful. And my wife who, at that time was my Bey-ancé, she was turning 30. We had no money. I couldn't buy her anything. Not in grad school. So I asked Justin if he would autograph his story, "Reverting to a Wild State," which is about a breakup in reverse, for Sara. Lito: Oh, I love that story. Annie: And he did, and he thought it was so beautiful, and I was like, "let me send it to you." He's like, "no, I've got it." He just shipped it to me. He didn't know me. We didn't know each other. Lito: He knew you because of books. He knew you because he loved literature. Annie: Yeah. And I remember that in it. I held on to it at a time when that act really mattered. Lito: One of the things I love about our interview with Justin and Angela is how much all of us talk about generosity, and how Justin and Angela display it in their conversation with each other and with us. And I'm just curious, how do you see that coming through also in Angela's work? Annie: (07:00) You know, I remember her talking about how the idea for the book began with this image of people moving around a house at night. This is The Turner House. And she says this image opens up a lot of questions. And one of the things that really stays with me about that book is how masterful she is at shifting perspective, particularly between siblings, which I find to be such a challenge for writers, right? Like your siblings are the people who are closest to you and sometimes also the farthest away. And she gets that so intimately on the page. And of course, in our conversation with Angela and Justin, one of the things they talk about is being family, essentially being siblings. And that's one of the most powerful echoes of the conversation. They talk about being a chosen family and having to choose again and again and again. And that spirit of consciousness and connection, I feel that very much in Angela's work, and of course in Justin's too. Lito: Oh Annie, I choose you again and again, I choose you. Annie: Oh, I choo-choo-choose you! Lito: So stupid. Annie: (08:05) After the break, we'll be back with Justin and Angela. Annie: (08:24) And we're back. Lito: I just wanted to mention, too, that we spoke with Angela and Justin in October during the writer's strike in Hollywood, and just before Justin's new book, Blackouts, was released. And just last week, as you're hearing this podcast. Annie: Just last week. Lito: Just last week! He won the National Book Award for a book that took him 10 years to write. Annie: Absolutely. Annie: Justin Torres is the author of Blackouts, a novel about queer histories that are hidden, erased and re-imagined. Blackouts won the 2023 National Book Award for fiction. His debut novel, We the Animals, has been translated into 15 languages and was adapted into a feature film. He was named National Book Foundation's Five Under 35. His work appears in the New Yorker, Harper's, Granta, Tin House, Best American Essays, and elsewhere. He lives in Los Angeles and teaches at UCLA. Lito: Angela Flournoy is the author of The Turner House, which was a finalist for the National Book Award, won the VCU-Cabel First Novel Prize, and was also a finalist for both the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and an NAACP Image Award. Angela is a contributing writer at the New York Times Magazine, and her nonfiction has appeared in The Nation, the Los Angeles Times, The New Yorker, and elsewhere. Angela is a faculty member in the low residency MFA program at Warren Wilson College. Lito: (10:36) I'm so grateful that you guys found time to meet with us today, and I've thought about you two as friends since I think this is like the first time you've done something like what you did in 2017, the "Proper Missive"—do you remember that—you published in Spook? And it stuck with me. I was like a big, nerding out, and I bought it and I have it still. And I thought about that. And Justin, you know that you're very personal— there's a personal connection with me because I found your book on my way to my first master's program. No one had said anything about it to me where I was coming from, and it was really great. And Angela, I first found your book. I was so amazed and moved by the talk you don't remember at Syracuse. Angela: I don't remember the lunch. I remember being at Syracuse, and there being a talk, yes. Lito: You inscribed your book, "Here's to Language," which I think is hilarious and also really sweet. And I think we must have said something about language at some point. But anyways, thank you so much both for being here. Justin: Thank you for having us. Angela: Very happy to be here. Lito: So let's start. Why don't you tell us about your friend in a few sentences? So Angela, you can go first. Tell us about Justin. Angela: (11:23) Justin is the first person that I met in Iowa City when I was visiting and deciding if I was going to go there, but was I really deciding no? I'll let you go there. But that I could like, deciding whether I would be miserable while I was there. And so Justin was the first person I met. And feel like Justin is five years older than me. It has to be said.  Justin: Does it? Angela: When I think about people, and I think about like mentors, I have other like amazing mentors, but like, I think that there's really something special about somebody who some people might think is your peer, but like, in a lot of ways you've been like looking up to them and, um, that has been me with Justin. I think of him as like a person who is not only, he's a Capricorn, and he has big Capricorn energy. I am an Aquarius. I do not want to be perceived— Justin: I don't agree with any of this. But I don't know. I don't follow any of this. Angela: But Justin is in the business of perceiving me and also gathering me up and helping me do better. My life is just always getting better because of it. I'm grateful for it. Annie: That is beautiful, all of that is beautiful. Justin, tell us about Angela. Justin: I can't follow that, that is so...  Angela: Acurate! Justin: You're so prepared! You're so sweet! I'm so touched! Angela: Only a Capricorn would be touched by somebody saying that you perceive them and gather them up and make them feel better. Ha ha ha! Justin: I like that, I do like that. Let's see, yeah. I mean, I think that when we met, I had already been in Iowa for a year, and within two seconds, I was like, oh, we're gonna be friends, and you don't know it yet. But I knew it intensely. And yeah, I think that one of the, I agree that I think we keep each other honest, I think. I think that one of the things that I just so appreciate about Angela is that, you know, yeah, you see my bullshit. You put up with it for like a certain amount of time, and then you're like, all right, we need to talk about the bullshit that you're pulling right now. And I love it, I love it, love it, love it, because I don't know, I think you really keep me grounded. I think that, yeah, it's been really (14:09) wonderful to have you in my life. And like, our lives really, really kind of pivoted towards one another. You know, like we've, it was not just like, oh, we were in grad school and then, you know, whatever, we have similar career paths, so we stayed friends or whatever. It's like, we became family. And, you know, every, every kind of major event in either of our lives is a major event, a shared major event, right? And that's like, yeah, I don't know. I can't imagine my life without you. I honestly can't. Angela: Likewise. I gave birth in Justin's home. Annie: Oh! Sweet! Justin: In my bathroom, over there. Right over there. Lito: Whoa, congratulations, and also scary(?)! Angela: It's in a book I'm writing, so I won't say so much about it, but it was a COVID home birth success story. And yeah, like family. Lito: Was that the plan or did that just happen? Angela: Well, It wasn't the plan and then it was the plan. Justin: Yeah, exactly. COVID wasn't the plan. Angela: No. Justin: The plan was Angela was gonna sublet my place with her husband and she was pregnant. And then, COVID happened Angela: There were a lot of pivots. But we did, it was like enough of a plan where we got his blessing to give birth in his home. Justin: It wasn't a surprise. Angela: It was a surprise that it was in the bathroom, but that's a different story. Annie: You blessed that bathroom is all I can say. Angela: Yeah. Lito: We'll be right back. Back to the show. Annie: (16:22) Well, I want to come back to what Lido was saying about proper missives. I love the intimacy. I mean, I know you weren't writing those to one another for kind of public consumption, but the intimacy and the connection, it's so moving. And I was thinking about, you know, Justin, you, you talk about Angela as kind of pointing the way to beauty and helping you see the world anew or differently. And Angela, you talked about how Justin encourages you to take up space as a political act. I'm just wondering what else you all have taught one another. What has your LitFriend taught you? Justin: Yeah, I mean, we did write that for public consumption. Angela: Yes, it was the editor-in-chief of Spook, Jason Parham. Spook is relaunching soon, so look out for it. He just told me that, like, the other day. And he's moving to L.A. So many things are happening. But he reached out to us and was really interested in—he's a big archives guy and like how—he thought it was valuable the way that writers of past generations, they have these documents of their letters to each other, to their editors, to their friends, to their enemies, and how this generation, because we're just texting through it, we don't really have that. And so that was really just the extent of the assignment, was to write letters to each other, which, of course, we still ended up using email to do. But we really tried to keep it in the spirit of a letter and not just something you kind of dash off. Justin: And we were not living in the same place at that time. Angela: No. Justin: So it was, it did feel kind of— Angela: I was in Provincetown, I think. Justin: Yeah, I remember I was on a train when I was, when I was doing— I can't remember where I was going or, but I remember a lot of it was— or a few of those correspondences— because it went over days, weeks. Lito: Yeah, you were going to Paris. Angela: Oh. Glamorous train. You were on the Eurostar. Justin: Wow. Annie: You basically said the same thing then, Angela. Call him out. Justin: (18:32) Yeah, and I think that what I was saying was that one of the things I loved about that was it really forced us to dive deeper, right? To kind of— Sometimes we can stay very much on the surface because we talk every day. And so it was really nice to see, not just what was kind of on your mind in the background, but also how you were processing it, how you kind of made language and meaning out of it. I was just like... I don't know, it's like, I know you're so deep, but then we also love to be shallow. And so it's so nice to be like, to connect from that deep place. Annie: One of the things that I'm so drawn to about both of your work is how you write about family, the way it shapes us, the way it wounds us, what it means to watch family members suffer. You talk about it as the question of the donut hole in "Proper Missive. Angela, I remember you were writing about your father. When you were writing about him, you talk about, "the assumption that a flawed person should be subject to anyone's definition." And Justin, I'm thinking quite broadly in terms of, you know, chosen or logical family. One of my favorite pieces that I teach in my creative non-fiction class is "Leashed," and you write there, "my friends, those tough women and queers were all too sharp and creative for their jobs. If I'm nostalgic, it's not because I was happy in those precarious years, but because I was deeply moved by our resourcefulness." I'm just wondering how you think about, you know, (20:09) family, logical family, and how your lit friendship fits into this? Justin: Who's going first? Angela: You. Justin: Let's see, I think that it's such a great question. I actually like, I use that little short kind of tiny little piece that you referenced. I use that in my book, in Blackouts, that's coming out. I think that, which is a book about chosen family as well, and lineages, and what do you do when you feel there's some kind of disruption, right? That like if you're estranged from your biological family or you know or you just need these connections, these kind of queer connections to and other ways of thinking about family that are not related to (21:06) bloodlines. Like we said earlier, we are family, and we've known that for quite a while. It was something that, I don't know. You know, it's like something that I don't think you ever really need to say. It's just you know who your people are. And I think that, and I think that it's a choice that you make and remake again and again and again. And that is something that is, I don't know, it's so exceptional, right? Compared to bloodlines and biological family, which can be hugely important and bring a lot of meaning to people. But that you're choosing this again and again. Like almost like the kind of past tense chosen family is like, it's like a little bit inaccurate, right? It's like the family you choose, and keep choosing, and you're choosing right now, you know? So I love that. Yeah. Angela: Just that the continuity of it, not in the sense that it's always going to be there, but that like you are, you're like an active, uh, engager like in it. In it, I just think about, I think about that, like, uh, at this point we know each other for 14 years. And the way that there's just necessarily we're not the same people but you have to keep, and you have to keep engaging, and you have to keep figuring out how to navigate different things and I think particularly as like LitFriends there's the huge thing you have to navigate which is especially if you're friends before that you're just like some kids who got into this program that people think are fancy, but you're just like, anything can happen, right? From there to being the capital— going from just like lowercase w, "writer," to capital A, "Author." And like what that, I mean, I've seen many a friendship where that is the rupture. And so particularly figuring out, like, how are you going to navigate that, and how are you going to still be in each other's lives. (23:16.33) Um, one thing I think about, as a person who thinks about family a lot is, with your family, sometimes you can like harm one another, and you'll just take some time off, or you'll just be like, that's how they are. But with the family that you continue to choose, you have to, ideally, you gotta do something about it. You have to actually have the engagement, and you have to figure out how to come out on the other side of it. And that is something that is harder and really in so many ways, all the more precious because of it. And it requires a kind of resilience and also just like a trust. And again, because Justin, you know, likes to gather me up, there's been a few times when I was like, "Oh, no, like, we've got beef, what's gonna happen?" And Justin is like, "we're family, what's gonna happen is we're gonna have to talk about this beef, and then move on." Justin: Yeah. And I think that I think that also you have, you're really good at reminding me to be responsible, right? That just because I've made this commitment, in my mind, right, Like we're committed forever. Like we're family. Like we can't, we can't break up, right? Like it's just like, that's just the way it is. It doesn't get me off the hook of showing up in other ways and being responsible and like, you know, that I can be quite flaky. Angela: I mean, that's just, you've been in L.A. long enough. It's just, you're just becoming native. Justin:  I think I always don't, I don't wanna disappoint you. I don't want you ever to feel like you were looking around for support, and I wasn't there. Angela: Do people cry on this podcast? Annie: We time it. Right at the half hour. Justin: There's been a few moments when I feel it, when I've felt (25:21) maybe that wasn't there enough, you know? And, you know, and if, you know, and like, I don't know, that's when you know it's the real stuff because it like keeps me up at night. You know, I'm just like, wow, you know, what does she need? What can I give? How can I be there? And yeah. Angela: Wow.  There you are. Justin: Here we are. Annie: Lito and I are also family, and it sort of feels never too late. But what you're saying about kind of the like renewing your vows, renewing your commitment over and over, it feels very, very true. Lito: Very true. Yeah yeah yeah. Annie: And life-saving, you know, like life affirming. Lito: It feels real. Justin: Yeah. Look at us. I'm proud of us. I'm proud of you guys too. Lito: It's a love fest over here. Angela: Thanks for having it. Annie: We'll be right back. Annie: (26:26) Welcome back. Angela: Also, particularly again, thinking about a lot of the friends that you have, they're not necessarily also sometimes colleagues. And I think that one thing that Justin really modeled, because I didn't have anything to be transparent about, was just transparency about things. Not just how much he's getting paid for things, but just like what was worth it, what's not worth it, like what is just the way something is and you can like take it or leave it. And I think that in the beginning it was more of me kind of taking that information because I didn't have anybody offering me anything. But now I feel like it's really an exchange of information. And I think that there are people who I love, like, in this industry, if you will, who that's just not our relationship. That doesn't mean we don't have great friendships, but like that is something that like if I'm broke, he knows I'm broke. I never feel the need to pretend and hide or like, you know, and likewise, like if he don't got it, I know he don't got it. It's not, it's just, it just, and I feel like that is something also that is a, it's, um, I think it's important. Especially because you write a book, you know, it does well. And then there are some years in between before you write another. Some of us in this room, maybe take a decade. All of us in this room, maybe take a decade. But yeah, so just really being able to be, to feel like you can still show up at any point in whatever you're doing creatively. Justin: (28:16) Because this is about literary friendships, I think that it's, yeah, there's those two sides, right? There's the business side, which can cause a lot of friction, especially if, you know, things go differently for different books and people have different trajectories. I mean, you're like, you know:  you've surpassed.  Angela: I don't know if that's true.  Justin: But there's that like business side of it. And then there's the literary side as well. And I think that sometimes if it just slides too much into talking about—it's like we could both be selling sprockets, right? There's so much minutiae. It's like we could talk about contracts and whatever and like gigs and da-da-da ad nauseam. And we have to remember to talk about literary side, the literature, the work, the sentences, what we're reading in order to kind of sustain the literary quality of a literary friendship, right?  Angela: One thing I remember you told me, I don't know, ages ago that I thought at the time like oh he's gassing me he's practicing things that he says his students tell me—but now I realize that it is also one of the reasons why our friendship has sustained is you were like ,you know, we can talk about whether a book is successful in 800 ways, but we have to try to remember to just be fans, to be fans of books, of literature, of people writing. And I think that is something that I not only try to practice, but that's something that I think is really foundational to relationship. Everyone can be a hater, and it can be fun sometimes, but like… (30:08) We really do like want to put each other on to the books that we're like excited about. Like I remember when you read or reread Seasons of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih, and I hadn't read it before.  I mean, it's like a, it's a seminal or really a really famous African text, but I had never read it. Or like Maryse Condé, like I hadn't read it as like a real adult and being able to just like talk about that and know that there's a person who's, you know, you could be in polite conversation with somebody who you think is really smart and then you're like you know what I decided I wanted to reread—I don't know—something a person might wanna reread and they're like, Oh, what are you gonna do next? You gonna read a Moby Dick? And you're like, Oh damn, they just shamed me. You know, they just shamed me for being a nerd. But that's not gonna happen here. Yeah, beautiful. Yeah, yeah, absolutely.  Annie: I do wanna go back to something you were alluding to. Angela, you were talking quite openly about it, too, which is shifting from writer to capital A author and the pressure that comes with that.  For the two of you, you had incredible well-deserved success early in your career, but I imagine that doesn't come without a lot of sleepless nights, right? I'm thinking about an interview I heard with Ta-Nehisi Coates where he talks about his friends not reaching out thinking, like, He's good, like, You blew up, you're good. And talking about actually what a lonely position that can be. I'm just wondering, you know, how you've both managed to take care of one another through those highs and lows, or being on that track alongside one another.  And even, you know, competition between lit friends. Justin: (32:13) Yeah, I mean, I think that we're just kind of, like our dispositions: we're very lucky in that I think we, before we met, it wasn't something that we like decided on. It was just before we met, I think we're just boosters, right. We're like, The people we love, their success is our success, right? And I think that's one of the reasons to where we are such good friends, it's because we share that, right? So that I think makes it slightly easier as far as like the competition side of things goes. I think that if it really does feel like you're a family and you're community and like you understand that this is a kind of shared win. I don't know, it's hard to talk about though because we both got really lucky.  Angela: Yeah.  Justin: You know, I mean, who wants to hear from people who got really lucky with their first books talking about how hard it is? You know what I mean?  We just, we didn't have, we didn't have any kind of that disparity between— Angela: Yeah, I'm sure, but—I would say even so—if we had different dispositions, we might be trying to split hairs about who got what. But I think for me—and Justin and I grew up very differently in some ways, but I think we grew up from a class background similarly, and we're both like, We're not supposed to be here, like, what can we get? Like, what can we get? And like, who has the information to help us get it? And so I've never been like, why is he in that room when I'm not in that room? I'm like, give me the intel about the room. That might be the closest I ever get to being in there, but I need to know like what's going on in there. And that has, I think, been the way that I just view any success of anybody that I know. that I feel like I can ask those questions to is like, not necessarily like, oh, can you put me on? Like now that you have something, can I have some of it? But just like, just information, just like, what's it like? And that to me is really useful. But also I think that one thing, when you have people, not just Justin, but like other friends and mentors of mine, when you have people who are honest and upfront about whatever kind of success they've had, you… you just realize that there's a lot of different ways to feel successful, right? Because I have friends who, to me, I'm like, they made it, but they're not convinced they have. And I have other friends that, like, to the outside world, they'd be like, wow, they have a little book, nobody cares. But they feel like they did it, you know? And so I realized it's so much about disposition also. Lito:   Do you feel that a lot about being each other's boosters? I mean, obviously it's about your personalities and who you are as people. I'm also curious how much of that, like Angela, you said you were a gatecrasher. You feel like a gatecrasher a lot. I don't know. What are your thoughts on intersectionality? How does it inform your work and your friendship? How does it affect how you boost each other? I'm also curious if there's something particular about lit friendships that intersect with intersectionality and those categories, especially for people who form intimate relationships with men.  Justin:   Wait, say more.  Like how do blowjobs come in?   Angela:  (36:01.171). I was like one thing we have in common is— Lito: More like, less blow jobs, more like having to deal with men and the various ways they, you know, respond to patriarchy.  Justin: Yeah, I think you kind of said it, right? I think that there's something about hustling and figuring out, like, how am I gonna find some stability in this world.  And I mean we have nominated each other for every single thing that there is. If either one of us gets a chance.  Angela: Till the end of time.  Justin:   Till the end of time, right? And it's just, and I think that, and we've shared all information about everything. There's no, and I think that that's kind of like that quote that you read before, right, about this nostalgia and feeling nostalgic, not for the precarity, but for the way that it bonds people, right? The way that the precarity, like you pull, you share resources, you pull resources, you come together and you talk shit and you don't let people get too down in the dumps and depressed. And you're like, no, we're going to do this. We're going to get ourselves out of this hole and we're going to pull each other up. And, and that I think is like, that's, that's the secret, I think.  Angela: Are you answering the question about men?  Justin:   Oh, men!  Angela: And dealing with men.  Justin: I love that I was just like, oh, you're talking about blow jobs. But no, you were talking about patriarchy.  Lito: Same thing, really.  Annie: In the room I'm in, we do not think there's a difference.  Justin: It's fascinating, right? Because when we were at Iowa together, I remember some of the critiques I got from some of the men, some of the straight men, some of the white straight men, was about a kind of provincialism to my writing, right? That what I was writing about was small and minor and just about particularities of identity and that it wasn't broad and expansive and it wasn't universal. That was expected. That was the kind of critique that was expected. The world has changed so much and so quickly in the last 15 years. It's hard for me to kind of wrap my mind around because that kind of thing, I wasn't, I didn't feel indignant. Maybe I felt a little.  Angela: Yeah, you just, but you just like knew you were going to ignore them. Like, you know, like, but no, but you didn't feel like you were going to, like it was worth, except there were some instances we're not going to get into details, but like, it didn't feel like it was worth spending, like unpacking it or trying to call them out. You just were like, Oh, boop, you're over here. Like, you're not.  Justin: Yeah, yeah. Like, I've been hearing this shit my whole life. Like, it wasn't like, there's no space for this kind of thing in the workshop. I was like, this is the world. This is unexpected. But now I don't think that would fly, right?  Angela:   No. I think maybe in like 70% of workshop spaces that I have been in. Well, I guess I've been running them. But like, I just don't, but like also just the disposition of the students is that they assume that somebody is going to like say something or push back on that. But also I guess maybe more broadly the idea of when you say intersectionality, what do you mean exactly? Lito: I think I wanted to keep it open on purpose. But I think I mean the ways that all of these different identities that we take up and that are imposed upon us, how they intersect with one another, race, class, et cetera. Yeah. Angela: I think one of the reasons why Justin and I gravitated toward each other probably in the beginning and why we ended up in Spook is because I think that—which maybe is also not happening 15 years from then—there is a way that back then, there was a way that even your identity could be flattened, right? Like you're Puerto Rican, which means that you are like a lot of things, right? One of those things like, one of it's like we're both diasporic people, right? But that's one of the things that I think a lot of people would not necessarily think is like a kinship between us, but like I've seen pictures of Justin's cousins. I know I'm giving Primo over here. Like I know what I'm doing. And like that's one way that I think that our relationship feels like, like we just felt like kin when we first met because of that. I think that there's just a lot of ways that in a lot of spaces in this country, you're just not allowed to like have all of those parts of you in the room because people just don't understand it or they do, but they just don't want you to be that also.  Justin: It's not convenient.  Angela: Right. Which is why I was like, of course, Jason would ask you and I to be in Spook, which is a magazine that's a black literary magazine. Cause Jason gets it. Shout out to Jason again.  Justin: I can't believe he's moving to L.A., that's so exciting.  Angela: Supposedly like any day now, he's just gonna arrive. There's just ways that when you find your people, you don't have to always separate these parts of you and you don't always have to keep reminding them also, they sort of understand. But also parts of you change obviously and the way that you feel about your identity changes and your people will embrace that and keep, you know, keep making space for that too. Justin: Making space.  Annie: We'll be back in a moment with Angela and Justin. Lito: (42:22) Hey Lit Fam, we hope you're enjoying our conversation with Justin and Angela. We are quite awed by their thoughtful discussion and moved by their deep love for each other and their art. If you love what we're doing, please take a moment now to follow, subscribe, rate, and review the LitFriends Podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen to podcasts. Just a few moments of your time will help us so much to continue bringing you great conversations like this week, after week. Thank you for listening. Annie: (42:59.178) Back to our interview with Justin Torres and Angela Flournoy.  Lito: Justin, you have your sophomore book. How do you feel about it? Are you going to write a sequel for We the Animals like you talked about at one point? Angela, same question. Are there sequels coming forth for you, Angela, to Turner House, or are you moving on to something else? Or you sort of briefly mentioned another book about, uh, I remember you mentioning at some point a book about friends, four female friends, if I remember correctly. Anyways, what's coming next?  Annie: Yeah, and I wanna know about the dreaded second novel because I feel like that's where I'm at. I feel like that's where a lot of writers get stuck. Jutin: Second novel's awful. I mean, you think the first one's bad. You think it takes everything that you have inside of you and then you're like, oh, I've gotta do it again. And yeah, I don't know. I really had a very hard time with it. And I mean, nobody knows better than Angela. I really, really didn't feel like I was up to the task. I knew that I wanted to do something different. I knew I wanted to kind of change the way I write and be a different kind of writer, but I just felt like I was falling on my face.  Even after it was done and out until like last week, I was just, I just felt anxiety about it, and I felt really neurotic and I was being really neurotic. And I remember the other night we were hanging out and drinking and maybe there was some mushroom chocolate involved. I was just, like I was just on my bullshit and Angela was just like stopped and she was just like, What is it gonna take to make you happy? Like what is it gonna take? Like look around. And it was like, it was a really good intervention. But then it also led to this conversation about happiness, right? And about like whether that is the goal, right? Like feeling kind of tortured and, and feeling like this gap between what you want for your book and your own capabilities. And that never goes away. You just live in this, in this torturous phase. And like, maybe it's about just coming to acceptance with that, rather than striving for happiness. I don't know. But it's still ringing in my ear. What is it gonna take?  Lito: It's a great question.  Angela:   Maybe some projection, I don't know, on my part.  I am still working on that novel. It's due at the end or at the beginning of next year. It's gonna come out in 2025. You know, God willing. And... similarly the second novel, I think it depends on your disposition, but I think both of us are very interested in and task ourselves with having real skin in the game with what we right. That means sometimes you got to figure out where you get that skin from.  Lito: There's only so much.  Angela: Like, if you played yourself for the first book, then it's gonna take a while. And when I think about, like, when I try to count for the years, I don't know I could have done it any quicker. Like, I just don't know. And I don't think that's gonna be the case for every book, but I do think between that first and that second, especially, were you 30? Where were you? I was 30, yeah. And then I was 30, too. I was 30 also when my book came out. You're just a baby.  You're just a baby.  Lito: Do you fall into the trap of comparing yourself to other people? Well, they wrote a book in two years and I— Justin:  (47:07) Yeah, sure. I mean, I also like compare myself to people who took longer like that feels good. That feels good.  Angela: Listen, I'm like Deborah Eisenberg. Just a banger every decade. That's it. That's all I owe the world. A banger a decade. Lito: A banger a decade. I like that. I like comparing myself to Amy Clampitt, who wrote her first collection of poetry, like in her 70s or something and had some success.  Justin: I generally wish people would slow down. I mean, I get that sometimes there's just like an economic imperative, right? But if you're lucky enough that, I don't know, you get a teaching job and you can slow down, why not slow down, right? Like, I don't know, sometimes I feel like there are a lot of books in this world. And the books that somebody spent a lot of time over, whether or not they are my tastes—I'm just so appreciative of the thoughtfulness that went in.  You can feel it, right? That somebody was really considering what they're building versus dashing it off. They should slow down, if they can.  Angela: But I also feel like we need both kinds. There are people who I appreciate their books, their kind of time capsules of just like, this is the two years, this is where I was. I think of Yiyun. We need an Yiyun Li and we need an Edward P. Jones. Edward P. Jones, you're gonna get those books when you get the books. And Yiyun Li, every couple years, you're gonna get something that, to me, I still, they still feel like really good books, but they're also just like, this is where she is right here, and I respect it and I appreciate it. Everybody can't be one or the other, you know?  Justin: You're right, you're right, you're right. It's much fairer.  Annie: She's someone who, I mean, you know, seems to have changed so much even within that time period. And we had her on a couple of episodes ago and yeah, she's just on fire. She's amazing.  Justin: (49:06) And people speed up as well, right? Because her first couple of books, there were big gaps. And then same thing with like Marilynne Robinson, right? She had massive gaps between books. And then suddenly it starts to speed up. And they're coming out every year, every two years. Yeah. Annie: It's the mortality.  Lito: Well, and life, well, I think lifestyle too, right? Like what you do, how busy you are and what you do out in the world. Like going out and meeting people and being gay in the world, that takes up time.  Annie: And your work has had other lives too. I mean, I'm thinking about how We the Animals was adapted to film in that beautiful, intimate portrait. And I know, you know, Angela, you've been working with HBO and some projects as well. I'm just, just wondering if you want to talk about your work in these other media, how it's been, and even thinking about the strikes, right? Like the WGA-SAG strikes and how that has been on the ground too.  Angela:  Very happy that the strike is over. Solidarity to our SAG-AFTRA brothers and sisters still out there. I passed them on the way here on Sunset. I did honk, wish I was out there today. But I think that for me, it's just like a bonus. Like I, especially now, there's a way that right now writers will say things that are a little snobby like, Oh, I could never be in a writer's room, the group project, man. But like when now that I know so many TV writers living here and I've met so many over the past 146 days on the line, I realized that it is, you just have to be so nimble and agile and you have to also be so not precious about story. But no less smart. A lot of things might end up on TV dumb, but I don't want to blame the writers for that. Now that I really have a real understanding of just how the sausage is made and just how big of like a game of telephone it is—and how much you have to relinquish control because at the end of the day it's like you're making this text, it's literary, but it's also like an instruction manual. It's a completely different way to think about writing. And I don't know how long I live in LA or how many like of those kind of projects I will do but I'm really grateful. And one reason I'm really grateful is because doing those projects and having those years where people thought I wasn't doing anything, but I was actually writing so much and like doing so many revisions.  It helped me realize that there is a way that I blame MFAs for making us like feel very siloed. And like, if you're supposed to be a fiction writer, that's the only thing that you do that's like an output that anyone cares about. But it's so new—like, how many screenplays did Joan Didion write? Like James Baldwin wrote screenplays. Before, it was just like, you're writing, you're writing. Like it's all, it all is the job. And I think every time a poet friend of mine like puts out a novel, sends it to me, read, sends it for me to read—first off, they usually are very good. But then also I'm just like, yes, fiction writers, I think, I don't know who did it. I blame graduate programs, but they have put themselves in this small box. Justin: But yeah, I mean, it's like the MFA, a lot of them feel like teacher training programs and that the next step is teaching. But if you don't want to teach the old models, definitely like you just write for TV. Angela: You write for film, you write for magazines, newspapers, you just do the thing. And that has felt very freeing to me, to just see meet more people who are doing that and also to allow myself to do that. Justin (52:49) Yeah, I mean, I really enjoyed the process of having my film—the book made into a film. I think I had an unusual experience with that. Like a lot of times the author is cut out or, you know, is not deferred to in any way, or nobody's inviting you in. I think because it was such a low budget film, and the director is just a really wonderful person who is incredibly collaborative.  He wanted me involved in every single part of it, and so I loved that. I think, I don't know, I think I might wanna adapt Blackouts for a play. I've been thinking about it lately. Angela: You should. I mean, in so many ways, it is kind of like a two-hander. Yeah. I could see it. Yeah.  Justin: A two-hander. Look at you ready to lingo. No, that's some biz lingo.  Lito: That's going to be the title of this podcast. It's a two-hander. How has art shaped your friendship? And I mean, art, like other genres, we've talked about getting out of the box of fiction, but what movies or art or music do you love to talk about or do you just talk about everything or anything that you're watching and how have other genres affected your work? Like, do you listen to music? Are you influenced by visual art?  Angela: You wanna talk about things you watch on television? You ready to come out in that manner?  Justin: No.  Lito: You watch lots of TV? No. Are you a Housewives person?  You're a Housewives watcher, aren't you?  Justin: Housewives is too highbrow for me. I have like a…I have a secret fetish that is mine. Angela: You have to keep some things for yourself. Justin: Yes. But it's just like, that's how I turn my brain off when my brain needs to be turned off.  Annie: I will wait another decade for that story. Justin: I also like culture and high art as well. You write about art a lot. You do profiles. Angela: I do. I wish I did it more. It's just everything, you know, takes time. I think for me, like when I think about—I just am learning different ways to make a life out of, you know, out of your mind and out of art. And one thing that I've learned when I talk to, like visual artists, particularly, is this idea—I think poets also have this—but fiction writers, a friend of mine actually, a poet, recently asked me, like, how does a fiction writer get a practice, like a practice of writing? Practicing their craft in a way that like a visual artist, you know, they go to the studio practice or poet might have a practice. And I don't believe necessarily that sitting down to write every, you know, three hours every day is the same thing. Because like if you don't know what you're writing, but I really do think that practice is more grounded in reading.  Justin: And reading, I think reading literature for sure, but also reading the world, right? And that's what you do when you go to an exhibit or you go to a museum or you go to a concert or whatever, right, you're like reading, you know, and you're reading the experience, you're reading for other things.  Lito: Is there anything you're both fans of that you both talk about a lot? Any artists or musicians or movies? Justin (56:26) You know, I think that we have some lowbrow sharing tastes. But I think that our highbrow, I don't know. We don't talk a lot about our pursuant— I think I'm into a lot of, like when I was looking at, when I was putting together Blackouts, I was looking at a lot of archival photos and like the photos of Carl Van Vechten, I just, I'm obsessed with…  I've been spending a lot of time with them, thinking about him and his practice. I think that, you know, I like all kinds of stuff. I'm like a whatever, what's that horrible term? Culture vulture?  Angela: I don't think that's what you wanna say. But I know what you mean, yeah.  Justin: Yeah, I am democratic in my tastes. I'm just like, I like everything. We don't have a lot of shared tastes, I don't think.  Angela: Um... No?  Justine: No.  Annie:  I sort of love that. I mean, it, um, the friendship, belies, that, you know, it's only a bonus in that way. I think Lito and I also have very different tastes. There's something kind of lovely about that. Lito: I remember Annie making fun of me for not being hardcore enough in my taste in hip-hop. Annie:    I guess we're putting our dirt out there too.  Lito:   We'll be right back with the Lightning Round. Annie:   Ooh, Lightning Round. Annie: (58:12) Thank you both for talking with us today. This was really wonderful. We really feel the honesty and warmth in your friendship and we're so appreciative that you're sharing that with us today and with all of our LitFriends. We're excited for both your books and we're so grateful you spent the last hour with us.  Angela: That was a pleasure.  Justin: Thank you. Lito: All right, we're gonna we— wrap up the podcast with a Lightning Round, just a few questions. We will ask the question and then I guess we'll do it this way. When I ask the question, Angela, you can answer. And when Annie asks the question, Justin, you answer first. Sorry, first answer first. You're both going to answer the question. What is your first memory?  Angela:  My sister roller skating through sprinklers and falling and hitting her head. Justin: I literally have no idea. I, yeah, I don't know. It's a blackout.  Angela: How many times have you said that?  Lito:  Very on brand.  Angela: You've had a long book tour. Justin: I'm practicing.  Annie: Who or what broke your heart first?  Angela: Is it too deep to say my daddy? I know.  Justin: I was going to say my daddy.  Angela: That's why we're friends.  Justin: I know. It's so sad.  Angela: (59:37) Daddy issues.  Lito: Who would you want to be lit friends with from any time in history?  Angela: Toni Morrison.   Justin: Yeah, maybe Manuel Puig. He seemed really cap and hilarious. And also a brilliant genius.  Angela: I need Toni Morrison to tell me how to raise my child. And to still write books. Someone help me. Annie: What would you like to see your lit friend make or create next, maybe something collaborative or something different or a story they haven't told yet?  Justin: I mean, I think I would love to see you actually write something kind of ekphrastic. Like I'd love to see you write about art. I love when you write about art. I love your thoughts about art and art makers. So maybe, like, a collection of essays about culture. I'd love that. Angela: Besides this two-handed, this play, which I would love for you to write. Maybe there's more, I mean, there's more voices in the book than two, though. So it doesn't have to be. Justin is a poet. I have said this since the beginning. I'm ready for this collection.  Justin: Never occurred to me in my life. Angela:   That is not true.  Justin:   Well, writing a collection. Angela:   Okay, well, I would love for you to write a collection of poetry.  Justin:   Maybe I will. Maybe you just gave me permission, as the children say.  Angela:   Mm-hmm. I know.  Lito: If you could give any gift to your LitFriend without limitations, what would you give them?  Angela: I would give him a house with a yard and a pool.  Justin: That's what I want.  Angela: In a city he wants to live in. That's the key.  Lito: That's the hard part. Justin:  (01:01:35) Um, I would give Angela time to be with her thoughts and her craft. I guess what does that involve?  Angela:   This is because I call myself a busy mom all the time.  Justin: You are a busy mom. Angela: (01:02:08) Thank you, that's a nice gift. Time is the best.  Justin: I mean, it's not as good as a house with a pool.  Angela: I know, because I can use my time as wisely as possible and yet—no pool. Lito: Well, that's our show. Annie & Lito: Happy Friendsgiving! Annie: Thanks for joining us, Lit Fam. Lito:   We'll be back next week with our guests, Lucy Corin and Deb Olin Unferth. Annie: Find us on all your socials @LitFriendsPodcast. Annie: I'm Annie Liontas.  Lito:   And I'm Lito Velázquez.  Annie:   Thank you to our production squad. Our show is edited by Justin Hamilton. Lito:   Our logo was designed by Sam Schlenker.  Annie:   Lizette Saldaña is our marketing director.  Lito:   Our theme song was written and produced by Robert Maresca.  Annie:   And special thanks to our show producer, Toula Nuñez. This was LitFriends, Episode One.

The new novel and National Book Awards finalist by Justin Torres, Blackouts, blurs the line between fiction and history to bring marginalized queer narratives to life. In today's episode, Torres speaks with NPR's Ari Shapiro about how he was inspired by the work of lesbian archivist and researcher Jan Gay — but when he hit a dead end trying to learn more about her, he used fiction to fill in the gaps. Torres also discusses blacking out text to get rid of the pathologization of LGBTQ people in testimonials, and finding new meaning in the remaining words.

Show Notes On our inaugural episode, co-hosts Annie Liontas and Lito Velázquez introduce LitFriends, a podcast.  Each week, we welcome two literary friends to discuss the writing life, how literary friendships get us through tough times, and what they love about their literary bestie. Join Annie and Lito for Season One as they speak with today's most engaging literary talents and their lit friends. Coming up this season, conversations with: * Justin Torres & Angela Flournoy * Lucy Corin & Deb Olin Unferth * Melissa Febos & Donika Kelly * Yiyun Li & Edmund White * George Saunders & Paula Saunders * Liz Moore & Asali Solomon * CJ Hauser & Marie-Helene Bertino * and more! Links https://sites.libsyn.com/494238 www.annieliontas.com www.litovelazquez.com https://linktr.ee/litfriendspodcast https://www.instagram.com/litfriendspodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553436475678 https://justin-torres.com/ https://www.angelaflournoy.com/ https://www.lucycorin.com/ https://debolinunferth.com/ https://www.melissafebos.com/ https://www.donikakelly.com/ https://georgesaundersbooks.com/ https://paulasaundersbooks.com/ https://www.lizmoore.net/ https://www.asalisolomon.com/ https://cjhauser.com/ https://www.mariehelenebertino.com/   Transcript Annie & Lito: (00:01) Hey, LitFriends! Annie: Thanks for joining us for episode zero. This episode is a little special because we'll introduce you, our LitFam, to the LitFriends podcast. We'll talk about our origins, our season one guests, and how much I love Lito. Aww, and how much I love you, Annie. Annie:  This is Annie Liontas. Lito: And I'm Lito Velázquez. Welcome to LitFriends, a podcast in which we speak with novelists, poets, memoirists, writers, and thinkers of all kinds about the great work that they do in the world, on and off the page, and about their great literary friendships. Annie: This show has everything, British nicknames, e-flirtations, picking up fam when they're down, literary competition, rooting for one another, and more. Lito: And much, much more. Join us this season as we welcome the amazing writers: Annie & Lito: * Marie-Helene Bertino and CJ Hauser * Liz Moore and Asali Solomon * George Saunders and Paula Saunders * Yiyun Lee and Edmund White * Melissa Febos and Danika Kelly * Deb Olin-Unferth and Lucy Corin * Justin Torres and Angela Flournoy Annie & Lito: Get ready to get lit! Lito: Welcome to the show. I'm so glad we're here, Annie. It's been a long time coming. We've been thinking about– Annie: Ages! Lito: …making this show for over a year and a half, pretty much since the pandemic, though. So maybe more like two or three years. Annie: Yeah, I feel like I've waited my whole life to do this show with you, Lito. Lito: I know I've been wanting someone to collaborate with, and you're the perfect friend to do this with. A show about two of our greatest loves, writing, literature—  Annie: Friendship! Lito: And friendship. Yeah, I guess that's three things. Annie: The more the merrier. Lito: The more the merrier. Every week we're going to have writers on the show who we admire, whose work has moved us deeply, and whose friendships we think are really impressive and interesting. Annie: Yeah, we're going to talk about literary competition between friends, hardships, how you pick one another up when you're down. Heartbreak. Lito: Big wins, like celebrating things. It's amazing the stories that have come out of these conversations because people get to talk about their friends, and how great is that? Annie: They really talk about parts of their friendship that they don't even talk about with one another.  Lito: That's right, because when do you get a chance to really talk to your friend about them. Annie: (02:20) When do you say to your friend, I love you? Lito: I love you. But beyond just I love you, like, here's all the reasons why I love you. Here's what you do in my life. That's really great. Here's why you're beautiful, not just in the work that you do, but how you show up as a person. And that's not how writers get portrayed. We were looking for a project to interview people who we thought were great and interesting. And you were already doing that, right? Annie: Yeah, I was doing that with the Gloss interview series with Marie-Helene Bertino, and a number of others, through Electric Lit, Bomb, The Believer. That really arose out of pandemic, when I saw all of these amazing writers who weren't really able to share their work because of the pandemic. Lito: So, one day we were sitting at your house, Annie, I don't know if you remember this, on your couch and we were talking about writing podcasts and making podcasts. I've been wanting to do one for a really long time and I've been writing for a long time, and I've spoken with different people about it, and it's never quite worked out. This is the first time when we both came up with a great idea. I said, "I think it would be really great to talk to people about their friendships, because no one really does that enough." And then you said, I don't know if you remember, you said, "what if we got literary friendships? Because they're so special, like ours." Ours is a friendship on a deep, deep level, but we're like family, but we're also in this very unique world, which is the writing world. Annie: In the struggle. Lito: In the struggle! Annie: In the never ending struggle! Yes. In the never ending struggle that is writing. We know a lot about the industry. We both got our MFA at Syracuse University, though at very different times. And we love people, we love friends, and we love great writing. And so it made perfect sense to make a podcast about it. Annie: You know, and I don't think I could do this with anybody else. I have a lot of lit friends—making this with you is has been so special. It's something I'm going to hold on to forever. Lito: It's such a pleasure and a joy. Annie: One of the great similarities and worldviews that we share. I mean, we're both queer. We both have the immigrant experience. Lito: That's right. Annie: (04:39) And I think that a lot of what literary friendships are, are in fact quite queer, right? Like there is a there's a queering of the experience simply in recognizing. This is chosen family and this is how we get through. Lito: The thing that surprises me the most and you'll see when you hear these interviews is the material that comes out. It's like nothing else. And people want to get so intimate and so comfortable because they're speaking about their favorite person who's intimate in their lives, but in a special way that has to do with writing. Annie: Yeah. You know, and this for me came out of thinking a lot about the function and the role of literary friendships. I mean, we can all remember back to Bad Art Friend and other pieces that were run in places like the New York Times, maybe unnecessarily glorifying and dramatizing the kinds of drama, just straight drama between former friends, right? And there's a whole lot of, I mean, there's an entire lineage and inheritance of this. And the writer, Isle McElroy writes about this in Esquire and talks about, you know, there are like all those great historical feuds, usually between straight white dudes. Like— We're not wrong. Like when Mailer headbutts Gore Vidal or Gabriel Garcia Marquez gets punched out by Mario Vargas Llosa because he told his wife to divorce him. You know, and so that's what we remember culturally. That's sort of what we glorify. But the reality, and what we're hearing in all of these conversations is what feeds us and what nourishes us is actually these friendships that pick us up when we're down, that celebrate us when we have these successes, without limitation or inhibition, really allow us to rise to our better selves to put our egos and fears and insecurities about our own writing success down so that we can do that for one another. And so for me, this podcast is actually the reality. This is the reality of how writers get by, and how they get through. Lito: (07:02) That's right. I think we have this idea in our cultural imagination that writers sit in a room by themselves in the dark or with a candlelight and a pencil, and they just, from their brain, pull out a story out of nowhere because they are "inspired to." Whereas actually all writing is generated, I think from lots of conversations with people living and dead, but especially close literary friendships in which the intimacy revolves around writing. It's a community practice, but it's a friend practice. We don't show our work to just everyone. We show it to our literary friends, our first readers. And we talk about literature in a certain way with other writers who we admire and whose work we think is somehow symbiotic with our own, even if we're doing completely different practices. Annie: Yeah, it's about sharing the work, but it's also about sharing the vulnerabilities. I'm thinking about Asali Solomon and Liz Moore, who will have later this season, who are both part of the Claw, a writer's salon for women and non-binary writers in Philadelphia. And, you know, they don't necessarily share work, but they share experiences. They commiserate, they talk about their anxieties, they talk about their successes. And it really makes me think about the industry necessity of having mutual knowledge like this. When publishers want to keep us really divided as writers and artists, right? If we are quiet in our corners and not collaborating, then we actually don't have the kind of collective understanding of how to advocate for ourselves, how to protect our work, and how to support one another. Lito: Yes, and I'm thinking of Angela Flournoy, whose first novel was shortlisted for the National Book Award, and Justin Torres, who just won the National Book Award. And their conversation with us, in which they really get into the boostering of each other, the promoting of each other, the helping each other through, the counseling each other through, that happens in these quiet spaces between friends on the phone, like with Lucy Corin and Deb Olin Unferth. I think you'll join us for an incredible season of inspiring conversations in which we talk to some of the best thinkers of our time. Both: Happy Friendsgiving LitFam! Lito: In our first episode, we speak with Justin Torres and Angela Flournoy, available for download on Friendsgiving, Friday, November 24th. Join us. Annie: Find us on all your socials at LitFriends Podcast. Annie & Lito: (09:24) Thank you to our production squad for all their hard work. Our show is edited by Justin Hamilton. Our logo was designed by Sam Schlenker. Lizette Saldana is our marketing director. Our theme song was written and produced by Robert Maresca. And special thanks to our show producer, Tula Nunez. Annie: This was LitFriends, Episode 0.  

Eric Newman and Medaya Ocher are joined by award-winning director Nicole Newnham to discuss her latest film, The Disappearance of Shere Hite. The documentary explores the life and work of Shere Hite, a sexological researcher whose 1976 book The Hite Report on Female Sexuality brought the private reality of women's sexual experience into mainstream consciousness and became one of the bestselling books of all time. But the male cultural anxiety sparked by the book's findings generated a powerful backlash to Hite's work in popular media, making her a pariah and driving her into a self-imposed European exile after which she largely receded from American public consciousness. Eric, Medaya, and Nicole discuss the larger cultural frameworks of Shere Hite's story, the enduring legacy of her research, and how restoring a feminist firebrand from the past might help us navigate ongoing battles for gender and sexual liberation in the present. Also, Justin Torres, fresh from winning the National Book Award for his novel Blackouts, returns to recommend My Body is Paper, a collection of previously unpublished writings by Gil Cuadros, as well as City of God by Cuadros.

Eric Newman and Medaya Ocher are joined by award-winning director Nicole Newnham to discuss her latest film, The Disappearance of Shere Hite. The documentary explores the life and work of Shere Hite, a sexological researcher whose 1976 book The Hite Report on Female Sexuality brought the private reality of women's sexual experience into mainstream consciousness and became one of the bestselling books of all time. But the male cultural anxiety sparked by the book's findings generated a powerful backlash to Hite's work in popular media, making her a pariah and driving her into a self-imposed European exile after which she largely receded from American public consciousness. Eric, Medaya, and Nicole discuss the larger cultural frameworks of Shere Hite's story, the enduring legacy of her research, and how restoring a feminist firebrand from the past might help us navigate ongoing battles for gender and sexual liberation in the present. Also, Justin Torres, fresh from winning the National Book Award for his novel Blackouts, returns to recommend My Body is Paper, a collection of previously unpublished writings by Gil Cuadros, as well as City of God by Cuadros.

Justin Torres is the author of the novel Blackouts, a finalist for the 2023 National Book Award for Fiction. Available from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. Torres is also the author of the debut novel We the Animals, which won the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, was translated into fifteen languages, and was adapted into a feature film. He was named one of the National Book Foundation's 5 Under 35, a Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University, a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, and a fellow at the New York Public Library's Cullman Center. His short fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper's Magazine, Granta, Tin House, and The Washington Post. He lives in Los Angeles and is an associate professor of English at UCLA. *** Otherppl with Brad Listi is a weekly literary podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers. Available where podcasts are available: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc. Subscribe to Brad Listi's email newsletter. Support the show on Patreon Merch Twitter 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

Medaya Ocher and Eric Newman speak with author Justin Torres about his latest novel, Blackouts. As they discuss the novel's layered revelation of both the characters' lives and the real queer history into which they are imaginatively woven, the conversation explores queerness as a literary identity, history as a particular site of queer desire, and how we tell the stories that make us intelligible to ourselves and others. Also, Anna Biller, author of Bluebeard's Castle, returns to recommend Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys.      

Medaya Ocher and Eric Newman speak with author Justin Torres about his latest novel, Blackouts. As they discuss the novel's layered revelation of both the characters' lives and the real queer history into which they are imaginatively woven, the conversation explores queerness as a literary identity, history as a particular site of queer desire, and how we tell the stories that make us intelligible to ourselves and others. Also, Anna Biller, author of Bluebeard's Castle, returns to recommend Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys.

Season 3, Episode 2, features K-Ming Chang. She is the author of debut novel Bestiary, short story collection Gods of Want, and her latest novel, Organ Meats, her third book in what she describes as mythic tryptich, published by One World/Random House.  Chang is a Kundiman fellow, a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree, and an O. Henry Prize Winner. In this conversation, we discuss her evolving view of books and the characters she gives agency to. We delve into her earliest writing experiences and how she keeps in touch with those childhood inspirations. We also explore her use of language as a driving force for her writing and how she is finding counter-narratives for the creative process. Chang discusses her inspirations, including Maxine Hong Kingston, Dorothy Allison, and Justin Torres. She reads from Gods of Want and Organ Meats. Host: Davin Malasarn --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-artists-statement/message

Jada Pinkett Smith spoke with Tonya Mosley about growing up in Baltimore, her career in Hollywood, and her friendship with Tupac. Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Justin Torres' long awaited second novel, Blackouts, which has been shortlisted for the National Book Award.Also, we'll hear from Keegan-Michael Key. Along with Jordan Peele, Key was half of the sketch comedy duo Key & Peele. He's now co-written The History of Sketch Comedy.

Jada Pinkett Smith spoke with Tonya Mosley about growing up in Baltimore, her career in Hollywood, and her friendship with Tupac. Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Justin Torres' long awaited second novel, Blackouts, which has been shortlisted for the National Book Award.Also, we'll hear from Keegan-Michael Key. Along with Jordan Peele, Key was half of the sketch comedy duo Key & Peele. He's now co-written The History of Sketch Comedy.

This week on The Maris Review, Justin Torres joins Maris Kreizman to discuss Blackouts, out now from FSG. Justin Torres is the author of We the Animals, which was translated into fifteen languages, and was adapted into a feature film. His short fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper's Magazine, Granta, Tin House, and The Washington Post. He lives in Los Angeles and is an associate professor of English at UCLA. His new novel, Blackouts, has made the shortlist for the National Book Award for Fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lawrence Wright, who is known for best selling books about Al Qaeda and Scientology, has a new novel about the colorful world of Texas politics. In Mr. Texas, a naive rancher lucks into a seat in the state legislature, where he meets lobbyists, influence peddlers, conspiracy mongers and power brokers. Wright spoke with Dave Davies about their home state.Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Blackouts by Justin Torres.

Lawrence Wright, who is known for best selling books about Al Qaeda and Scientology, has a new novel about the colorful world of Texas politics. In Mr. Texas, a naive rancher lucks into a seat in the state legislature, where he meets lobbyists, influence peddlers, conspiracy mongers and power brokers. Wright spoke with Dave Davies about their home state.Also, book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Blackouts by Justin Torres.

"I wanted it to feel like stepping off the world..." Blackouts by Justin Torres explores love, loss and the stories we leave behind with inventive and transformative form and prose. Torres joins us to talk about the source material for this novel, the importance of telling queer stories, navigating legacy, loneliness and identity and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Executive Producer Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.     New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.      Featured Books (Episode): Blackouts by Justin Torres We the Animals by Justin Torres Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo Kiss of the Spider Woman by Manuel Puig The Unsettled by Ayana Mathis City of God by Gil Cuadros Ordinary Notes by Christina Sharpe Punks by John Keene In Case of Emergency by Mahsa Mohebali

Watch/Listen to Reading the Room on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcaseEmail: thebarandthebookcase@gmail.comJaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/64819771-jaylenTikTok: tiktok.com/@thebarandthebookcase

Justin Torres, Manager of Petterino’s Restaurant, joins Steve to talk about the eatery located just off of Michigan Avenue in Chicago’s Theater District. They discuss the theater scene and what Petterino’s can do to enhance your experience. Additionally, Justin highlights some of the featured menu items. Justin rounds off the segment by talking about his […]

The queens talk poetry through the lyrics of our diva & icon: Cher, who'll turn 77 on May 20.Review Breaking Form on Apple Podcasts here.  Please support Breaking Form and buy Aaron's and James's  books:Aaron's STOP LYING is available from the Pitt Poetry Series. James's ROMANTIC COMEDY is available from Four Way Books.Cher appeared twice on the show Will & Grace — once in 2000, when Jack mistook her for a drag-queen Cher impersonator, and again in an appearance in 2002's season 4 finale, where she advises Jack" "Follow your bliss."Matthew Dickman's poem "Slow Dance" appears in his book All-American Poem, winner of the APR/Honickman First Book Award. The poem first appeard in The Missouri Review (Volume 29, Number 3, Fall 2006). Read it here. Or watch a video of the poet reading the poem here.Hear Ann Lauterbachtalk about sound, performance, and folk music through this reading at U Penn's PennSound archive. Justin Torres does say he learned a lot from reading poetry and says he loves condensed short stories in this illuminating interview.Read Sharon Olds's poem "I Go Back to May 1937" first published in her 2nd book, The Gold Cell (1987), here. You can hear a recording of Olds reading that poem here.Watch the SNL sketch with Molly Shannon, "Sally O'Malley's Rockette Open Audition," here.You can read Christine Garren's title poem "Among the Monarchs" here.Find Anne Sexton's "Music Swims Back to Me" here. And read more about Hugh Priesthood's inspiration drawn from that poem for his "The Song Remembers When," recorded by Trisha Yearwood.Aaron referenced the Sexton poem "How We Danced," in which the speaker's father has an erection as they dance together.  

Jonathan Escoffery  navigates identity, belonging and the hollow promise of the American Dream in his mesmerizing debut If I Survive You, a book that has been long-listed for the National Book Award. Escoffery  has said, “I love a compelling narrative voice—a bit of personality, a bit of humor couched in some other emotion. I love a story that teaches me something.” In this episode we find out what Escoffery has learned from the hyper masculine and often violent short stories of Denis Johnson's acclaimed collection, Jesus's Son, and the vignettes in the electric coming-of-age novel, We The Animals by Justin Torres. In between, insights on living through Hurricane Andrew, sleeping in his car, and the joys of ackee.

On Capitol Hill, a House committee hears from federal and local experts on border security and Title 42; voters name their top priorities for candidates in a recent poll; new signs of Arizona becoming a major hub for tech jobs; and with the NFL Draft underway in Vegas, former Arizona State players may have a chance to go pro. --- Host: Alexandra Mora Medina Producer: Kirsten Dorman Contributors: Emma VandenEinde, Justin Torres, Molly Hudson, Emily Sacia

The American Lung Association's latest State of the Air report says most Arizonans are affected by high pollution; why the Colorado is considered the most endangered river in the U.S.; the implications of the Phoenix Suns losing their star player for a few weeks, and what the return of federal climate regulations mean for Arizona. --- Host: Alexandra Mora Medina Producer: Kirsten Dorman Contributors: Emma VandenEinde, Justin Torres

DACA recipients will be able to file for renewal online with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; LGBTQ advocates push for change in the FDA's blood donation policy; Arizona Cardinals star quarterback may not return to play next season, and the Phoenix Suns get ready for the playoffs starting this weekend. --- Host: Alexandra Mora Medina Producer: Kirsten Dorman Contributors: John Brown, Justin Torres

The transgender community feels threatened by bills Gov. Doug Ducey signed the day before International Transgender Day of Visibility. Plus, Mayo Clinic doctors predict another COVID-19 spike because of the BA.2 subvariant; and how sustainable outdoor spaces can be certified as green spaces. ---Host: Alexandra Mora Medina Producer: Kirsten Dorman Contributors: Emma VandenEinde, Justin Torres

The House Appropriations Committee approved a K-12 funding bill Monday that would lower rural school district bu dgets; Arizona's senators urge the Biden administration to extend a COVID-19 policy that turns away immigrants at the border, and all-star guard Chris Paul rejoins the Phoenix Suns after missing 15 games. ---Host: Emma VandenEinde Producer: Justin Torres Contributors: Nick Scheske, Alexandra Mora Medina, Justin Torres

Some Republican lawmakers are voting against measures meant to toughen election procedures in Arizona. Plus, a new report finds 700 million pounds of radioactive waste was buried near the Grand Canyon, and homelessness in Maricopa County rose by 35% over the past two years.---Host/Producer: Emma VandenEinde Contributors: Alexandra Mora Medina, Justin Torres

Gov. Doug Ducey will not seek election to the Senate this fall, and cities across the Valley honor Ukraine by lighting up buildings. Plus, U.S. Rep. Tom O'Halleran calls on President Joe Biden to send more COVID-19 tests to tribal communities.---Host: Alexandra Mora Medina Producer: Kirsten Dorman Contributors: Emma VandenEinde, Justin Torres, Molly Hudson, Anna Stansfield

Members of the state's congressional delegation and Ukrainians in the Valley were swift to condemn the invasion of Ukraine. Plus, why some truckers are traveling cross country to Washington, D.C. Host: Emma VandenEinde Producer: Kirsten Dorman Contributors: Emma VandenEinde, Justin Torres, John Brown

Arizona's GOP-controlled Senate has approved an expansion of the school voucher system, and a state House committee considers whether to split Maricopa County into four different counties. Plus, reflection on the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale after two years without fans.---Host: Alexandra Mora MedinaProducer: Justin TorresContributors: Emma VandenEinde, Justin Torres

This is a very special episode... (if you know, you know and if you don't know then listen to this episode you'll know why it's a special one. I can't believe it! Justin is on the Podcast! Mr LS TACO tells the stories of his famous Mountain Green Early Westy Rabbit Pickup and in this episode we find more pieces of the puzzle. I really enjoyed this episode, I'm sure you will too. INSTAGRAMS: DAN: https://www.instagram.com/themonsterrabbit/ JUSTIN: https://www.instagram.com/ls_taco/ BEN: https://www.instagram.com/bensveedubshop/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/themonstercaddy MK1 MECCA: https://www.facebook.com/mk1mecca

Some U.S. senators are demanding action this week on the VICTIM Act, which would provide $100 million to police agencies yearly until 2032. This comes as the FBI reports violent crime is on the rise around the country, and Phoenix's rate is higher than the national average. Plus, the Phoenix Suns and the Phoenix Mercury have a new mural at Footprint Center that features prominent Black athletes. ---Host: Emma VandenEinde Producer: Kirsten Dorman Contributors: Camila Pedrosa, Justin Torres, Emily Sacia, Hope O'Brien

Disillusioned, wealthy, and addicted to opium, Shadi wakes up one day to apocalyptic earthquakes and a dangerously low stash. Outside, Tehran is crumbling: yuppies flee in bumper-to-bumper traffic as skaters and pretty boys rise up to claim the city as theirs. Cross-dressed to evade hijab laws, Shadi flits between her dysfunctional family and depressed friends--all in search of her next fix. Mahsa Mohebali's groundbreaking novel about Iranian counterculture is a satirical portrait of the disaster that is contemporary life. Weaving together gritty vernacular and cinematic prose, In Case of Emergency takes a darkly humorous, scathing look at the authoritarian state, global capitalism, and the gender binary. Translator Mariam Rahmani discusses her work on the novel with Justin Torres. _______________________________________________   Produced by Maddie Gobbo, Lance Morgan, Natalie Freeman, & Michael Kowaleski. Theme: "I Love All My Friends," an unreleased demo by Fragile Gang. Visit https://www.skylightbooks.com/event for future offerings from the Skylight Books Events team.

Actors Amanda Friedman and Justin Torres drop by the studio to talk about DOGFIGHT, opening soon at the Warner Theatre.

Justin Torres joins me (my first in-person guest in forever) to discuss THE STINKY CHEESE MAN, coming to the Litchfield Hills Creative Festival thanks to the Warner Theatre!

          On Episode 65 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete has the pleasure to speak with Natalie Lima. The two discuss Natalie's childhood, her relationship to language and the always-welcoming library, A Separate Peace, Song of Solomon, We the Animals, and other chill-inducing literature, the writers who have inspired her, and the inspirations behind some of her most well-known works.   Show Notes and Links to Natalie Lima's Work   Natalie Lima's Personal Website    For a Good Time, Call,” essay for Guernica, September 2020   “Snowbound,” essay for Brevity, September 2019   “Men Paid Me To Eat,” fiction for The Offing, June 2019   “Fly”-Fiction from Paper Darts, May 2017 Talking Points/Authors/Books Mentioned and Allusions Referenced During the Episode:   At about 2:35, Natalie talks about influences growing up, including her experience speaking Spanish and her ideas of “home”   At about 4:50, Natalie talks about her relationship with the written word growing up and into adolescence, including her love of the public library    At about 6:50, Natalie discusses the pivotal high school reading years, including a favorite of Pete and Natalie's, A Separate Peace by John Knowles   At about 10:40, Pete asks Natalie if she saw herself and her various cultures/subcultures in what she read growing up    At about 12:45, Natalie describes a few of her favorite books, including Cisneros' The House on Mango Street and White Oleander by Janet Fitch   At about 13:35, Natalie outlines Song of Solomon and Toni Morrison's impression on Natalie   At about 15:25, Natalie talks about contemporary writers who continue to thrill her, including Roxane Gay and her Bad Feminist and Justin Torres and his We the Animals, Myriam Gurba, Jhumpa Lahiri, T Kira Madden, Esmé Weijun Wang, Michelle Tea, Lindy West, Samantha Irby, and Jaquira Diaz   At about 20:10, Natalie details the moment(s) that made her believe in her ability to write professionally and successfully, including how Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird and Julia Cameron's The Right to Write helped her rekindle her writing passion and how her professor Colette Sartor gave feedback that energized Natalie   At about 28:35, Natalie discusses her target audience(s) and the success and how she was surprised how many people were moved by “Fat Girl Cries Herself to Sleep”    At about 30:45, Natalie talks about sharing personal information in her writing, as well as how certain works of her have affected her and her readers   At about 34:35, Natalie discusses “For a Good Time, Call,” her powerful essay about the “party line” and the essay's many layers; Pete and Natalie make connections to teenage chaos/malaise and to an NPR article about avatars and Walter Thompson Hernández and Yesika Salgado on California Love   At about 42:35, Natalie discusses the background and events and writing of “Snowbound” from Brevity Magazine and the event where college dorm gossip upset Natalie    At about 49:25, Natalie discusses her fiction piece, “Men Paid Me to Eat” and its inspiration, including its genesis with a class writing prompt   At about 53:10, Natalie reads from “Snowbound” and  “For a Good Time, Call”   At about 58:40, Natalie outlines her upcoming projects     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 Spotify and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this episode and other episodes on The Chills at Will Podcast YouTube Channel. Please like, subscribe, and share while you're there. This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I'd love for your help in promoting what I'm convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form. Be sure to check out the next episode on July 13 with poet extraordinaire Gabrielle Bates. 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.

Senior Editor at Amazon Original Stories Interview starts at 16:40 and ends at 51:54 Note: I will be discussing my Kjersti Egerdahl interview Monday May 2, 2021 at 1 pm EDT (Note the new day and time) on Clubhouse. Whether you are a current member of Clubhouse or want to join in order to participate in the discussion, click here. I've also created a club named The Reading Edge. Use this link to join! Links “LinkedIn Names Amazon No. 1 Company Where Americans Want to Work in 2021” - Amazon Press Release April 28, 2021 All New Fire HD 10 and Fire HD 10 Plus press release - April 27, 2020 Fire HD10 Productivity Bundle Kjersti Egerdahl (Linkedin) The Last Girl by Joe Hart   Amazon Original Stories         YOUNG BLOOD by Andrew Barrer         Nameless Season 1 by Dean Koontz         EMERGENCY SKIN by N.K. Jemison         ZIKORA by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie         TURNING POINT: A Short Story by Jeffery Deaver         Currency Collection featuring Kiley Reid, Jia Tolentino, Emma Cline, Justin Torres, Curtis Sittenfeld, Yiyun Li, Tom Perrotta, Cristina Henríquez         Everything My Mother Taught Me by Alice Hoffman         Nothing Like I Imagined (Except for Sometimes) by Mindy Kaling         YOU ARE READY FOR TAKEOFF by Susan Orlean         Take the Lead by Jessica Simpson         HUSH (a collection) with some of today's most popular and award-winning crime writers including Lisa Unger         The Viking Hondbók: Eat, Dress, and Fight Like a Warrior by Kjertsi Egerdahl If you'd like brief daily updates on technology, books, marriage, and puppies, you can follow along with my Morning Journal flash briefing. From your Echo device, just say, “Alexa, enable Morning Journal.” Then each morning say, “Alexa, what's my flash briefing?” I post a five-minute audio journal each day except Sunday, usually by 8:00 am Eastern Time.  The Kindle Chronicles is now available at Audible Podcasts. The only thing missing are ratings! If you have time, please consider leaving one in order to help others learn about the show.  Right-click here and then click "Save Link As..." to download the audio to your computer, phone, or MP3 player.

How do you know if you're meeting and dating the right person for you? In this episode of "Let's Talk About Making LOVE Better", Justin Torres joins Sheila Pearl in a conversation about finding the secret sauce, the X-factor in connecting romantically.

I hope you have been enjoying our string of new guests, four out of the last five. Lola talks about her life as a "serial book clubber" and shares books she's read and loved lately.Download or listen via this link: Reading Envy 215: Lovely Pile. Subscribe to the podcast via this link: FeedburnerOr subscribe via Apple Podcasts by clicking: SubscribeOr listen through TuneIn Or listen on Google Play Or listen via StitcherOr listen through Spotify Or listen through Google Podcasts Books discussed: The Heart's Invisible Furies by John BoyneHome is Not a Country by Safia ElhilloHomegoing by Yaa GyasiDays in the Caucasus by Banine, translated by Anne Thompson-AhmadovaDeacon King Kong by James McBrideOther mentions:Elizabeth AcevedoMake Me a World imprintPet by Akwaeke EmeziLife Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson (memoir mentioned)Normal People by Sally RooneyA Little Life by Hanya YanagiharaLisa DillmanThe Good Lord Bird by James McBrideWe the Animals by Justin TorresSantino FontanaArmie HammerThe End of the Affair by Graham Greene; read by Colin FirthLadder to the Sky by John BoyneThe Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John BoyneAll the Light We Cannot See by Anthony DoerrThe Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann SchafferThe Nightingale by Kristin HannahWinter Garden by Kristin HannahFirefly Lane by Kristin HannahThe Great Alone by Kristin HannahThe Four Winds by Kristin HannahThe January Children by Safia ElhilloTranscendent Kingdom by Yaa GyasiBahni TurpinRosamund PikeThandi NewtonFever Dream by Samanta Schweblin, translated by Megan McDowellRich & Pretty by Rumaan AlamThe Need by Helen PhilipsExit West by Mohsin HamidLeave the World Behind by Rumaan AlamThe Wife Upstairs by Rachel HawkinsThe Push by Ashley AudrainKlara and the Sun by Kazuo IshiguroLong Bright River by Liz MooreBeneath the Keep by Erika JohansenRelated episodes:Episode 051 - Dreaming in Books with KarenEpisode 067 - Rain and Readability with Ruth(iella) Episode 147 - Bonus Poetry Recommendations with LaurenEpisode 202 - Jacket Flap with Chris and EmilyStalk us online: Lola at GoodreadsLola is @ferociousreader on Instagram and @Lola on LitsyJenny at GoodreadsJenny on TwitterJenny is @readingenvy on Instagram and Litsy All links to books are through Bookshop.org, where I am an affiliate. I wanted more money to go to the actual publishers and authors. I link to Amazon when a book is not listed with Bookshop.

Wherever you are, stop! Take a look in the mirror and say, “You’re good enough, you’re smart enough, and dog gonnit, people like me.” That’s what Al Franken’s most memoriable SNL character Stuart Smalley would want you to do. He’d also want you to listen to New York improv extraordinaire Justin Torres as he embracesContinue reading "Ep 22: Justin Torres with Al Franken’s Stuart Smalley"

In this episode Jorge chats with his long time friend, Raul Castillo. Raúl Castillo is an actor across the film, television, and theater mediums. He is best known for his portrayal of Paps in the critically acclaimed independent feature We the Animals, based on the Justin Torres novel of the same name and directed by Jeremiah Zagar, which brought him an Independent Spirit Award nomination; and for his starring role as Richie on the Michael Lannan-created groundbreaking HBO series Looking, which ran for two seasons before wrapping up with a telefilm. For his work on Looking, he earned the award for Best Comedic Actor from the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) and the Lupe Award from the National Association of Latino Independent Producers. Castillo is completing work on two Netflix features: Night Teeth, directed by Adam Randall, and Army of the Dead (Summer 2021), from writer/director Zack Snyder. His upcoming movies also include Chad Hartigan's Little Fish for IFC Films and Guy Ritchie’s Wrath of Man, the latter to be released by MGM.

Brian Allen Carr is the author of several novels and story collections, including Opioid, Indiana, Sip, The Shape of Every Monster Yet to Come, and Motherfucking Sharks. He was the inaugural winner of the Texas Observer short story prize and two-time winner of the Wonderland Book Award. His story "Whisper to Scar" was adapted into the feature film Weightless starring that dude from Jackass. He lives in Indiana.On this episode: working in other people's homes, the man in the deer blinds, self-procured meats, shout-out Cameron Pierce, animals on medicine, "COVID is like an STD...", social media is weird, the freedom of being cancelled, short attention spans, the class divide of woke culture, Tómas Rivera's And the Earth Did Not Devour Him, Ocean Vuong's On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, juxtaposion vs proximity, loose novels, Sandra Cisnero's The House on Mango Street, Justin Torres's We the Animals, flow, Kazuo Ishiguro's Remains of the Day, the tool's pride, anti-resolution, fucking up your own idea, when it both works and doesn't, Fannie Flagg's Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, big vs indie, writer beef, ugly words, vague hype for Brian's next thing.

In this episode of Acid Wax, hosts Gabe Cortez and Raymond Cabrera interview previous guest Justin Torres.

In this episode of Acid Wax, hosts Gabe Cortez and Raymond Cabrera interview friend of the show Justin Torres.

We the Animals is the debut novel by the American author Justin Torres. It is a novel about three wild brothers of white and Puerto Rican parentage who live a rough and tumble childhood in rural upstate New York.   Scrambling their way through a dysfunctional childhoodrk during the 1980s. The youngest brother, who is the protagonist, eventually breaks away from the rest of the family.

Recorded on the final day of the 2019 Tin House Summer Writers Workshop, the panel “On Writing Towards Joy” ended the week on a high note.  Moderated by Tin House Assistant Books Editor Elizabeth DeMeo, panelists Kelly Link, Garth Greenwell, and Justin Torres unpack a rarely discussed topic. How does one create joy on the […] The post Tin House Live : ‘Writing Towards Joy’ Panel : Kelly Link, Garth Greenwell, Justin Torres appeared first on Tin House.

Happy Halloween SIstorians! We are back for this extra special Halloween episode featuring ghost stories from two of the most haunted cities in America. Follow along as Sean Quinn, Chelsea Marlowe, and Justin Torres carve Turnips while recanting the stories of Lizzie Borden's haunted bed and breakfast, the reanimated statue of Josie Arlington, and many more local haunts in Boston and New Orleans.

On today's episode, we are missing Aaron so we lose our edge as we discuss today's not-so-sharp word, BLUNT. So join us as we consider the history of how warfare generates our metaphors, insults make us dance, and salsa inspires the salivary glands for us all. Abe takes us back in time through the origins of this word, while Efren brings a recent example from a work of literature by Justin Torres.

Justin Torres is a recent father, graduate, and husband. On the SpeakUp Podcast Justin speaks up about relationship with God, the birth of his newborn son, and the loss of his mother.

With evocative writing and impressive range, Xuan Juliana Wang captures the heartbeat of this generation, the Chinese millennial, in Home Remedies. Creative, ambitious, messy and often reckless, Wang’s unforgettable characters are on a quest for every kind of freedom—artistic, familial, individual, sexual, psychological. A pair of synchronized divers at the Beijing Olympics have trained together, living and moving as one body, for half their lives, only to discover themselves through divergence. A Chinese-American student in Paris unwittingly becomes the fashion world’s next “it” girl. An immigrant father attempts to understand his fully American daughter through the logic of algorithms. A group of artists drift through Beijing in search of something—meaning, their next muse, the next thrill. These are stories of lives on the cusp of change: people who are testing the limits of who they are, who they wish they were, and who they will one day be; in a world that is as vast and changing as their ambitions. Above all, these are sharp stories about the brand new face of Chinese youth, around the world, from an exceptionally talented literary writer. Wang is in conversation with Justin Torres, author of We the Animals.

Today on @ChosenGenerationRadio Don Jans author Goodbye Constitution Freedom America, Speaker and Expert on Marxism. Forecasting 2019 and the Democratic Party play book to push our country closer to their Marxist ideology. Justin Torres Attorney and Member of the Federalist Society joins Pastor Greg to discuss the reason why we must ask about the citizen status of those taking the census. Congressional Districts and numbers are determined by the census count and making sure that we know who is being counted matters. Trevor Louuden Producer and Director of Enemies Within which identifies the Marxists that are currently in our Congress has now set his sights on identifying those that are influencing our churches and turning them into socialist and globalist teaching machines. Brian Kolfage Triple Amputee Vet and Dustin Stockton raising money for the Wall.

James becomes an investigative journalist. That kidney's got a mind of its own! Taste test and special Thumbs or No Thumbs segment sponsored by Justin Torres! All this and more on today's episode!   THE SHOW'S GOING LIVE! https://www.instagram.com/thisandmoreupnext/ Subscribe to Patreon now! https://www.patreon.com/thisandmoreupnext You can follow James here Twitter: https://twitter.com/jamesthemovieInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamestorresiscool/ Follow Eric here Twitter: https://twitter.com/EricMoore7Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eric_moore7/ HERES BRIANS PERSONAL FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/brian.kennemer.9 Follow the podcasts twitter here https://twitter.com/moreupnext JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP HERE https://www.facebook.com/groups/1851924888456237/

Us three. Us brothers. Us kings, inseparable. Three boys tear through their childhood, in the midst of their young parents’ volatile love that makes and unmakes the family many times over. While Manny and Joel grow into versions of their loving and unpredictable father, Ma seeks to shelter her youngest, Jonah, in the cocoon of home. More sensitive and conscious than his older siblings, Jonah increasingly embraces an imagined world all his own. With a screenplay by Dan Kitrosser and Jeremiah Zagar based on the celebrated Justin Torres novel, We the Animals is a visceral coming-of-age story propelled by layered performances from its astounding cast of Sheila Vand, Raul Castillo, and three talented, young first-time actors, Evan Rosado, Isaiah Kristian, Josiah Gabriel as well as stunning animated sequences which bring Jonah’s torn inner world to life. Drawing from his documentary background, director Jeremiah Zagar creates an immersive portrait of working class family life and brotherhood. Director and screenwriter Jeremiah Zagar joins us to talk about his gorgeous and ethereal tale of young boys struggling to find their own way in a tattered landscape of family and identity. For news and updates go to: wetheanimals.film

His portrayal of “Richie" on the HBO series “Looking” brought Raúl Castillo some serious recognition and started moving him into bigger and better parts. One such role is “Pops” in the astonishing queer coming-of-age film “We The Animals” (in theaters now) directed by Jeremiah Zagar from the Justin Torres best-seller. Castillo talks in depth about his process of bringing this complex character to life, and the importance of owning your space as an actor. Plus we do a deep-dive into the straight man’s approach to same-sex on-camera kissing.

In the nine expansive, searching stories of A Lucky Man, fathers and sons attempt to salvage relationships with friends and family members, and confront mistakes made in the past. An imaginative young boy from the Bronx goes swimming with his group from day camp at a backyard pool in the suburbs, and faces the effects of power and privilege in ways he can barely grasp. A teen intent on proving himself a man through the all-night revel of J’Ouvert can’t help but look out for his impressionable younger brother. And at a capoeira conference, two brothers grapple with how to tell the story of their family, caught in the dance of their painful, fractured history. This stunning debut by Jamel Brinkley reflects the tenderness and vulnerability of black men and boys whose hopes sometimes betray them, especially in a world shaped by race, gender, and class—where luck may be the greatest fiction of all. Brinkley is in conversation with Justin Torres, author of We the Animals.

Dog vs croc, puppy vs turtle, north vs south, brother vs brother? All of this and more on todays episode! James' brother JUSTIN TORRES joins the boys in this episode  Subscribe to Patreon now! https://www.patreon.com/thisandmoreupnext You can follow James here https://twitter.com/jamesthemovie Follow Eric here https://twitter.com/EricMoore7 HERES BRIANS PERSONAL FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/brian.kennemer.9 Follow the podcasts twitter here https://twitter.com/moreupnext JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP HERE https://www.facebook.com/groups/1851924888456237/

With special guest, Justin Torres aka mynameJT , Video Producer Extraordinaire, featured on several music games parody videos from Beatmania IIDX and others! Listen to various members of the Georgia Music Gamers discord talk about various topics relating to parodies, video production, Music Games, and love. If you want to join the Discord, the link is here: https://discord.gg/Sc48zAT Rated T for some language and commonly used four-letter words. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/GAmusicGamers/support

One of James's favorite books of 2018 inspires one of his favorite conversations. Jon Pineda, author of LET'S NO ONE GET HURT, joins the show to talk about being worried for your characters, maintaining a sense of wonder, fooling yourself into writing, inventing the Voltron of fathers, becoming a cobbler (!) and living a life with fewer disclaimers. Plus, Miciah Bay Gault chats about HUNGER MOUNTAIN and the MFA in publishing and writing at Vermont College of Fine Arts.  - Jon Pineda: http://www.jonpineda.com/ Jon and James discuss: HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT dir by Kent Jones  HITCHCOCK by Francois Truffaut  NORTH BY NORTHWEST dir by Alfred Hitchcock Voltron  The Incredible Hulk  WE THE ANIMALS by Justin Torres  Marilynne Robinson  JESUS' SON by Denis Johnson  GIOVANNI'S ROOM by James Baldwin  IF THE SKY FALLS by Nicholas Montemarano THE LOVER by Marguerite Duras  Amy Hempel  ANGEL HEAD: A MEMOIR by Greg Bottoms  HELL AT THE BREECH by Tom Franklin  -  Miciah Bay Gault: https://vcfa.edu/ http://hungermtn.org/   Miciah and James discuss: Vermont College of Fine Arts Emerson College  Syracuse University  Melissa Febos  Donika Kelly  EPHEMERAL ARTERY  - http://tkpod.com / tkwithjs@gmail.com / Twitter: @JamesScottTK Instagram: tkwithjs / Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tkwithjs/

**CW: Gun violence, discussion of Islamophobia** Dance and Drama Professor Kareem Khubchandani reads “In Praise of Latin Night at the Queer Club” by Justin Torres. The Orlando nightclub massacre on June 12th, 2016 was an assault on brown and black bodies in an LGBTQ scene. It disrupted what had been a sacred space, somewhere people could go to feel far away from “white, straight America.” Every year, Kareem reads this piece to his Intro to Queer Studies class -- because for him, being in the swirling and bumping club atmosphere is about “really living up to a kind of beauty that you believe you deserve.” When you hear the cadence and rhythm of Torres’ piece, you can almost feel that irresistible energy. In the final episode of season 2, we talk to Kareem about Orlando, drag queens, and care packages from his mom. Produced by Shirley Wang, Jenna Fleischer, and Bobby Familiar

Read by Kareem Khubchandani. Listen to our interview with Prof Khubchandani about this piece: https://soundcloud.com/tuftspodcasters/its-lit-ep-7-kareem-khubchandani-reads-justin-torres

Over the years, Justin Torres has brought many, lost Bay Area records back to life, through tracking down the original recordings and their histories. The story he shares with us is definitely rooted in his search for these lost songs, but goes even deeper. It’s about friendship and persistence, and why you should never overlook ... Read more

Hay gurl hay. We are baaaaack with a real book-talkin' episode! This time, we discuss We the Animals by Justin Torres. Topics up on deck: the "right time" to read a book, the perf amount of description (gotta be below Steinbeck levels), being prepared for the intense pain in this book, Ashley's obnoxious rewrite, how awesome Bitch Magazine is, and SO.MUCH.MORE. Olivia drinks: coffee, hazelnut creamer, and rum Ashley drinks: a deadly mix of whiskey, rum, and vodka in her coffee We read: We the Animals by Justin Torres Up next: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

Yes, my dears, it is time for another episode! This time, we discuss Psychiatric Tales by Darryl Cunningham. This episode, we discuss taste buds, the importance of using equitable language, a whole buncha latches, and so much more. Olivia drinks: rum and coke (not cocaine, tho) Ashley drinks: gin and tonic (that quinine is bomb) We read: Psychiatric Tales by Darryl Cunningham Up next: We the Animals by Justin Torres

  Justin Torres is all over the Magnet Theater these days, performing with GOATS, Heartbeat, and Premiere, and now, he’s a guest on our podcast! In this episode, we learn about Justin’s experiences studying at the four major improv training centers of NYC, how he approaches different shows with different teams, and his advice for people […] The post #64: Justin D. Torres appeared first on Magnet Theater.

Justin Torres appears at the 2012 Library of Congress National Book Festival. For captions, transcript, and more information visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=5778.

(May 19, 2012) Justin Torres describes a trip to the psychiatric ward in his youth and the healing power of story-telling.

In this groundbreaking debut, Justin Torres plunges us into the chaotic heart of one family, the intense bonds of three brothers, and the mythic effects of this fierce love on the people we must become.

This week: Playwright & “Seven Psychopaths” filmmaker Martin McDonagh laughs in the face of death… TV legend Ed Asner calls us out… Mary Elizabeth Winstead lists some sobering cinema… ’5 under 35′ honoree Justin Torres reads from his celebrated novella… New Yorker critic David Denby divines film’s future… and Brendan seeks the *real* American cheese. Plus, a historic Niagara fall, a crushed dinosaur dream, and a wild new track from Tame Impala.

Host David Naimon interviews debut novelist Justin Torres. His book, We the Animals, has been heralded for its beautiful, concentrated prose. NPR likened it to a diamond, brilliant and brilliantly compressed. Esquire called it a “knock to the head that will leave your mouth agape.” Justin Torres is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, with work in the […] The post Justin Torres : We The Animals appeared first on Tin House.

The Total Tutor and panel will interview Michael Connors, author, Splendor of Cuba" Also, I will interview interview Geoffrey Children's book author who wrote the book Marcus and the Amazons. In addition, we will interview Justin Torres. He will discuss his book We the Animals, and we will interview best selling author Sterling Watson author of Fighting In The Shade. He will discuss his book. All of these authors will be attending the Miami Book Fair. I will be broadcasting live at the fair powered by Life Improvement Radio.

This sequence of short stories, or prose poems, or vignettes (author Justin Torres is open to all three descriptions) adds up to a little novel about an underclass family....

This week, we continue to prepare for the hour-long version of the show by serving up some new courses. You’ll “overhear” a story from author Jeanne Darst, take a Chattering Class on urban design with filmmaker Gary Hustwit, and learn the number of our new dinner-party hotline. (Drunk dialing allowed.) Let us know what you think! Plus, a traumatizing joke from debut novelist Justin Torres, and a new tune from the Stepkids.