Podcast appearances and mentions of Steph Cha

We're joined by Steph Cha (author of Your House Will Pay) to talk about a famous California hardboiled novel none of us had ever read. What will it took us about tramps, insurance fraud, and the relative difficulty of staging a fake car-related murder? And what's the deal with that postman, with his infernal ringing?  Steph, who has written several acclaimed crime novels herself, helps us to understand the genre we're exploring this season, and its evolution over time.  To learn more about our guest, and her work, check out her website: http://stephcha.com/ If you like our podcast, and would like to help support it--plus get access to two bonus episodes every month--check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/BookFight Thanks for listening! (Note: this is the 4th episode in our Noir season, but there's no reason you need to listen to them in order. Also, you don't need to read the book to enjoy the show.)

Notes and Links to Akshaj Mehta's Work      For Episode 253, Pete welcomes Akshaj Mehta, and the two discuss, among other topics, his early experiences with bilingualism, formative and transformative writers and writing, beautiful trips with his mother to the library, his interest in representation of multidimensional and diverse characters and stories, a paradigm shift in reading Steph Cha, his evolving writing and salient themes and issues in his work like multiculturalism, subtlety, and unbiased writing.      Akshaj Mehta, who has been writing since he was four years old, is currently studying political science at UCLA as a second year student. Akshaj is an author with five published books, the most recent titled The Butterfly Effect, which was created in collaboration with the non-profit KidsFirst Roseville. He has also written for the N Magazine and Sacramento School Beat.   Buy The Butterfly Effect   Akshaj's 2019 Article for The Sacramento Bee: “The ‘transforming' power of a name: Learning to embrace the unique name I was given   Akshaj's Story, “The Tragedy of Antonio Solaris” At about 1:40: Akshaj talks about college life as an incoming sophomore  At about 2:20, Akshaj At about 4:10, Akshaj talks about sparks for his love of reading-shout out to mothers who bring kids to libraries At about 6:20, Akshaj expands on the plot of his first novel, Super Mouse At about 7:10, Akshaj responds to Pete's questions about an important writing assignment about the power of his name At about 9:20, Akshaj reads the opening of the article mentioned above At about 10:25, Akshaj responds to Pete asking about the experience of writing about his name and if the writing of it was “cathartic” At about 11:35, Akshaj reflects on how he looks back at the topics of the article and how he sees his experiences now At about 13:10, Akshaj replies to Pete's question about books that have inspired and challenged him-he shouts out Steph Cha's Your House Will Pay At about 14:20, Pete follows up on how Akshaj might see Cha's book differently after a few years and spending time in LA; Akshaj also talks about how an assignment in English class based on the novel brought him back into fiction At about 18:00, Pete and Akshaj read from and discuss Akshaj's story written in English class, “The Tragedy of Antonio Solaris” At about 19:00, Akshaj talks about the variety of articles he has written for UCLA publications At about 20:25, Akshaj's view of journalism and heavy topics and philosophies are discussed  At about 24:00, Akshaj shares an interesting idea about mitigating bias in journalistic work At about 24:40, Akshaj's talks about his school senior project and connections to ideas of representation and his book for children, The Butterfly Effect At about 26:35, Akshaj's pinpoints how he and illustrator Alexa Bandala approached the art for his children's book At about 30:00, Akshaj's reflects on lessons learned from reading stories with diverse representation to young kids At about 32:40, Akshaj shares his experience in mock trial and how having to be persuasive has informed and changed his writing At about 36:10, Pete wonders if/how Akshaj's reading is different now that he is a published author, and Akshaj's expands on how his writing has evolved   At about 39:15, Akshaj talks about his initial reading and later views of Krakauer's Into the Wild At about 41:00, Akshaj talks about exciting future projects  At about          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.    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 month's Patreon bonus episode features segments from conversations with Deesha Philyaw, Luis Alberto Urrea, Chris Stuck, and more, as they reflect on chill-inducing writing and writers that have inspired their own work.       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 254 with Jami Attenberg, the New York Times bestselling author of nine books, including The Middlesteins, All Grown Up and a memoir, I Came All This Way to Meet You: Writing Myself Home. Her work has been published in sixteen languages; her novel, A Reason to See You Again is set to be published September 24, which is when her episode will also drop.    Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

It's always a blast to chat about movies with a friend & the best thing about having a podcast is that I get to share these fun conversations with all of you. Returning to the podcast this week, we have the gifted crime writer Nikki Dolson who's covered everything from heist movies to westerns with me on Watch With Jen in the past. In this funny, feisty, & fast-paced hour, we celebrate the filmography & career of actress Thandiwe Newton & discuss men, women, sex, love, jealousy, actors, writing, gangsters, & more in the films M:I 2, THE LEADING MAN, ROCKNROLLA, & beyond. Bio: Nikki Dolson is a prolific crime writer whose work has been published in such well-respected places as Shotgun Honey, Tough, ThugLit, and Bartleby Snopes. The author of what she affectionately calls "a novelish thing" - the book All Things Violent - Nikki has also released a short story collection entitled Love and Other Criminal Behavior. One of her outstanding pieces appeared in the prestigious Best American Mystery and Suspense Stories anthology of 2021, edited by Alafair Burke and Steph Cha. Originally Posted on Patreon (6/11/24) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/106029042Theme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music Archive Shop Watch With Jen logo Merchandise in Logo Designer Kate Gabrielle's Threadless ShopDonate to the Pod via Ko-fi

We're joined by the wonderful James D.F. Hannah who regales us with tales of Mississippi tornado warnings, southern noir writers, if Falkner is a crime novelist, and his latest release Somewhere Outside Salvation (A Grifter's Song Book 32). We also get a sneak peek at the story and hear about the process of writing a piece in the Grifter's Song series (as well as a few other music references). James D.F. Hannah is the Shamus Award-winning author of the Henry Malone series, including the novels Behind the Wall of Sleep and She Talks to Angels. His story "No Man's Land" was selected for Best American Mystery and Suspense 2022, edited by Steph Cha and Jess Walter. His short fiction has appeared in Playing Games, edited by Lawrence Block; Under the Thumb: Stories of Police Oppression, edited by S.A. Cosby; Trouble No More; Rock and a Hard Place; Shotgun Honey; Crossing Genres; and The Anthology of Appalachian Writers. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where all the bourbon is. Want to submit your writing or be a guest editor? Email darkwaterspodcast@gmail.com Intro/Outro music: www.bensound.com Disclaimer: Any and all opinions expressed are the opinions of the participants and not of the organizations or institutions with which they are affiliated. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/darkwaters/support

Episode 175 Notes and Links to Jordan Harper's Work       On Episode 175 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Jordan Harper, and the two discuss, among other things, his early reading and writing, his forays into journalism and creative writing, a pivotal screenwriting opportunity, his work writing for the small screen and lessons learned in this world regarding writing style and appropriate behaviors; additionally, his recent book, Everybody Knows, gets the spotlight, with discussions of the importance of LA as setting, the worlds of Hollywood and politics as representative of so many larger parts of society, writing genre (or not), the book's links to police corruption and deputy gangs, and the moral ambiguity that reigns in the book.   Jordan Harper is the Edgar-Award winning author of EVERYBODY KNOWS, SHE RIDES SHOTGUN and LOVE AND OTHER WOUNDS. Born and educated in Missouri, he now lives in Los Angeles, where he works as a writer and producer for television.   Buy Everybody Knows   Jordan Harper's Substack   Maureen Corrigan Reviews Everybody Knows for NPR's Fresh Air   Jim Ruland Reviews Everybody Knows for The Los Angeles Times At about 6:50, Jordan talks about growing up in Jefferson City, MO, and his reading habits in his childhood and adolescence    At about 9:25, Jordan talks about his fandom of Hunter S. Thompson and how he was inspired to take creative writing and journalism due to Thompson's influence   At about 12:10, Jordan gives background on a pivotal Warner Bros program that helped him get a writing job with The Mentalist after being moved by directors like Michael Mann, Tarantino, Scorcese,    At about 14:25, Jordan responds to Pete's questions about finding his place in the writer's room, and Jordan narrates a summary of his television writing career, including a lot of work with Bruno Heller and Monica Cutter   At about 18:50, Jordan talks about the benefits of the sometimes-formulaic writing style for the screen   At about 20:30, Jordan responds to Pete's question about if he watches TV differently now that he is a TV writer    At about 23:10, Pete asks Jordan about his thoughts on labels-”crime writer, etc.”- for literary genres, and Jordan and Pete shout out top-tier writers like Steph Cha, Megan Abbott, and Tod Goldberg   At about 25:25, Pete wonders what fiction provides for Jordan, writing in this style versus nonfiction   At about 29:10, Jordan ruminates on the ways in which Hollywood particularly has systems in place like those for which Mae from Everybody Knows works   At about 31:40, Pete defines “noir” and Jordan connects this to the book's moral ambiguity and darkness and ending   At about 32:50, Jordan discusses the research process for this book and his other work    At about 35:35, Pete lays out the book's opening and outlines the narrator, Mae's, job and personality   At about 36:25, Pete shares a stirring quote from the book's Hannah Heard that is resonant    At about 37:35, Jordan describes Mae's company and the idea of real-life PR firms and spokespeople, including what inspired the book's title    At about 41:55, Jordan describes a truism of much of society's ideas of performance versus action    At about 43:05, The two discuss ideas of acculturation in any industry with power and “bending to the powers”; **Good Fellas and A Bronx Tale references!   At about 45:25, Pete references a powerful and memorable scene involving the Los Angeles Sheriffs' Department, and Jordan explains a change in wording in policy and legal standards    At about 46:55, Mae's childhood is described, as well as discussion of how much of her personality and mantras were “nature,” and how much were “nurture”   At about 48:55, Jordan talks about how when high-pressure and morally ambiguous    At about 51:35, Jordan gives some cool inside info on characters on tv and in movies and their physical progress through filming   At about 53:00, Pete notes the importance of the “unsaid” in the book and Pete and Jordan ruminate on ideas of silences in society   At about 55:35, Jordan reflects on ideas of moral ambiguity and “soft nihilism” in his work and in the world   At about 57:00, Pete shouts out some incredibly skillful dialogue in the book   At about 58:25, Jordan talks about the important quote from Hannah Heard and shines a light on Corey Feldman's allegations, for one, as emblematic of much of the world of Hollywood power   At about 1:01:25, Pete asks Jordan's about real-life connections to BlackGuard from the book and describes the draw of main character Chris   At about 1:03:55, Jordan points out Winnie M. Li's Complicit as an example of those who have written eloquently about The “Me Too” Movement in saying that he    At about 1:05:10, Pete brings up a moving and honest scene involving main character Chris, and Jordan talks about why he chose to “zoom out” in this scene   At about 1:06:55, The two discuss a telling scene and anecdote about a French style of eating the whole bird, and Jordan and Pete note the sweeping symbolism of the napkin   At about 1:08:45, The two discuss the differences between power and visibility and power and responsibility, especially with regard to how Mae and her company work   At about 1:09:45, The passive voice is discussed (hehe-get it?) with regard to public statements from PR firms and spokespeople    At about 1:11:30, Pete highlights the ways in which Mae and Chris thrive on action, and Jordan notes how they often don't think about the why and how this affects their often willful ignorance of what they do on a daily basis   At about 1:13:45, Pete reflects on Chris and Mae pursuing “The Life,” and Jordan comments on how the two live lies together    At about 1:15:10, Pete asks Jordan about the book's setting, and Jordan reflects on Los Angeles as “América writ large”   At about 1:17:35, Pete remarks on Jordan's precision with CalGangs in the book with John Montez, and Jordan talks about the real-life police ridealong that inspired this part   At about 1:19:45, Pete highlights a resonant line that is emblematic of the greatness of the book and Jordan gives background on its usage; Pete connects the quote to Parker, the highly unethical politician in the book      You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you're checking out this episode.    Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl     Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!    NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast    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 176 with Raegan Pietrucha. She writes, edits, and consults on professional and creative bases. Head of a Gorgon is her debut full-length poetry collection. Her debut poetry chapbook, An Animal I Can't Name, won the 2015 Two of Cups Press competition.     The episode will air on April 4.

In this special bonus episode, I chat with author (and dear friend of the show) Jordan Harper about his newly released novel EVERYBODY KNOWS. Featuring an extra special guest star Rob Belushi providing the introduction. Thank you so much for the ongoing support!One Heat Minute ProductionsWEBSITE: oneheatminute.comTWITTER: @OneBlakeMinute & @OHMPodsMERCH: https://www.teepublic.com/en-au/stores/one-heat-minute-productionABOUT JORDAN HARPER: Jordan is the Edgar-Award-winning author of She Rides Shotgun and Love and Other Wounds. Born and educated in Missouri, he now lives in Los Angeles, where he works as a writer and producer for television.TWITTER: @JORDAN_HARPERNEWSLETTER: WELCOME TO THE HAMMER PARTYABOUT EVERYBODY KNOWSTruth may be stranger than fiction but sometimes fiction predicts the truth. Jordan Harper's new book EVERYBODY KNOWS is a combination of both. A propulsive LA crime thriller that James Patterson dubbed “the best mystery novel I've read in years,” is the story of Mae Pruett a "black-bag publicist" - she doesn't get the good news out, she keeps the bad news in – who works for “The Beast,” her name for the loose collection of lawyers, publicists and private security firms who protect and serve the wealthy and depraved of Los Angeles.Chris Tamburro is Mae's ex, a former cop fired for corruption and a fist on the Beast's arm, working as muscle for a shady lawyer. They must both confront the bad things they aid and abet when Mae's boss is gunned down in front of the Beverly Hills Hotel, dying with a secret Mae is determined to learn. Unraveling the mystery of her boss's death takes them through an electric, pulpy vision of Los Angeles, a world of homeless camp bombers, drug-addled celebrities, cop gangs who mark their kills with tattoos, a livestreamed murder, and powerful men with a secret so dark they will kill to keep it.Much of the novel is based Jordan's experiences and those of his friends and co-workers in the film and TV industry, and the whisper network of Los Angeles, “Nobody Talks but Everybody Whispers.” To be authentic Jordan wrote the opening scene about Mae having to visit a client at The Chateau Marmot, at the Chateau Marmot. Every celebrity sighting in the book is based on a real sighting he had had in the actual place he had it. Jordan also interviewed a crisis manager who represented one of the biggest villains of the MeToo era and sat down with a Hollywood actress to talk about the pressures of her life. There are literally dozens of scandals and real-life crimes that are fictionalized in the novel, from the publicist gunned down on Sunset Blvd. to the firebombing of homeless camps and many, many more.Incredible early praise for EVERYBODY KNOWS“EVERYBODY KNOWS rages through the City of Angels like a broken-dam flood. It's got it all, but most of all it's got deep insight. It's the book everybody's been waiting for.”—Michael Connelly"Just as Ellory mastered the atavistic heart of 1950's corruption, soJordan Harper has mastered articulating the Day-Glo Technicolor nightmare that is postmodern Los Angeles. EVERYBODY KNOWS is filled with ballsy movers and shakers, of course, but also plastic social media influencers, high-rent hoods, nihilistic cops, and the sorts of lost souls you'll never forget.EVERYBODY KNOWS is an absolute tour de force, a trip through an exclusive alluring Hell where everyone gets what they want and just what they deserve.”—SA Cosby, bestselling author of RAZORBLADE TEARS and BLACKTOP WASTELAND“What a ride! If it were possible for James Ellroy and James M. Cain to produce a bastard love child, it would be EVERYBODY KNOWSby Jordan Harper. Awash in substance abuse, sex and demented violence, this is the LA of a good drug trip turned very bad.”—Dennis Lehane, bestselling author of MYSTIC RIVER and SHUTTER ISLAND“With EVERYBODY KNOWS, Jordan Harper takes on the Beast—the monstrous, corrupt, insatiable mass of organs that eats the losers and feeds the winners in capitalist America, with Hollywood as its base of operations. Our guides to this world (our world) are two of its own dirty players, a celebrity publicist with killer instincts and an ex-cop goon for hire, looking for survival and money and maybe, if it's in the cards, a little bit of redemption.It's a juggernaut of a novel, fast and high-impact, with a sense of doomed humor and bright, sharp teeth.”—Steph Cha, LA Times Book Prize-winning author of YOUR HOUSE WILL PAY“Good lord, this book is fantastic. EVERYBODY KNOWSis one of the best LA noir novels I've ever read.The writing is astonishingly good. It's a wild, honest, sharp, and suspenseful ride, full of wry observations about the nature of power and the cost of being good in a bad, bad world." —Attica Locke, bestselling author of HEAVEN, MY HOME and BLUEBIRD, BLUEBIRD"Searing, timely, sprawling, EVERYBODY KNOWS pulls back Hollywood's velvet curtain, exposing the sordid machinations on which the industry runs and the seamy complicity which keeps it humming.This is L.A. noir at its most incendiary." —Megan Abbott, bestselling author of THE TURNOUT“Jordan Harper writers like he's L.A.'s avenging angel.EVERYBODY KNOWS is timely. It's timeless.It's a knockout punch.” —James Kestrel, author of the Edgar Award-winning FIVE DECEMBERS“EVERYBODY KNOWS is the best mystery novel I've read in years…Jordan Harper writes sentences, and in this case an entire book, that is both terrifying and exhilarating.” —James PattersonSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/one-heat-minute-productions/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Episode 149 Notes and Links to Erika T. Wurth's Work       On Episode 149 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Erika T. Wurth, and the two discuss, among other topics, her upbringing in Idaho Springs, CO, her family background and the multilingual environment in which she grew up, writers who have made her feel represented and inspired her, contemporary writers whose subject matter and craft propel her own work forward and thrill her as a reader, Stephen King and Dave Mustaine and their impacts on her, the importance (or lack thereof) of genre, research for White Horse, and key themes that permeate her exciting new book.      Erika T. Wurth's literary-horror novel, White Horse, is with Flatiron/Macmillan. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in numerous journals including Buzzfeed, Boulevard, Lithub, The Writer's Chronicle, and The Kenyon Review. She is a Kenyon and Sewanee fellow, and a narrative artist for the Meow Wolf Denver installation. She is represented by Rebecca Friedman (books) and Dana Spector, CAA (film). She is an urban Native of Apache/Chickasaw/Cherokee descent and was raised outside of Denver, where she lives with her partner, her two stepchildren, and her extremely fluffy dogs. Buy White Horse   Erika Wurth's Website   October 31, 2022: Crime Reads-Erika on "Writing Native Horror During a Horror Renaissance"   From Oct., 2022: M.M. Kaufman Talks to Erika for Micro Podcast through LitHub     At about 7:15, Pete shouts out great writers who have spoken highly of Erika   At about 8:40, Erika explains her love of and connection with Dave Mustaine, highly featured in White Horse, and how he was a big part of her childhood   At about 10:10-The two shout out “Hangar 18”-check it out!   At about 12:00, Erika relates the story of trying to get a copy of her book to Dave Mustaine    At about 12:45, Erika talks about growing up in Idaho Springs and her family background, as well as her relationships with language and reading growing up   At about 19:00, Erika outlines muses and inspirations for her writing-including artists and writers like Of Feather and Bone, Jhumpa Lahiri, Holly Goddard Jones, and Sandra Cisneros   At about 20:40, Erika speaks of ideas of representation regarding where she grew up and what she read growing up   At about 23:50, Erika shouts out contemporary influences and inspirations like Brandon Hobson, Morgan Talty, Kelli Jo Ford, David Heska Wanbli Weiden, Silvia Moreno Garcia, Grady Hendrix, Stephen Graham Jones, P. Djèlí Clark, and Rebecca Roanhorse   At about 26:10, Erika describes her process and path to becoming a writer   At about 28:50, Erika recounts Stephen King's influence on her and her work    At about 31:55, The two discuss Stephen King's “On Writing” and Pete provides Silvia Moreno Garcia's book cover blurb as Erika responds to Pete's question about the importance-or lack thereof, of genre-she cites S. A Barnes book   At about 35:40, Pete cites a conversation with Tod Goldberg about his and Steph Cha's work being so good that genre is irrelevant; Erika cites Jane Cleland as a master    At about 37:40, Pete wonders about the balance in the book between allegory and more logistical/plot concerns; Erika cites Cynthia Pelayo as a writer who finds a great balance    At about 41:30, Pete lists some of the scariest scenes from his memory and why he has trouble sometimes with horror/fantasy/sci-fi and their underlying themes    At about 43:15, Erika “pitches”/gives a summary of White Horse   At about 44:10, Pete references the book's dedication and the two discuss ideas of “nerdom”   At about 44:40, For those watching at home, Erika gives background on the bracelet that was the inspiration for an important object in the book   At about 45:35, Erika responds to Pete's question about research done for the book-Erika especially highlights her investigating The Shining and its history and the inspirational hotel   At about 47:30, Erika describes her crafting a coherent work and talks about structure and books that helped her organize her head   At about 49:50, Pete lays out some of the book's key plot points and background, as well as homing in on key themes of traumatization and guilt   At about 52:15, Erika gives background on the real-life White Horse and keys in on themes revolving around her main character's challenges    At about 54:40, Pete and Erika discuss cycles of violence and trauma and what the book has to say about the idea of “hurt people hurt[ing] people”   At about 58:10, Stephen Graham Jones is highlighted for his contributions to her book and for his all-around magnanimity    At about 1:00:10, Ideas of the visceral/rational as mindsets and how they affects the book's main characters (Keri, especially) are discussed    At about 1:01:35, Pete compliments Erika for her using place as a veritable character, and Erika expands upon the ways in which Keri shows her intelligence and respects Old Denver    At about 1:04:30, Pete compliments the psychological thriller aspects    At about 1:05:45, Erika shouts out places to buy the book and great support from Flatiron Books, as well as giving out social media info and exciting developments involving book   At about 1:08:05, Erika describes her feelings as the book is published November 1 and shouts out a future project involving “New Denver”           You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you're checking out this episode.     Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl    Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episode. 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 150 with Elizabeth Williamson, a feature writer at The New York Times and a reporter for The Wall Street Journal; her work has appeared in The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, and Slate. Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth, was published in 2022 The episode will air on November 4.  

In the season finale of LIT ANGELES, Emily and Alena tackle Paul Beatty's classic novel The White Boy Shuffle. They discuss Beatty's poetry background and the book's consistent dark comedy, then invite esteemed novelist Steph Cha for further discussion.    Cha talks about the importance of LA in the 90s for people of color, how difficult it is for POC writers to pull off something as weird as White Boy Shuffle, and her own personal connection to the novel and Skylight Books itself.   You're not going to want to miss this season-capper!   _______________________________________________   Produced by Emily VanKoughnett, Alena Saunders & Michael Kowaleski. Theme: "I Love All My Friends," an unreleased demo by Fragile Gang.

Join us for a celebration of the winners of the 91st annual California Book Awards! Since 1931, the California Book Awards have honored the exceptional literary merit of California writers and publishers. Each year a select jury considers hundreds of books from around the state in search of the very best in literary achievement. Over its 90 years, the California Book Awards have honored the writers who have come to define California to the world. Among them are John Steinbeck, Wallace Stegner, MFK Fisher, Thom Gunn, Richard Rodriquez, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Joan Didion, Ishmael Reed, and Amy Tan. Recent award winners include Hector Tobar, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Susan Orlean, Rachel Kushner, Rachel Khong, Tommy Orange, Morgan Parker and Steph Cha. This year's winners include: GOLD MEDALS FICTION The Archer, Shruti Swamy, Algonquin Books, an imprint of Workman Publishing, Hachette Book Group FIRST FICTION Skinship, Yoon Choi, Alfred A. Knopf NONFICTION­ Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire, Lizzie Johnson, Crown JUVENILE Wishes, Mượn Thị Văn and Victo Ngai, Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc YOUNG ADULT Home Is Not a Country, Safia Elhillo, Make Me a World POETRY Refractive Africa, Will Alexander, New Directions CALIFORNIANA Everything Now: Lessons from the City-State of Los Angeles, Rosecrans Baldwin, MCD, an imprint of Farrer, Straus & Giroux CONTRIBUTION TO PUBLISHING A Rebel's Outcry, Naomi Hirahara, Little Tokyo Historical Society SILVER MEDALS FICTION The Committed, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Grove Atlantic FIRST FICTION City of a Thousand Gates, Rebecca Sacks, Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers NONFICTION Light on Fire: The Art and Life of Sam Francis, Gabrielle Selz, University of California Press SPEAKERS Peter Fish California Book Awards Jury Chair Sarah Rosenthal California Book Awards Juror Rosalind Chang California Book Awards Juror In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on June 6th, 2022 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As, thankfully, my recent life/med stress ended early (quick - where's a piece of wood to knock on?), that means our temporary hiatus is ending a week early too! Editing this lively episode yesterday made me laugh multiple times. I figured that right now laughter is something we all could use in this grim world as of late so I wanted to deliver this conversation to you ASAP to hopefully brighten your day. Kind, witty, and wildly gifted, my good friend Nikki Dolson is a prolific crime writer whose work has been published in such well-respected places as Shotgun Honey, Tough, ThugLit, and Bartleby Snopes. The author of what she affectionately calls "a novelish thing" - the book All Things Violent - Nikki has also released a short story collection entitled Love and Other Criminal Behavior. And last fall, one of her outstanding pieces appeared in the prestigious Best American Mystery and Suspense Stories anthology of 2021, edited by Alafair Burke and Steph Cha. A delightful film buff who has excellent taste in movies (and men!), and is also quite the TV reenactor and movie trivia game player, I always have a ball talking to Nikki. And this witty, candid, free-flowing conversation, which covers women in the crime films The Last Seduction, Bound, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Widows, and I'm Your Woman (plus Michael Mann's Thief and Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive) was no exception to that rule. In fact, my favorite thing about this episode is that because Nikki is one of my very best friends, you're getting a different side of both of us than you would in other episodes, and you're hearing us delve into something we're truly, truly passionate about. Enjoy! Originally Posted on Patreon (6/9/22) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/67517337Theme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music ArchiveLogo: Kate Gabrielle (KateGabrielle.com)

Some call it a riot. Some call it an uprising. Many Korean Americans simply call it "Sai-i-gu" (literally, 4-2-9.) But no matter what you call it, it's clear to many that April 29, 1992 made a fundamental mark on the city of Los Angeles. Now, 30 years later, we're talking to Steph Cha and John Cho — two authors whose books both center around that fateful time.

“The original impulse to write a book for this age was knowing that this is a time of identity formation for me, curiosity about the outside world. And I guess I wanted to make an offering in that space … I just wanted to write a book with an Asian American protagonist. And I thought, how cool it would have been for me at that age to see that at the library.” Actor John Cho (Searching, Better Luck Tomorrow, Star Trek, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle) steps into a new role, author, with the publication of Troublemaker, his first book for middle grade readers. John joins us on the show to talk about why he needed to write this book now (it wasn't what he originally pitched to his editor); the legacy of 4/29 in the Korean American community and the murder of Latasha Harlins; his fondness for the Little House series; the elasticity of the English language (and not using italics to call out Korean words) and much more with Poured Over's host, Miwa Messer.   Featured Books: Troublemaker by John Cho The Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder IQ by Joe Ide Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha   Poured Over is hosted and produced by Miwa Messer, edited by David Eitel and mixed by Harry Liang. Follow us here for new episodes Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional bonus episodes on Saturdays).

Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out January – March 2022 (and one early April release). Also, stay tuned for my Most Anticipated Books of Winter 2022 blog post, coming out soon. On there, I'll share some of the books I talked about in this episode, but also some I didn't. This post contains affiliate links through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement Join our Patreon Community ($5/mo) to get our bonus podcast episode series called Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I share at least 4 bonus books we are excited about that we did not share in the regular preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available to our patrons and sign up here! Highlights Sarah's first 5-star book since July 2021! Catherine and Sarah each pick their #1 winter release. Sarah brings back a sun sub-genre coined from her early blog days. Winter 2022 Book Preview [4:01] January Sarah's Picks: Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor (February 1*) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:12] Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho (January 4) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:41] I Came All This Way to Meet You by Jami Attenberg (January 11) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [19:26]  Catherine's Picks: Honor by Thrity Umrigar (January 4) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:35] No Land to Light On by Yara Zgheib (January 4) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [16:36]  To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara (January 11) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [24:18]  The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk (January 25) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:47] Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka (January 25) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [37:13] February Sarah's Picks: What the Fireflies Knew by Kai Harris (February 1) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:13] Our American Friend by Anna Pitoniak (February 15) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:52] Fake by Erica Katz (February 22) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:53]  Catherine's Pick: Love and Saffron by Kim Fay (February 8) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [41:23] March Sarah's Pick: Don't Know Tough by Eli Cranor (March 8) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:08] Catherine's Picks: One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle (March 1) | Buy from Amazon [46:46] Dilettante by Dana Brown (March 22) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [51:50] April Sarah's Pick: Memphis by Tara M. Stringfellow (April 5) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [49:04] Other Books Mentioned The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald [4:39]  The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo [6:25]  The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun [11:54] The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen [14:33] The Ensemble by Aja Gabel [14:37] The Girls from Corona del Mar by Rufi Thorpe [15:54]  All This Could Be Yours by Jami Attenberg [20:06]  Saint Mazie by Jami Attenberg [20:13]  All Grown Up by Jami Attenberg [20:16]  The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg [20:18]  Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott [23:50]  What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami [23:55]  On Writing by Stephen King [23:58]  Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr [25:12]  Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell [25:16]  Washington Square by Henry James [26:50]  A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara [27:30]  The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw [29:20]  The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans [29:26] The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré [29:34] The Star Side of Bird Hill by Naomi Jackson [30:53] Necessary People by Anna Pitoniak [34:17] The Futures by Anna Pitoniak [34:24] The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott [35:55] American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld [35:59] The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid [36:09] Girl in Snow by Danya Kukafka [37:57] The Boys' Club by Erica Katz [39:13] The Art Forger by B. A. Shapiro [41:10] The Map of Lost Memories by Kim Fay [41:30] Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney [42:47] Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha [45:05] Razorblade Tears by S. A. Cosby [45:14] The Bright Lands by John Fram [45:58] In Five Years by Rebecca Serle [47:01] Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West [51:37] Other Links Sarah's Bookshelves | Biogossip Books *Book's release date changed since the time of recording. About Catherine Gilmore Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.

A long-married couple is forced to confront their friend's painful past when a church revival comes to a nearby town ... A woman in an arranged marriage struggles to connect with the son she hid from her husband for years ... A well-meaning sister unwittingly reunites an abuser with his victims. Through an indelible array of lives, Yoon Choi explores where first and second generations either clash or find common ground, where meaning falls in the cracks between languages, where relationships bend under the weight of tenderness and disappointment, where displacement turns to heartbreak. Skinship is suffused with a profound understanding of humanity and offers a searing look at who the people we love truly are. Choi is joined in this Live Crowdcast episode by Steph Cha. The episode was recorded on September 1, 2021. You can watch the Zoom recording here. _______________________________________________   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.

Summer, 1976. Jesse and his brother, Edgar, are on the road in search of victims. They're rovers, nearly indestructible nocturnal beings who must consume human blood in order to survive. For seventy years they've lurked on the fringes of society, roaming from town to town, dingy motel to dingy motel, stalking the transients, addicts, and prostitutes they feed on. This hard-boiled supernatural hell ride kicks off when the brothers encounter a young woman who disrupts their grim routine, forcing Jesse to confront his past and plunging his present into deadly chaos as he finds himself scrambling to save her life. The story plays out through the eyes of the brothers, a grieving father searching for his son's murderer, and a violent gang of rover bikers, coming to a shattering conclusion in Las Vegas on the eve of America's Bicentennial. Gripping, relentless, and ferocious, Rovers demonstrates once again why Richard Lange has been hailed as an “expert writer, his prose exact, his narrative tightly controlled” (Steph Cha, Los Angeles Times). Lange is joined in this Live Crowdcast episode by Jonathan Ames. The episode was recorded on August 11, 2021. You can watch the Zoom recording here. _______________________________________________   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.

On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: rethinking the book slump and nerdy book stats Today, for the meat of our episode we are hearing directly from you, the listeners! We're visiting your favorite indie bookstores and hearing about the books they pressed into your hands. As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down!  New: we are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). These are generated by AI, so they may not be perfectly accurate, but we want to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your dishwasher detergent!) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!*   . . . . 0:10 - Bite Size Intro 2:18 - Currently Reading Patreon 3:54 - Fabled Bookshop 5:45 - Bookish Moment of the Week 7:58 - A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas 8:34 - Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May 9:32 - A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles 16:13 - Your Favorite Indie Bookstores and the Books They Sold You 16:22 - The Learned Owl Book Shop 16:33 - The Epic Adventures of Huggie and Stick by Drew Daywalt (Becky) 16:36 - The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt (Becky) 16:43 - The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt  17:26 - InkLink Books  18:09 - The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (Katie) 18:40 - A Great Good Place for Books  18:53 - The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker (Karen) 19:16 - Wild Geese Bookshop 19:41 - Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult TImes by Katherine May (Dana) 20:44 - Warwicks  20:49 - Chevalier's  21:09 - The Black Echo by Michael Connelly 21:29 - IQ by Joe Ide (Susan) 22:16 - Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene  22:17 - Charlotte's Web by E.B. White 22:24 - Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha 23:13 - The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman 23:53 - Fabled Bookshop 24:01 - Elizabeth Barnhill on Instagram 24:23 - Travels with George by Nathaniel Philbrick (Erin) 24:58 - Empire of Pain by Patrick Raddon Keefe 25:17 - Book'n It on Instagram 25:43 - Lemuria Books 27:07 - Race Against Time by Jerry Mitchell (Kim) 27:18 - Parnassus Books 27:36 - Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (Alex) 27:50 - Munro's Books 27:55 - Curve of Time by M. Wylie Blanchett (Shannon) 28:34 - The Bookshop Nashville 28:37 - The Bookshop Nashville on Instagram 28:47 - Lit Clique (blind date with a book) at The Bookshop (Megan) 30:08 - Boswell Book Company 30:12 - Murder at the Mena House by Erica Ruth Neubauer (Mary) 31:24 - A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell #1) 31:43 - Page 1 Books  32:04 - Gone by Midnight by Candice Fox (Mindy) 32:09 - Hades by Candice Fox 32:39 - Deep Dive: Meredith and Kaytee's Indie Presses 32:54 - Fabled Bookshop 33:26 - When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain 33:39 - Gallery Bookshop 34:22 - The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (Meredith) 36:56 - Garcia Street Books 37:26 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling 37:30 - Dog Man by Dav Pilkey  37:35 - The Strangeworlds Travel Agency by L.D. Lapinski (Kaytee) 40:01 - Bookshop.org Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast

Episode 93 Notes and Links to Steph Cha's Work          On Episode 93 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Steph Cha, as the two discuss her work as an “Elite Yelper,” book reviewer, mystery writer, and award-winning novelist. The two discuss, among other topics, her early relationship with words, her inspiration for food writing and Yelp-ing, as well as her mystery writing and its connections to escape and/or reality. The two finish by discussing the historical fiction/mystery/character-driven modern classic Your House Will Pay and its vivid characters and prose.       Steph Cha is the author of Your House Will Pay, winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the California Book Award, and the Juniper Song crime trilogy. She's a critic whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and the Los Angeles Review of Books, where she served as noir editor, and is the current series editor of the Best American Mystery & Suspense anthology. A native of the San Fernando Valley, she lives in Los Angeles with her family.   Buy Steph Cha's Your House Will Pay   Buy Steph Cha's Follow Her Home   Buy Steph Cha's Dead Soon Enough: A Juniper Song Mystery   Buy Steph Cha's Beware Beware: A Juniper Song Mystery   Review: Kirkus Review for Beware Beware   Los Angeles Times Review of Books Review for Your House Will Pay   Your House Will Pay: A Conversation with Author Steph Cha on Race Relations-hosted by LA Public Library   The Rumpus Interview with Steph Cha from 2015    Steph Cha's Yelp Reviews     At about 1:40, Steph talks about growing up in the San Fernando Valley and her early love of reading, as well as interesting anecdotes about her mother's role in encouraging her reading   At about 5:30, Steph discusses her relationship with bilingualism, growing up with Korean as her first language   At about 7:00, Steph outlines her early reading loves, including reading Jane Eyre at eight or nine and The Phantom Tollbooth, among others; she relates a funny early reading of Catch 22 and her voracious appetite for manga   At about 11:20, Steph is asked about representation in what she read as a adolescent, and she talks about what she was used to missing   At about 12:15, Steph talks about Maurene Goo and her standout work that makes Steph wish she had been able to read such work when she was a kid   At about 13:15, Pete asks Steph about inspiring writers and “ ‘Eureka' moments in her writing career path, including examples of what to and what not to do   At about 16:50, Pete wonders how law school and her high-level Stanford and Ivy League education informed her later writing   At about 19:55, Steph talks about any connections between her and a protagonist of Your House Will Pay   At about 21:00, Steph talks about her prolific Yelp reviews and the Yelp-ing lifestyle    At about 22:00, Steph recounts an incredible anecdote that coincides with the early days of the legendary Kogi food truck   At about 24:00, Steph talks about her early work with Yelp and how it connected to other work and life events   At about 26:30, Pete asks for a few LA taco recs-Steph mentions Tacos 1986, Guisado's, and Mexicali, among so many others   At about 28:20, Steph talks about her days working with the legendary writer, the late Jonathan Gold    At about 33:00, Steph and Pete discuss Jonathan Gold's sense of generosity and how she was a scout with young standouts like Javier Cabral   At about 35:50, Pete asks Steph if there is ever a need or a benefit to “ripping” a book or restaurant in a review if the quality is low   At about 38:50, Steph discusses tropes and themes from her noir writing, as well as the seeds for her Juniper Song trilogy    At about 42:40, Pete wonders about the balance between realism and “escape” in Steph's writing, in her mysteries and in Your House Will Pay   At about 44:20, Pete and Steph discuss her masterful usage of Los Angeles as almost a character in its own right in her writing   At about 46:50, Pete recounts his visceral experience at reading the marvelous and profound Your House Will Pay   At about 47:30, Steph's son joins the chat!   At about 47:45, Pete and Steph discuss two marvelous works that have informed their reading and knowledge of the events regarding the 1992 Rebellion and Latasha Harlins' murder, Anna Deavere Smith's Twilight: Los Angeles, and Brenda Stevenson's The Contested Murder of Latasha Harlins   At about 48:10, Steph discusses the seeds for Your House Will Pay   At about 49:50, Steph explains why and when she uses “Uprising”/ “Riot”/ “Rebellion” with regard to the events of 1992 after Rodney King's police beating and in the book   At about 51:35, Pete inquires into the background on the book's title and the use of “house”; she references a 1985 rap song that gave her the title-Toddy Tee's “Batterram”   At about 52:30, Steph explains how Your House Will Pay, being her fourth book, plays with and avoids the “white gaze”   At about 54:30, Pete wonders about Steph's writing process regarding the book's flashbacks and nonlinear narrative   At about 57:00, Pete and Steph discuss the memorable main characters of the book and their significance, including LaTasha Harlins and the infamous Soon Ja Du   At about 59:45, Pete's compliments about Steph's book bring up a discussion of how topical the so-called “history” of the ‘92 Uprising and Lastasha Harlins are-”how cyclical violence is”   At about 1:01:40, Pete wonders about any evolution of the characters of the book, especially Grace and Shawn   At about 1:03:45, Pete and Steph discuss salient and profound themes from the book and Pete wonders about some positive feedback that stands out for Steph At about 1:07:35, Steph discusses upcoming projects and works-in-progress, including some screenwriting (!)   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.  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 the next episode, a conversation with Sara Borjas. SARA BORJAS is a Xicanx pocha, is from the Americas before it was stolen and its people were colonized, and is a Fresno poet. Her debut collection of poetry, Heart Like a Window, Mouth Like a Cliff was published by Noemi Press in 2019 and won a 2020 American Book Award. Sara was named one of Poets & Writers 2019 Debut Poets, is a 2017 CantoMundo Fellow, and the recipient of the 2014 Blue Mesa Poetry Prize. She teaches innovative undergraduates at UC Riverside, believes that all Black lives matter and will resist white supremacy until Black liberation is realized, lives in Los Angeles, and stays rooted in Fresno. The episode with Sara Borjas will air on December 7.  

Episode 92 Notes and Links to Alan Chazaro's Work               On Episode 92 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Alan Chazaro, poet, hip hop head, baller, and artist in the truest sense of the word. The two talk about Alan's childhood in the Bay Area, the importance of music and hip hop in his work, as well as ideas of identity, cross-culturalism, pochismo, and gentrification, among other topics. The two discuss Alan's eccentric and diverse interests in arts of all types, and the inspiration for, and themes behind, his prize-winning This a Not a Frank Ocean Cover Album and Piñata Theory.            After nine years as a public high school teacher in Louisiana, Massachusetts, and California, Alan Chazaro decided to pursue his creative writing more seriously and has been living as a freelance writer who travels and enjoys new cultures around the world. He's a San Francisco Bay Area local but also has been finalizing his paperwork as a Mexican dual-citizen, so he's jumping between both countries while he continues to write, edit, teach, and grow. In 2018, he graduated with his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of San Francisco where he was a Lawrence Ferlinghetti Poetry Fellow, which is awarded to a writer “whose work embodies a concern for social justice and freedom of expression.” Previously, he attended Foothill Community College, and later UC Berkeley, where he participated in June Jordan's Poetry for the People program. He also got some game from Patricia Smith, among others, at the Voices Of Our Nations summer workshops. His first poetry collection, This Is Not a Frank Ocean Cover Album, was the winner of the 2018 Black River Chapbook Competition and his second, Piñata Theory, was given the 2018 Hudson Prize. They are both available with Black Lawrence Press. Currently, he's working as an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco, managing his online NBA zine HeadFake, moonlighting as an assistant poetry editor at AGNI Magazine, and raising money for NBA arena workers during COVID-19. For more info, find him on Twitter @alan_chazaro. Buy Alan Chazaro's Piñata Theory   Buy Alan Chazaro's This Is Not a Frank Ocean Cover Album   Pinata Theory: A Conversation with Alan Chazaro from The Adroit Journal   Review: This is Not a Frank Ocean Cover Album-done by José Hernández Diaz for Diode Poetry   Reviews: Identity as the Fractured Thing: Gustavo Barahona-López on Alan Chazaro's Piñata Theory-For Honey Literary Magazine   Buy Alan's Notes from the Eastern Span of the Bay Bridge At about 3:30, Alan talks about his upbringing in the California Bay Area and his family's story, as well as how gentrification has affected his city and neighborhood   At about 8:10, Alan talks about his relationship with language and reading in his adolescent years,  as well as his family's experiences with assimilation   At about 9:45, Alan talks about the importance of sports and stereotypically-masculine pursuits in his life and in his writing   At about 10:50, Alan talks about a overwhelmingly-positive influence from his surrogate grandfather in his exploration of literature and art   At about 14:30, Alan talks about Bay Area music and its influence on him and his work   At about 15:55, Pete comes with two hot Bay Area hip hop takes    At about 16:55, Pete asks Alan about his usage of “pocho,” such as its used in his Twitter handle   At about 18:00, Alan shouts out Sara Borjas for her work in reclaiming the term “pocho/pocha,” which inspired him and his work-Sara will be in conversation with Pete in a few weeks!   At about 19:15, Pete and Alan discuss the book Pocho by Villarreal   At about 20:00, Alan highlights some chill-inducing literature in high school and college after being “academically , and he responds to Pete's question about representation    At about 21:20, Alan talks about merging different art forms and knowledge in community college in conjunction with formative texts like those of Martin Espada and the music of Lateef the Truthspeaker   At about 23:25, Alan discusses his evolving understanding of how representation was tied to his reading and artistic development   At about 27:20, Alan talks about his contemporary reading habits and listening habits, including Oakland's Ovrkast. and Offset Jim   At about 29:10, Pete wonders about any “ ‘Eureka' moments” for Alan in his artistic endeavors   At about 30:20, Alan talks about his unique and varied experiences growing up melded into the book he wanted to write   At about 31:50, Alan talks about his musical output and how “being a person of words and ideation” found a natural fit in hip hop and poetry   At about 34:05, Pete drop bar(s)   At about 35:00, Alan lays out the timeline that led to the publishing of Frank Ocean and Piñata Theory   At about 36:50, Alan discusses  some “seeds” that led him to put his publishing ideas into action and shouts out The June Jordan Poetry for the People program    At about 39:20, Alan discusses some of his motivations    At about 40:25, Pete asks Alan about his views on form, titles, and themes/concepts in poetry   At about 44:20, Pete wonders about Alan's philosophy on language and translation in his work, and Alan gives background on his poem written solely in Spanish   At about 46:20, Alan discusses identity and cross-culture, as well as music's thread through his life, including different genres   At about 50:35, Pete highlights love in its many forms as shown in some of Alan's poems   At about 52:10, Pete and Alan discuss themes of “home” and identity and love and belonging in some of Alan's Piñata Theory   At about 54:30, Alan shouts out his incredible grandfather and his appearances in Alan's poetry   At about 57:10, Pete and Alan discuss father/son relationships and ideas of masculinity, as well how searching for poetry ideas and threads     At about 59:45, the two discuss Alan's poem about watching the 1996 Julio Cesar Chavez and Oscar De la Hoya fight and its ramifications and metaphors   At about 1:01:55, Pete and Alan discuss themes of innocence and youth in Alan's poetry, with Alan shouting out Outkast as one of his many muses   At about 1:04:40, Alan describes the poetry collection's title and its “many cores”   At about 1:08:45, Alan shouts out East Bay Booksellers, Walden Pond Books, Pegasus Books as some local indie stores to support You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you're checking out this episode.  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 the next episode, a conversation with Steph Cha. She is the author of Your House Will Pay, winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the California Book Award, and the Juniper Song crime trilogy. She's a critic whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and the Los Angeles Review of Books, where she served as noir editor, and is the current series editor of the Best American Mystery & Suspense anthology.  The episode will air on November 30.

Anthology editors Abby Vandiver, Marla Bradeen, Steph Cha and Alafair Burke are interviewed by Robert Justice. Carolyn Wilkins and Alex Segura read from their amazing short stories. Links Midnight Hour: A Chilling Anthology of Crime Fiction from 20 Authors of Color Festive Mayhem 2: Seven Holiday Culinary Cozy Mysteries The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2021 Robert Justice's Website Subscribe to the Crime Writers of Color Podcast: Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Play iHeartRadio Podcast Music Provided by Chris Lang Jazz

Recording of Off the Shelf Radio Show from WDLR with co-hosts George Needham and Nicole Fowles. Our special guest this week is Andrew Welsh-Huggins who is an Associated Press Reporter in Columbus and author. We speak with him today about his new book, An Empty Grave, beginning his career as a writer, and character creation. Recommendations include The Guest List by Lucy Foley, Devil in the Blue Dress by Walter Mosley, Dead Soon Enough by Steph Cha, The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich, and Gunfighters: A Chronicle of Dangerous Men Violent Death by Al Cimino. Read more about today's episode here. Listen live every Friday morning at 9 AM https://wdlrradio.com/program-schedule/off-the-shelf/  This episode originally aired on October 15, 2021

We Were Never Here: By Andrea Bartz | Book Review Podcast Website: https://gobookmart.com/ Founder of Gobookmart: https://shashi.gobookmart.com/ “Bartz's evocative descriptions of destinations as varied as Chile and Cambodia pulled me in immediately, but it was the way she ratcheted up the tension by dropping clues about the duo's murky past that kept me rapt until the end.”—Travel + Leisure “Incredibly tense and atmospheric, We Were Never Here explores the nuances of memory, the secrets that bind a friendship—and those that threaten to tear them apart. Andrea Bartz delivers a sharp, unsettling thriller about power, obsession, and the inescapable grip of the past.”—Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls and The Last House Guest “A nail-biting, immersive whirl of a read . . . Brimming with mysterious twists, turns, and a frenemyship of the most chilling proportions, We Were Never Here is every woman's worst nightmare—and every thriller-lover's dream.”—Zakiya Dalila Harris, author of The Other Black Girl “Andrea Bartz takes a friendship with boundary issues and adds an extra-special ingredient—the permanent, secret alliance of two people who have gotten away with murder. . . . An observant, suspenseful, and deeply scary novel.”—Steph Cha, author of Your House Will Pay “Pulse-pounding with secrets, lies, and friends who trust too much.”—CrimeReads “This smartly written psychological thriller will leave you all tingly.”—Reader's Digest “Bartz does a good job dramatizing the increasingly creepy relationship between the two women as the twisty plot builds. . . . Suspense fans will look forward to seeing more from this talented author.”—Publishers Weekly “A slow-burn thriller that gradually suffocates both the protagonist and the reader—in a good way . . . Bartz's writing will keep readers on their toes.”—Kirkus Reviews “A terrific novel, blending the Hitchcockian elements with a touch of Patricia Highsmith.”—Booklist (starred review) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/gobookmart-review/message

Catherine and I share our most anticipated books coming out August – December 2021. This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Announcement Join our Patreon Community ($5/mo) to get our bonus podcast episode series called Book Preview Extras! In these episodes, Catherine and I share at least 4 bonus books (we're sharing 5 this month) that we're excited about that we did not share in the regular Preview episode. Get more details about all the goodies available to our patrons and sign up here! Highlights Why Sarah isn't currently excited about the types of books that traditionally comes out in the Fall. Why Sarah doesn't mind dislikable characters in dysfunctional family stories. The new mystery / thriller sub genre Catherine is coining. Fall 2021 Book Preview [5:49] August Catherine's Picks: Once There Were Wolvesby Charlotte McConaghy (August 3) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [8:59] The Women of Troy by Pat Barker Sweeney (August 24) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [18:00]  The Guide by Peter Heller (August 24) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [22:43]  September Sarah's Picks: Friends Like These by Kimberly McCreight (September 7) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [4:58] Beautiful World, Where Are You? by Sally Rooney (September 7) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [13:38] L.A. Weather by Maria Amparo Escandon (September 7) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [20:12] Catherine's Picks: Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang (September 7) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [28:44] Unbound by Tarana Burke (September 14) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [33:42] Em by Kim Thuy (September 28) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [38:13] October Sarah's Picks: We Are Not Like Them by Jo Piazza and Christine Pride (October 5) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [25:24] My Monticello by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson (October 5) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [31:28] No One Will Miss Her by Kat Rosenfield (October 12) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [35:19] Oh William by Elizabeth Strout (October 19) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [40:25] Catherine's Picks: Fight Night by Miriam Toews (October 5) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [42:56] The Book of Mother by Violane Huisman (October 19) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [48:13] November Sarah's Picks: O Beautiful by Jung Yun (November 9) | Buy from Amazon | Bookshop.org [44:30] Other Books Mentioned Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead [3:40]  A Good Marriageby Kimberly McCreight [6:03]  All Together Now by Matthew Norman [6:43] Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler [6:57] The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer[6:57] The Ensembleby Aja Gabel [7:05] Normal Peopleby Sally Rooney [13:59]  Conversations With Friendsby Sally Rooney [13:59]  The Silence of the Girlsby Pat Barker [18:36]  The River by Peter Heller [22:43]  Descent by Tim Johnston [24:18]  When the Stars Go Darkby Paula McLain [24:31]  Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win by Jo Piazza [26:11]  The Knockoff by Jo Piazza and Lucy Sykes [26:15]  An American Marriage by Tayari Jones [27:06]  Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult [27:15]  Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha [27:52]  Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok [30:11]  Waiting for Eden by Eliot Ackerman [37:57]  Ru by Kim Thuy [38:25] My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout [40:51] Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout [41:43] Women Talking by Miriam Toews [43:26] Shelter by Jung Yun [44:50] The Missing Place by Sophie Littlefield [47:29] Anywhere But Here by Mona Simpson [50:09] About Catherine Gilmore Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Catherine started The Gilmore Guide to Books over 6 years ago after wrapping up a career as a corporate librarian. She loves books and reading (surprise!) and currently lives in Ann Arbor, MI.

Since 1931, the California Book Awards have honored the exceptional literary merit of California writers and publishers. Each year a select jury considers hundreds of books from around the state in search of the very best in literary achievement. Over its 90 years, the California Book Awards have honored the writers who have come to define California to the world. Among them are John Steinbeck, Wallace Stegner, MFK Fisher, Thom Gunn, Richard Rodriquez, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Joan Didion, Ishmael Reed, and Amy Tan. Recent award winners include Hector Tobar, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Susan Orlean, Rachel Kushner, Rachel Khong, Tommy Orange, Morgan Parker and Steph Cha. This year's winners include: GOLD MEDALSFICTION A Registry of My Passage Upon the Earth, Daniel Mason, Little, Brown and Company  FIRST FICTION How Much of These Hills Is Gold, C Pam Zhang, Riverhead Books NONFICTION South to Freedom: Runaway Slaves to Mexico and the Road to the Civil War, Alice L. Baumgartner, Basic Books JUVENILE Efrén Divided, Ernesto Cisneros, Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers YOUNG ADULT Private Lessons, Cynthia Salaysay, Candlewick Press POETRY Quiet Orient Riot, Nathalie Khankan, Omnidawn  CALIFORNIANA California Exposures: Envisioning Myth and History, Richard White, with photos by Jesse Amble White, W.W. Norton & Company  CONTRIBUTION TO PUBLISHING A Natural History of the Anza-Borrego Region, Marie Simovich and Mike Wells, Sunbelt Publications SILVER MEDALSFICTION Interior Chinatown, Charles Yu, Pantheon/Vintage NONFICTION Golden Gates: The Housing Crisis and a Reckoning for the American Dream, Conor Dougherty, Penguin Press YOUNG ADULT The Black Kids, Christina Hammonds Reed, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers SPEAKERS Julia Flynn Siler Juror, California Book Awards—Moderator Peter Fish Jury Chair, California Book Awards—Moderator In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on August 16th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since 1931, the California Book Awards have honored the exceptional literary merit of California writers and publishers. Each year a select jury considers hundreds of books from around the state in search of the very best in literary achievement. Over its 90 years, the California Book Awards have honored the writers who have come to define California to the world. Among them are John Steinbeck, Wallace Stegner, MFK Fisher, Thom Gunn, Richard Rodriquez, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Joan Didion, Ishmael Reed, and Amy Tan. Recent award winners include Hector Tobar, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Susan Orlean, Rachel Kushner, Rachel Khong, Tommy Orange, Morgan Parker and Steph Cha. This year's winners include: GOLD MEDALSFICTION A Registry of My Passage Upon the Earth, Daniel Mason, Little, Brown and Company  FIRST FICTION How Much of These Hills Is Gold, C Pam Zhang, Riverhead Books NONFICTION South to Freedom: Runaway Slaves to Mexico and the Road to the Civil War, Alice L. Baumgartner, Basic Books JUVENILE Efrén Divided, Ernesto Cisneros, Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers YOUNG ADULT Private Lessons, Cynthia Salaysay, Candlewick Press POETRY Quiet Orient Riot, Nathalie Khankan, Omnidawn  CALIFORNIANA California Exposures: Envisioning Myth and History, Richard White, with photos by Jesse Amble White, W.W. Norton & Company  CONTRIBUTION TO PUBLISHING A Natural History of the Anza-Borrego Region, Marie Simovich and Mike Wells, Sunbelt Publications SILVER MEDALSFICTION Interior Chinatown, Charles Yu, Pantheon/Vintage NONFICTION Golden Gates: The Housing Crisis and a Reckoning for the American Dream, Conor Dougherty, Penguin Press YOUNG ADULT The Black Kids, Christina Hammonds Reed, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers SPEAKERS Julia Flynn Siler Juror, California Book Awards—Moderator Peter Fish Jury Chair, California Book Awards—Moderator In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently hosting all of our live programming via YouTube live stream. This program was recorded via video conference on August 16th, 2021 by the Commonwealth Club of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Velvet Was the Night: By Silvia Moreno-Garcia Website: https://gobookmart.com “Velvet Was the Night is a delicious, twisted treat for lovers of noir. Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a masterful writer who pulls you into her dark world and never lets you go. From the suspenseful, slow-burn plot to the crisp, desperate characters, you will be obsessed.”—Simone St. James, New York Times bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel “Velvet Was the Night is a rollicking work of historical noir with a vivid sense of time and place and an unforgettable cast. Moreno-Garcia made me care deeply about her characters and their dangerous, riveting misadventures. This is a stylish hard-boiled novel painted in shades of gray with a whole lot of heart.”—Steph Cha, author of Your House Will Pay “Silvia Moreno-Garcia takes you into the gritty underworld noir of 1970s Mexico City with a propulsive read where no one and nothing is as it seems.”—Isabella Maldonado, bestselling author of The Cipher “Velvet Was the Night cements Silvia Moreno-Garcia's incredible versatility as an amazing writer who moves effortlessly between genres. It's a lush, magnificent trip into a world of danger and discovery—not to be missed!”—S. A. Cosby, author of Blacktop Wasteland and Razorblade Tears “This seductive neo-noir thriller from bestseller Moreno-Garcia (Mexican Gothic) draws on the real-life efforts of the Mexican government to suppress political dissent in the 1970s. . . . A rich novel with an engrossing plot, distinctive characters, and a pleasing touch of romance. Readers won't be able to put it down.”—Publishers Weekly, (starred review) “It's hard to describe how much fun this novel is—Moreno-Garcia, whose Mexican Gothic (2020) gripped readers last year, proves to be just as good at noir as she is at horror. The novel features memorable characters, taut pacing, an intricate plot, and antiheroes you can't help but root for. A noir masterpiece.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “Moreno-Garcia keeps the suspense high and the action intense, all while sharing a bit of 1970s Mexican history in this perfectly pitched novel. Fans of Moreno-Garcia's other novels will relish this title, as will noir aficionados and readers who like stories about everymen and ‑women rising to the occasion.”—Library Journal (starred review) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/gobookmart-review/message

Korea24 – 2021.06.01. (Tuesday) News Briefing: South Korean exports set a new record in May, expanding nearly 46 percent on-year, the biggest hike in 32 years. Shipments jumped in 14 out of 15 key areas, with exports of semiconductors exceeding ten billion dollars for the first time since 2018. (Koo Heejin) In-Depth News Analysis: In a survey by InterNations that ranked the best countries for expatriates to live in, South Korea came in at 47th out of 59 countries. InterNations Founder and Co-CEO Malte Zeeck delves into the survey and talks about why South Korea ranked so low on the list when it was once as high as 13th in 2014. Korea Trending with Lee Ju-young: An Air Force officer takes her life after being sexually assaulted(선임 성폭력에 혼인신고 날 극단적 선택한 여군), a survey shows that people want more holidays as many fall on the weekends in 2021(성인남녀 10명 중 9명 “올해 임시 공휴일 필요해”), and “clean with me” videos gain popularity in South Korea(부엌 청소만 했는데 조회수 500만…남의 청소에 왜 열광할까). Touch Base in Seoul: Korean-American novelist Steph Cha(스테프 차) delves into "Your House Will Pay(너의 집이 대가를 치를 것이다)," her award-winning mystery/thriller recently published in Korean. She also shares how she got into literature, especially into the realm of crime fiction. Morning Edition Preview with Mark Wilson-Choi: Mark shares a piece from the Korea Times that features artist Hwang Dae-kwon, who used wildflowers as his subjects while he was wrongfully imprisoned in 1985.

When the famed photographer Miranda Brand died mysteriously at the height of her career, it sent shock waves through Callinas, California. Decades later, old wounds are reopened when her son Theo hires the ex-journalist Kate Aitken to archive his mother’s work and personal effects. As Kate sorts through the vast maze of material and contends with the vicious rumors and shocking details of Miranda's private life, she pieces together a portrait of a vibrant artist buckling under the pressures of ambition, motherhood, and marriage. But Kate has secrets of her own, including a growing attraction to the enigmatic Theo, and when she stumbles across Miranda's diary, her curiosity spirals into a dangerous obsession. A seductive, twisting tale of psychological suspense, Take Me Apart draws readers into the lives of two darkly magnetic young women pinned down by secrets and lies. Sara Sligar's electrifying debut is a chilling, thought-provoking take on art, illness, and power, from a spellbinding new voice in suspense.   Sligar is in conversation with Steph Cha. _______________________________________________   Produced by Maddie Gobbo, Lance Morgan, & 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.

Show Notes and Links to Tod Goldberg's Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode 59         On Episode 59, Pete talks with Tod Goldberg about his influences, his literary family, and his incredible run of commercially-successful and critically-acclaimed crime fiction. The two discuss all kinds of fun topics, from the singular settings that are part of his writing-The Salton Sea, Palm Springs, among others-Tod's research for such compelling and sometimes-despicable characters, crime fiction as a genre, and themes fleshed out in Tod's work. Much of the conversation revolves around Tod's most-recent publication, the stellar short story collection, The Low Desert. Also, Pete toes the line between just-the-right-number and too many Godfather/Mario Puzo references. TOD GOLDBERG is the author of more than a dozen books, including Gangsterland, a finalist for the Hammett Prize; The House of Secrets, which he coauthored with Brad Meltzer; and the crime-tinged novels Living Dead Girl, a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and Fake Liar Cheat, plus five novels in the popular Burn Notice series. He is also the author of the story collection Simplify, a 2006 finalist for the SCIBA Award for Fiction and winner of the Other Voices Short Story Collection Prize, and Other Resort Cities. His essays, journalism, and criticism have appeared in many publications, including the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Review of Books, Las Vegas Weekly, and Best American Essays, among many others, and have won five Nevada Press Association Awards. He lives in Indio, California, where he directs the Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing & Writing for the Performing Arts at the University of California, Riverside.   Buy The Low Desert by Tod Goldberg   Buy any of Tod Goldberg's Work Here!   Los Angeles Times Book Review of The Low Desert   Starred Review of The Low Desert from Publishers Weekly   Tod Goldberg's Burn Notice Book Series At about 4:35, Tod talks about the differences in publishing a book during the pandemic, as well as the future of the traditional book tour    At about 6:25, Tod talks about his childhood relationship with the written word and his family business of writing   At about 9:25, Tod talks about writing that has given him “chills at will”-The Maltese Falcon, “Diving into the Wreck” by Adrienne Rich, and “The Concord Hymn” by Ralph Emerson are mentioned (Tod recites the Emerson at 9:15-impressive!)   At about 12:35, Tod talks about how his childhood dyslexia affected his learning style and the effects of the time period on his later life, including the ways in which he still sees the connection between sound and rhythm    At about 15:20, Tod talks about how he saw writing as a path forward in his formative years, including Ms. Kaine, his teacher, giving him great encouragement and alternative assignments that helped him to improve his skills   At about 19:30, Tod talks about his early novels and the success that came particularly with his second novel, Living Dead Girl   At about 21:15, Pete talks about Mario Puzo's balancing act between commerce and art and the assumption by many that he had to have had a background in Mafia life to have written about it so expertly; Tod then discusses his research into/relationship with the often scary and immoral/amoral characters of his books, including the formative experience of watching a horrific boxing match that ended in a death and the sordid history of Palm Springs   At about 25:40, Tod meditates on whether or not being labeled a “crime writer” is appropriate/desired for him, and uses Dennis Lehane's history as a crime novelist as a an example of the genre's freedom   At about 26:40, Tod shouts out the incredible book by Steph Cha, Your House Will Pay, and its connection to genre   At about 29:40, Tod and Pete discuss the way in which Tod “populates a universe” with repeat characters in his various books   At about 31:00, Tod discusses the importance of the place in his work, including The Salton Sea and its interesting history    At about 36:25, Tod and Pete talk about themes of identity and new beginnings/redemption, particularly through the character of Morris, Blake Webster (“Goon Number #4”-written in response to an entreaty by the great Lawrence Block), and Jacob Soboroff   At about 42:20, Tod explains how the story “The Spare” serves as a pivot point for the Cupertine saga   At about 44:40, Pete and Tod talk about the ironically beautiful last scene of “The Spare,” and its similarities to podcast godfather Tobias Wolff's “Bullet in the Brain” and how the author creates feelings of empathy for characters you wouldn't normally feel for   At about 46:15, Tod discusses the pivotal and memorable character of Tanya in Low Desert and the ordinariness of evil, as seen in his short story collection and in the contemporary world   At about 50:25, Tod discusses themes of faith and fate in his writing and what/who    At about 55:20, Tod and Pete discuss themes of death and morality and “the world passing us by”   At about 59:55, Tod introduces and reads the story “Palm Springs”-page 73 of The Low Desert   At about 1:04:40, Tod talks about future projects, including Gangsterland, the tv version,   At about 1:05:35, Tod talks about his April 2021 appearance at The LA Times Book Festival-video can be found here   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, Stitcher,  and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I'm @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I'm @chillsatwillpo1. You can find this episode and other episodes on “The Chills at Will Podcast” YouTube Channel. 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.

Kind, witty, and wildly gifted, Nikki Dolson is a prolific crime writer whose work has been published in such well-respected places as Shotgun Honey, Tough, ThugLit, and Bartleby Snopes. The author of what she affectionately calls "a novelish thing" - the book All Things Violent - Nikki has also released a short story collection entitled Love and Other Criminal Behavior. And later this year, one of Nikki's outstanding pieces will appear in the prestigious Best American Mystery and Suspense stories anthology for 2021, edited by Alafair Burke and Steph Cha.In this intriguing episode that's sure to delight bibliophiles and cinephiles alike, Nikki returns to the pod to consider all things western. From the adaptations of two stellar short western stores by Elmore Leonard and Annie Proulx (including 3:10 to Yuma and Brokeback Mountain, respectively) to Young Guns and beyond, we evaluate both what makes an adaptation successful and the genre as a whole. A woman whose wit and intelligence shines through no matter what topic, this wide-ranging installment is filled with laughter and irresistibly rapid-fire conversation. (Note: This episode contains plot spoilers)Originally Posted on Patreon (5/14/21) here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/51266960Theme Music: Solo Acoustic Guitar by Jason Shaw, Free Music Archive

In Episode 83, Susie Boutry (@NovelVisits) and I share our favorite books that missed last year’s Summer Reading Guides, books for people who have time to dig into something big in the summer, and our #1 picks for the four of the five categories featured in Sarah’s 2021 Summer Reading Guide. This post contains affiliate links (plus: here’s your Amazon Smile-specific affiliate link), through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!). Our Summer Reading Guides Sarah’s 2021 Summer Reading Guide Books That Missed Last Year’s Summer Reading Guides [4:12] Sarah Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [4:17] Catch & Kill by Ronan Farrow | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [7:45] This is My America by Kim Johnson | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [12:40] Susie Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [6:08] Sea Wife by Amity Gaige (My Review) | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [9:52] A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost (My Review) | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [14:33] Books For People Who Have More Time to Dig Into Something Big in Summer (i.e. “Teacher Books”) [17:36] Sarah Wanderers by Chuck Wendig (My Review) | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [18:08] Natchez Burning by Greg Isles (My Review) | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [24:29] The Ensembleby Aja Gabel (My Review) | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [32:08] Susie Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes| Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [22:56] Jerusalem Maiden by Talia Carner | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [28:37] Fourth of July Creek by Smith Henderson | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [35:12] Our #1 Picks for Each Summer Reading Guide Category [37:56] Something Light / Fun Sarah: Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid (June 1) | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [38:29] Susie: Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau (Susie’s Review) | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookshop.org [40:14] Something Intense / Fast-Paced Sarah: When the Stars Go Darkby Paula McLain (April 13) | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookhshop.org [42:41] Susie: The Pushby Ashley Audrain (My Review) | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookhshop.org [43:49] Something with a Bit More Substance Sarah: The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton | Buy from Amazon| Buy from Bookhshop.org [45:07] Susie: Landslide by Susan Conley | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookhshop.org [47:30] Something Different Sarah: Smacked by Eilene Zimmerman | Buy from Amazon| Buy from Bookhshop.org [49:31] Susie: When I Ran Away by Ilona Bannister | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Bookhshop.org [51:27] Other Books Mentioned One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston | Buy from Amazon [5:48]  She Saidby Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [7:56]  A Knock at Midnight by Brittany K. Barnett | Buy from Amazon [14:00] 11/22/63 by Stephen King | Buy from Amazon [17:38] The Three by Sarah Lotz (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [20:05]  The Wanderers by Meg Howrey (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [21:29] The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [22:53]  The Bone Tree by Greg Isles (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [24:49]  Mississippi Blood by Greg Isles | Buy from Amazon [24:49]  The Deepest South of All by Richard Grant | Buy from Amazon [27:21]  The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [34:16]  Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [46:06] Other Links Spring 2021 Book Preview Podcast Podcast Episode 75: Ashley Audrain (Author of The Push) Podcast Episode 68: Eilene Zimmerman (Author of Smacked) About Susie Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Susie has loved reading for as long as she can remember. Some of her fondest childhood memories involve long afternoons at the library and then reading late into the night. More than ten years ago, she began journaling about the books I read and turned that passion into writing about books. Her first forays were as a guest reviewer on a friend’s blog, but she soon realized she wanted to be reviewing and talking about books on a blog of my own. From there, Novel Visits was born. That was in 2016 and, though the learning curve was steep, she loves being a part of the book community. Novel Visits focuses on new novel reviews (print and audio), previews of upcoming releases, and musings on all things bookish.

Four of the world's keenest crime readers came together for a live podcast recently, called Four Critics Four Continents, where they reflected on the best books in the genre for 2020. With the permission of Australian Words and Nerds podcaster Dani Vee and her panellists, we're running an edited version on Standing room Only. Dani's guests were: Steph Cha who writes for the LA Review of Books in America; Ayo Onatade who's a CWA Dagger judge, Sonya Van Der Westhuizen from TimesLive in South Africa, and our own Craig Sisterson who champions the New Zealand Ngaio Marsh crime writing awards.

If you love crime fiction, join renowned critics around the globe for an insight into the best crime fiction for 2020. Dani Vee hosts Craig Sisterson, Steph Cha, Sonja van der Westuizen and Ayo Onatade.

Steph Cha: Brandsätze | Ars Vivendi Verlag 2020 | Preis: 22,00 Euro

In dieser Folge mit Anika, Robin & Meike: „Normale Menschen“ von Sally Rooney, „Brandsätze“ von Steph Cha, „Schockraum“ von Tobias Schlegl und "Der innere Stammtisch" von Ijoma Mangold. Wieder vereint blickt euer Lieblingspodcast nach Schweden, wo morgen der Literaturnobelpreis verliehen wird – nur an wen? Darüber darf fleißig spekuliert und sogar darauf gewettet werden. Wir schauen, wer bei den Buchmacher*innen hoch im Kurs steht und bringen unsere Favorit*innen ins Rennen.

Eine koreanische und eine schwarze Familie geraten in Los Angeles in einen Strudel aus Rassismus und Gewalt. "Brandsätze" von Steph Cha ist vor dem Hintergrund der aktuellen Proteste ein brisanter und hochaktueller Kriminalroman aus den USA. Von Sonja Hartl www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de, Frühkritik Hören bis: 19.01.2038 04:14 Direkter Link zur Audiodatei

This year's winners are: GOLD MEDALS FICTION Your House Will Pay, Steph Cha, Ecco FIRST FICTION Home Remedies, Xuan Juliana Wang, Hogarth NONFICTION The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee, David Treuer, Riverhead JUVENILE A Place to Belong, Cynthia Kadohata, Atheneum YOUNG ADULT Frankly in Love, David Yoon, G.P Putnam’s Sons POETRY Magical Negro, Morgan Parker, Tin House Books SILVER MEDALS FIRST FICTION Last of Her Name, Mimi Lok, Kaya Press NONFICTION Know My Name, Chanel Miller, Viking POETRY A Jazz Funeral for Uncle Tom, Harmony Holiday, Birds, LLC SPECIAL AWARDS CALIFORNIANA The Dreamt Land, Mark Arax, Knopf CONTRIBUTION TO PUBLISHING Jim Marshall: Show Me the Picture, Chronicle Books In response to the Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, this program took place and was recorded live via video conference, for an online audience only, and was live-streamed by The Commonwealth Club of California from San Francisco on August 28th, 2020.

Rider Strong from Literary Disco joins Brea and Mallory to confess from bad book habits! Use the hashtag #ReadingGlassesPodcast to participate in online discussion! Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com!Reading Glasses MerchMAXIMUM FUN DRIVE 2020Sponsor - Rotman Business School Links -Reading Glasses Facebook GroupReading Glasses Goodreads GroupAmazon Wish ListNewsletter Literary Disco Books Mentioned - Nothing to See Here by Kevin WilsonThe Third Rainbow Girl by Emma Copley EisenburgYour House Will Pay by Steph Cha  

We will be discussing Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha, DB97652, on Friday, April 3, 2020 at 8PM Eastern time. Here is the NLS annotation:

In the early evening of June 25, 1980 in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, two middle-class outsiders named Vicki Durian, 26, and Nancy Santomero, 19, were murdered in an isolated clearing. They were hitchhiking to a festival known as the Rainbow Gathering but never arrived; they traveled with a third woman however, who lived. For thirteen years, no one was prosecuted for the "Rainbow Murders," though deep suspicion was cast on a succession of local residents in the community, depicted as poor, dangerous, and backward. In 1993, a local farmer was convicted, only to be released when a known serial killer and diagnosed schizophrenic named Joseph Paul Franklin claimed responsibility. With the passage of time, as the truth seemed to slip away, the investigation itself caused its own traumas--turning neighbor against neighbor and confirming a fear of the violence outsiders have done to this region for centuries. Emma Copley Eisenberg spent years living in Pocahontas and re-investigating these brutal acts. Using the past and the present, she shows how this mysterious act of violence has loomed over all those affected for generations, shaping their fears, fates, and the stories they tell about themselves. In The Third Rainbow Girl, Eisenberg follows the threads of this crime through the complex history of Appalachia, forming a searing and wide-ranging portrait of America--its divisions of gender and class, and of its violence. Eisenberg is in conversation with Steph Cha, the author of Follow Her Home, Beware Beware, Dead Soon Enough, and Your House Will Pay, out from Ecco in 2019.

On today's episode, Julia, Rider, and Tod discuss Steph Cha's 2019 novel Your House Will Pay, a book set in Los Angeles that follows two families on opposite sides of a racially charged shooting. They ask the question: is this the greatest novel about Los Angeles in the last twenty-five years? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katie and Rincey give a rundown about the discussion around My Dark Vanessa and Excavation and then talk about some mysteries written by Latinx authors. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot’s Read Harder 2020 Challenge, The Lucky One by Lori Rader-Day, and Crooked River, the new Agent Pendergast novel from Preston & Child. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! Show Notes Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne are starring in the film adaptation of the true crime book The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder by Charles Graeber Graham Moore’s latest novel, The Holdout, has been optioned for a Hulu series Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper, is planning a Whitechapel mural to celebrate the lives of these women Why cozy mysteries are the hottest TV genre of 2020 Crime Writers of Color has a great list of Black crime authors authors to read for Black History Month What’s Going on With My Dark Vanessa and Excavation? Books Mentioned My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell Excavation by Wendy C. Ortiz Bloody Waters by Carolina Garcia-Aguilera Untamed Shore by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Trouble Is What I Do by Walter Mosley Yellow Bird: Oil, Murder, and a Woman’s Search for Justice in Indian Country by Sierra Crane Murdoch Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson The Sea of Lost Girls by Carol Goodman Egg Drop Dead by Vivien Chien The Majesties by Tiffany Tsao Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha

The riots in South Los Angeles in 1992 may be nearly three decades old, but in the present day, two families in the novel Your House Will Pay will find that the events from that time are far from over. Shawn Matthews is a former gang member and ex-prisoner in his forties, trying to raise a family and help his cousin acclimate after a decade in prison. Grace Park is a 28-year-old pharmacist who lives at home with her Korean-immigrant parents, trying to understand the reasons behind her older sister's estrangement with the family. These two main characters have never met, but over the course of the book the reader comes to understand the web of connections between them. In this episode of the Modern Law Library, the ABA Journal's Lee Rawles speaks with Steph Cha, author of Your House Will Pay, about the real-life incidents that provided the inspiration for her novel. They also discuss why Cha decided to go to law school–and why she decided to be a writer instead of a practicing attorney. Special thanks to our sponsor, Headnote.

The riots in South Los Angeles in 1992 may be nearly three decades old, but in the present day, two families in the novel Your House Will Pay will find that the events from that time are far from over. Shawn Matthews is a former gang member and ex-prisoner in his forties, trying to raise a family and help his cousin acclimate after a decade in prison. Grace Park is a 28-year-old pharmacist who lives at home with her Korean-immigrant parents, trying to understand the reasons behind her older sister's estrangement with the family. These two main characters have never met, but over the course of the book the reader comes to understand the web of connections between them. In this episode of the Modern Law Library, the ABA Journal's Lee Rawles speaks with Steph Cha, author of Your House Will Pay, about the real-life incidents that provided the inspiration for her novel. They also discuss why Cha decided to go to law school–and why she decided to be a writer instead of a practicing attorney. Special thanks to our sponsor, Headnote.

The riots in South Los Angeles in 1992 may be nearly three decades old, but in the present day, two families in the novel Your House Will Pay will find that the events from that time are far from over. Shawn Matthews is a former gang member and ex-prisoner in his forties, trying to raise a family and help his cousin acclimate after a decade in prison. Grace Park is a 28-year-old pharmacist who lives at home with her Korean-immigrant parents, trying to understand the reasons behind her older sister's estrangement with the family. These two main characters have never met, but over the course of the book the reader comes to understand the web of connections between them. In this episode of the Modern Law Library, the ABA Journal's Lee Rawles speaks with Steph Cha, author of Your House Will Pay, about the real-life incidents that provided the inspiration for her novel. They also discuss why Cha decided to go to law school–and why she decided to be a writer instead of a practicing attorney. Special thanks to our sponsor, Headnote.

This week's Eason Book Club featured 'Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha.

Frank Baltimore is a bit of a loser, struggling by as a carpenter and handyman in rural New England when he gets his big break, building a mansion in the executive suburbs of Hartford. One of his workers is a charismatic eighteen-year-old kid from Liverpool, Dmitry, in the US in the summer before university. Dmitry is a charming sociopath, who develops a fascination with his autodidact philosopher boss, perhaps thinking that, if he could figure out what made Frank tick, he could be less of a pig. Dmitry heads to Asia and makes a neo-imperialist fortune, with a trail of corpses in his wake. When Dmitry’s office building in Taipei explodes in an enormous fireball, Frank heads to Asia, falls in love with Dmitry’s wife, and things go from bad to worse. Combining the best elements of literary thriller, noir and political satire, Born Slippy is a darkly comic and honest meditation on modern life under global capitalism. Author Tom Lutz is in conversation with Steph Cha, author of Follow Her Home, Beware Beware, Dead Soon Enough, and Your House Will Pay.

Steph Cha is the author of the Juniper Song crime trilogy. She’s an editor and critic whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and The Los Angeles Review of Books. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two basset hounds. Her latest book is Your House Will Pay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners will feel like they’re hearing true crime. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb discuss Steph Cha’s gripping mystery and the compelling dual narration of Greta Jung and Glenn Davis. Set in the aftermath of a police shooting of a black teenager in L.A., this is an audiobook that packs an emotional punch. No matter the scene, listeners will feel as though they are experiencing each character’s emotions, especially during the powerful ending. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com. Support for Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine comes from GraphicAudio, A Movie In Your Mind. Unique Audio Entertainment featuring a Full Cast and Imaginative Sound Scapes with new releases such as Brent Weeks Lightbringer Saga 5, Michael J. Sullivan's Riyria Revelations, S.M Stirling's Emberverse, and over 1,300 more full cast titles available only at www.GraphicAudio.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Wilson's fifth book, the novel NOTHING TO SEE HERE, is a perfect combination of everything that made his previous work so singular: the humor and edge of THE FAMILY FANG, the intensity of his short fiction, and the heart and earnestness of PERFECT LITTLE WORLD. He and James talk depicting basketball, writing being fun and versatile, keeping it short, and lacking a radar for weirdness. Plus, Ecco executive editor Zachary Wagman.   - Kevin Wilson: https://www.wilsonkevin.com/ Buy NOTHING TO SEE HERE: Buy NOTHING TO SEE HERE Kevin's work mentioned: "Blowing up on the Spot", PERFECT LITTLE WORLD, TUNNELING TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, THE FAMILY FANG, Buzzfeed essay: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kevinwilson/i-cant-save-my-son-from-the-anxiety-ive-passed-on-to-him.  Kevin and James discuss:  PLOUGHSHARES  Laura van den Berg  Lee Boudreaux  Harry Potter  The Southern Voices Festival  "A to B" from A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD by Jennifer Egan  Caki Wilkinson  Latina Davis  Kim Woodley  Grundy County  Franklin County  Kansas State  University of Florida  Patrick Ewing  Hakeem Olajuwon  Kevin McHale  THE DART LEAGUE KING by Keith Lee Morris  "Boys Town" by Jim Shepard  Harvard University  THE NEW YORKER  Calvin Trillin WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE by Shirley Jackson  A MEMBER OF THE WEDDING by Carson McCullers  MRS. CALIBAN by Rachel Ingalls  GOODBYE, VITAMIN by Rachel Khong  TREASURE ISLAND!!! by Sara Levine  BAD MARIE by Marcy Dermansky  THE LONGSHOT by Katie Kitamura  TRAIN DREAMS by Denis Johnson  Christine Schutt  Steven Millhauser  Larry Bird  Johnny Storm, "The Human Torch"  Julie Barer  Ecco  Greensboro Review  Nicole Kidman  Keith Urban  Christopher Walken  Ryan Call  - Zachary Wagman: @zackwagman Zack and James discuss:  THE FAMILY FANG BABY, YOU'RE GONNA BE MINE  PERFECT LITTLE WORLD  Saturday Night Live  ALA  The Lead Read  The Today Show  Vintage  Crown  Dennis Lehane  Dan Halpern  Hogarth  Knopf  New England Patriots  Gillian Flynn  Pulitzer Prize  Nobel Prize  YOUR HOUSE WILL PAY by Steph Cha  COLD STORAGE by David Koepp - http://tkpod.com / tkwithjs@gmail.com / Twitter: @JamesScottTK/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tkwithjs/ Instagram: tkwithjs

Special guest co-host Alafair Burke joins Eric to talk with Kate White and Steph Cha. Eric talks with four Australian authors on a tour of the U.S. - Emma Viskic, Sulari Gentill, Jock Serong and Robort Gott. All music used by permission under the creative commons license. Music in this episode includes: Foundation by Vibe Tracks Knock Knock by Podington Bear A Lil Somethin Somethin BY The Good Lawdz Uptown by Podington Bear Palmtrees by The Brothers Records Reckoning by Podington Bear Companheir by A Magnifique Bande dos Homes sen Medo Buddy Guy by Podington Bear Hungaria by Latche Swing

This week we welcome author Steph Cha (Your House Will Pay) to discuss a book she read as a kid and wanted to revisit: Amy Tan's novel The Joy Luck Club. Cha says she first read the novel in large part because she'd seen her mother reading it. Now, having written several books of her own, and having thought more deeply about Asian-American literature, what would she think of Tan's breakout book? We also talk about basset hounds, crime novels, Los Angeles in the '90s, the politics of Nest cameras, and being a top Yelp reviewer. If you like the show and would like more Book Fight in your life, consider subscribing to our Patreon. For $5/month, you'll get access to regular bonus episodes, including monthly episodes of Book Fight After Dark, where we read some of the world's weirdest--and steamiest!--novels. We've also recently begun a new series of Patreon-only mini-episodes called Reading the Room, in which we offer advice on how to navigate awkward, writing-related social situations.

Authors on the Air host Pam Stack welcomes Steph Cha to the studio. We are proud to supoprt the Miami Book Fair where Steph will be attending. ABOUT STEPH: Steph Cha is the author of Your House Will Pay and the Juniper Song crime trilogy. She’s an editor and critic whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. A native of the San Fernando Valley, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two basset hounds. ABOUT "YOUR HOUSE WILL PAY": A powerful and taut novel about racial tensions in Los Angeles, following two families?one Korean-American, one African-American?grappling with the effects of a decades-old crime In the wake of the police shooting of a black teenager, Los Angeles is as tense as it’s been since the unrest of the early 1990s. But Grace Park and Shawn Matthews have their own problems. Grace is sheltered and largely oblivious, living in the Valley with her Korean-immigrant parents, working long hours at the family pharmacy. She’s distraught that her sister hasn’t spoken to their mother in two years, for reasons beyond Grace’s understanding. Shawn has already had enough of politics and protest after an act of violence shattered his family years ago. He just wants to be left alone to enjoy his quiet life in Palmdale. But when another shocking crime hits LA, both the Park and Matthews families are forced to face down their history while navigating the tumult of a city on the brink of more violence. @copyrighted by the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network. Listen to this podcast on your favorite app or visit us at soundclound.com/authorsontheair

Authors on the Air host Pam Stack welcomes Steph Cha to the studio. We are proud to supoprt the Miami Book Fair where Steph will be attending. ABOUT STEPH: Steph Cha is the author of Your House Will Pay and the Juniper Song crime trilogy. She’s an editor and critic whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. A native of the San Fernando Valley, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two basset hounds. ABOUT "YOUR HOUSE WILL PAY": A powerful and taut novel about racial tensions in Los Angeles, following two families?one Korean-American, one African-American?grappling with the effects of a decades-old crime In the wake of the police shooting of a black teenager, Los Angeles is as tense as it’s been since the unrest of the early 1990s. But Grace Park and Shawn Matthews have their own problems. Grace is sheltered and largely oblivious, living in the Valley with her Korean-immigrant parents, working long hours at the family pharmacy. She’s distraught that her sister hasn’t spoken to their mother in two years, for reasons beyond Grace’s understanding. Shawn has already had enough of politics and protest after an act of violence shattered his family years ago. He just wants to be left alone to enjoy his quiet life in Palmdale. But when another shocking crime hits LA, both the Park and Matthews families are forced to face down their history while navigating the tumult of a city on the brink of more violence. @copyrighted by the Authors on the Auir Global Radio Network. Listen to this podcast on your favorite app or visit us at soundclound.com/authorsontheair

Steph Cha’s new novel, YOUR HOUSE WILL PAY, is based on the 1991 murder of Latasha Harlins, a fifteen-year-old black girl shot in the back of the head by Korean liquor store owner Soon Ja Du in South Central Los Angeles. The book is a fictionalized portrait of the two families impacted by the tragic murder. Cha, a Korean American writer who grew up in Los Angeles, only really learned about the L.A. Uprising and the fraught history between blacks and Koreans in South Central as an adult. In our interviewed Cha discussed her trepidation in writing a black character as a protagonist and how thankful she was to have her book praised by African American crime novelists Walter Mosley, who grew up in Los Angeles, and Attica Locke. Steph Cha is the author of four novels and is a writer on a new show coming to HBO max, Crime Farm.

Authors on the Air host Pam Stack welcomes Steph Cha to the studio.  We are proud to supoprt the Miami Book Fair where Steph will be attending. ABOUT STEPH:  Steph Cha is the author of Your House Will Pay and the Juniper Song crime trilogy. She’s an editor and critic whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. A native of the San Fernando Valley, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two basset hounds. ABOUT "YOUR HOUSE WILL PAY":   A powerful and taut novel about racial tensions in Los Angeles, following two families?one Korean-American, one African-American?grappling with the effects of a decades-old crime In the wake of the police shooting of a black teenager, Los Angeles is as tense as it’s been since the unrest of the early 1990s. But Grace Park and Shawn Matthews have their own problems. Grace is sheltered and largely oblivious, living in the Valley with her Korean-immigrant parents, working long hours at the family pharmacy. She’s distraught that her sister hasn’t spoken to their mother in two years, for reasons beyond Grace’s understanding. Shawn has already had enough of politics and protest after an act of violence shattered his family years ago. He just wants to be left alone to enjoy his quiet life in Palmdale. But when another shocking crime hits LA, both the Park and Matthews families are forced to face down their history while navigating the tumult of a city on the brink of more violence. @copyrighted by the Authors on the Auir Global Radio Network.  Listen to this podcast on your favorite app or visit us at soundclound.com/authorsontheair

Steph Cha is the guest. Her new novel, Your House Will Pay, is available from Ecco. This is Steph's second time on the program. She first appeared in Episode 319 on October 8, 2014. Cha is also the author of the Juniper Song crime trilogy. She’s an editor and critic whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. A native of the San Fernando Valley, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two basset hounds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katie and Rincey talk Stephen King’s writers’ retreat, get confirmation on Tana French being the best living mystery writer, and more! This episode is sponsored by Book Riot’s Blind Date, Dark Pattern by Andrew Mayne and Death & Conspiracy by Seeley James. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. To get even more mystery/thriller recs and news, sign up for our Unusual Suspects newsletter! SHOW NOTES Women’s untold stories dominate Baillie Gifford prize shortlist Stephen King’s House to Become Archive and Writers’ Retreat David Oyelowo is starring in the series adaptation of The President is Missing. Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House is being adapted as a TV series by Amazon Studios Tana French is our best living mystery writer Books Mentioned The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan Little Deaths by Emma Flint It All Falls Down by Sheena Kamal The Lost Ones by Sheena Kamal The Lost Brothers: A Family’s Decades-Long Search by Jack El-Hai The Fragility of Bodies by Sergio Olguin, translated by Miranda France Strangers at the Gate by Catriona McPherson All the Things We Do in the Dark by Saundra Mitchell Heaven My Home by Attica Locke The Whisper Man by Alex North Your House Will Pay by Steph Cha

The early forties have been a tough time for Jack Chesley. His plane was shot down over Germany and he spent two years in a brutal POW camp. During that time, his wife fell in the tub and died. Prior to her death, the early forties were even tougher for Jack’s wife, Wilma. After Jack was mistakenly presumed dead, she went on a bender that ended with her wrongful commitment to the Camarillo State Psychiatric Hospital. While there, she took up with an alcoholic socialite, a junkie pianist, and a shady hospital employee who promised her a way out. Only that way out set her on the path to the end of her road. Now Jack’s back in Los Angeles. His sister-in-law and Wilma’s twin, Gertie, hunts him down to tell him Wilma’s death was no accident: she was murdered. Gertie’s first efforts to find the truth earned her a bullet to the collarbone. But that doesn’t mean Gertie is ready to give up. She knows the right places to look and the right people to ask. She needs Jack, who was a cop for a short time before the war, to stick his nose into these places and ask these questions so that, together, they can figure out who killed Wilma, and why. Dead Extra follows the parallel storylines of Wilma in the months before her murder in 1944 and Jack and Gertie’s search for the killer in 1946. Their adventures carry them through Hollywood’s second-tier studios, the Camarillo psychiatric hospital, Pasadena mansions, downtown jazz clubs, and one seriously sleazy motor court in Oxnard. Author Sean Carswell is in conversation with Steph Cha,  author of Follow Her Home, Beware Beware, and Dead Soon Enough.

A masterpiece of noir, Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep helped to define a genre and remains one of the most celebrated and stylish novels of the twentieth century. Now, this comprehensive, annotated edition offers a fascinating look behind the scenes of the novel, bringing the gritty and seductive world of Chandler’s iconic private eye Philip Marlowe into full color. Notes on the historical context of Chandler’s Los Angeles; excerpts from the author’s personal letters and source texts; explorations of the issues of gender, sexuality, race, and ethnicity that permeate the story; and important interpretations and clarifications enrich the reader’s understanding and situate the novel within the tradition of crime fiction that Chandler both built upon and made new. The annotators have asked a group of LA authors to read favorite passages from the novel, followed by a talk by the annotators. Readers include Judith Freeman, David Ulin, Steph Cha, Kim Cooper and Gary Phillips.

The copy was straight to the point. Wanted: Information on the hit-and-run murder of Haley Joseph. Tuesday, August 18th, 11:30 p.m., Vermont Ave near Hillside St. And across the bottom, right over her press-on French manicure, $15,000 reward. I peered closer at the billboard, looking for a hint that this was a brilliant marketing scheme for some new movie. I was tempted to call the number, sure I'd hear some prerecorded message letting me know what time and day it would be airing on Lifetime. But I realized this was real. The address was right up the block. They wouldn't put the cross streets on there if it was for some silly movie. Haley Joseph had died. -- Kellye Garrett, Hollywood Homicide Such a delight to chat with Kellye Garrett, whose marvelous debut, Hollywood Homicide, launches the investigative career of Dayna Anderson, a semi-famous, mega-broke black actress. A cozy sensibility combines with a fresh voice and an insider's look at Hollywood to create a terrific new series. Kellye will, in the near future, be giving away an annotated copy of the novel -- and in the meantime, she's posting the annotations online. So if you needed another reason to visit her website, well, that's a fun one. ;) We talk about a lot of authors we like, including Alexia Gordon, whom I had the pleasure of interviewing. You can find our chat right here. Kellye gives a shout out to her fellow Chicks on the Case, where she blogs, including Ellen Byron (whose Destination Mystery interview you can listen to here), Cynthia Kuhn, Vickie Fee, Lisa Q. Mathews, and Marla Cooper. She also admires Sue Grafton and Janet Evanovich, and one she terms "an old-school favorite," the beloved Joan Hess. Me, I give a shout out to Steph Cha, who also has a series about a woman who grows into being a private eye, and set in Los Angeles, although her series has a far more Noir sensibility, as does Danny Gardner's debut novel. Kellye also mentions V.M. Burns, whose book is not yet out (though you can pre-order) and I am thrilled to say that I have an interview scheduled with her for her launch day in November, so stay tuned! So many books! So little time! As always, if you'd rather read than listen, the transcript is below. Enjoy! -- Laura Transcript of Interview with Kellye Garrett Laura Brennan: My guest today is Kellye Garrett, whose debut mystery, Hollywood Homicide, is the first in a cozy series featuring Dayna Anderson, a former actress hot on the trail of a hit-and-run driver. Library Journal’s August Debut of the Month, and full of warm friendships and quirky characters, Hollywood Homicide is a lighthearted mystery that delivers surprises, twists, and an insider’s view of Hollywood. Kellye, thank you for joining me. Kellye Garrett: Thank you for having me. LB: Hollywood Homicide is your first novel, but being a novelist is not your first writing career. KG: Right. I've been writing professionally my whole career. I started off as a magazine editor for a publication called Vibe Magazine. And then I wasn't really happy just writing about people doing cool stuff, I wanted to do cool stuff myself. So I went to film school at USC, and then I spent eight years in Hollywood working in television, I did some developing, and I also was staff for the TV show Cold Case for a year. After that, you know, Hollywood is not the most secure place, for job security -- LB: No, I tell people that if they want job security, Hollywood is not the place to be because your contract in television, your contract is actually in weeks. KG: Yes, it's one of those things where you could, your show could be canceled tomorrow and you could not work again for years. And so when I turned 30, I wanted more job security so I came back home to New Jersey and I started over into more corporate writing. And so now I'm a communications writer for a media company in New York. LB: I remember Cold Case. I loved Cold Case. KG: People,

Some people go to law school and find a passion for law. Others go to law school and find a passion for writing. In this On The Road report, host Laurence Colletti talks to Steph Cha, author of ‘Follow Her Home,’ about discovering her passion for writing in law school and how her brief legal experience shaped her talent. They also discuss what both the publishing and writing process look like and Steph shares advice for aspiring writers. Steph Cha splits her time between writing and working as a temp attorney. Her second book, ‘Beware Beware’ comes out August 12, 2014.

Night of Silenced Voices: A Banned Books Week Celebration Join us as we—together with the Banned Books Week Coalition and partner bookstores around the country—celebrate banned books, with a special focus on diversity.  Join the Skylight staff, as well as special guests, forBanned Books Week Open Mic, take part in our Blind Date with A Banned Book sale (15% off) and keep an eye out for Skylight Books Banned Books shelftalkers highlighting some of the most regularly banned/challenged books. The Banned Books Week Coalition is a national alliance of like minded organizations joined by a commitment to increase awareness of the annual celebration of the freedom to read. The Coalition seeks to engage various communities and inspire participation in Banned Books Week through education, advocacy, and the creation of programming about the problem of book censorship. Our Banned Books Week event on Tuesday, September 27th will be held in conjunction with other similar events hosted at partner bookstores across the country, including Housing Works Bookstore Cafe (NYC),  Book Cellar (Chicago), Politics & Prose (DC), Tattered Cover Book Store (Denver), Powell's Books (PDX), and Books & Books (Miami). Steph Cha is the author of Follow Her Home, Beware Beware, and Dead Soon Enough. She's the noir editor for the L.A. Review of Books and a regular contributor to the L.A. Times and USA Today. She lives in her native city of Los Angeles with her husband and basset hound. Natashia Deón is the recipient of a PEN Center US Emerging Voices Fellowship and has been awarded fellowships and residencies at Yale, Bread Loaf, Dickinson House in Belgium, and the Virginia Center for Creative Arts. Named one of 2013’s Most Fascinating People by LA Weekly, she has a MFA from UC Riverside and is the creator of the popular LA-based reading series, Dirty Laundry Lit. A practicing lawyer, she currently teaches law at Trinity Law School. Her debut novel, Grace, was published this past June by Counterpoint Press. Chris L. Terry’s debut novel Zero Fade (Curbside Splendor) was on the Best of 2013 lists by Kirkus Reviews, Slate Magazine, and the American Library Association. He has taught creative writing everywhere from grade schools to prisons to senior centers, and is currently working on a novel about a mixed-race punk bassist with a black imaginary friend.

Today's guest became an international best-selling author with her debut thriller, The Faithful. S.M. Freedman's smart, haunting thriller was inspired by the idea of a massive meteorite striking the earth and causing mass destruction -- a scary possibility that Shoshona took in unexpected (and deliciously creepy!) directions. The White Sands Missile Range is a real place where real people are working to keep us safe from just such a possibility, and I found an article on one of the ideas they're testing for nudging space stuff out of our path. Just, you know, so folks can sleep at night... On another note, Shoshona's author page on Facebook linked to an AMAZING article on teaching your kids about "tricky people" -- ie: the kind of adult who is not safe. Parents, read this. It's an easy, not-scary read because the kids did everything right, and it introduces a potentially life-saving concept to parents and kids alike. Back to books! Impact Winter, the sequel to The Faithful, comes out on July 1st. Shoshona is running a Goodreads Giveaway, so go check that out before July 1st. Or you can preorder! One last thing: we talk about Shoshona's career as a private investigator and how no one suspected a woman in her twenties of being a PI. It reminded me of Steph Cha's Juniper Song series, where the same is true for her PI. Truth mirrors fiction! As always, if you'd rather read than listen, here's the transcript. Enjoy! Transcript for interview with S.M. Freedman Laura Brennan: My guest today is international best-selling writer S. M. Freedman. Her debut novel, The Faithful, is a complex, haunting thriller, and it’s soon to be followed up by the sequel, Impact Winter, which launches July 1st. Shoshona, thank you for joining me. S.M. Freedman: Thank you so much. LB: So before we talk about your books and your writing, I have a few questions about your background. You actually worked as a private investigator? SF: Yes! Yes I did. I worked in the private investigator. I started out -- actually, I went to a theater school in New York, and I came home with the knowledge that I really didn't want to pursue that as a career. So the only thing I could think of that I was interested in becoming was a private investigator, and I thankfully had a little bit of a hook up in that industry. So I was able to get in and be trained by them. And I spent a little under a decade doing that job. LB: Oh, my gosh! That's the dream. SF: It was definitely the dream for my twenties. I loved it. It's not necessarily the best choice of career, at least for me as a mother. But, uh -- LB: I can see that. SF: As a young girl, I loved it. Nobody ever suspected me of anything, I looked completely innocent. LB: Steph Cha, who I also interviewed, she has a PI series and her PI is a young, in her 20s, Korean American woman. SF: Oh, fascinating. LB: And that's one of her things, no one ever suspects the young Korean American woman of being a detective. SF: It's true. It's true. It's funny, I'm actually writing a detective novel myself right now with a private eye who lives in Palm Springs. And I'm kind of bringing together a few of my different little elements of my background into one person. And he's Jewish, raised as a fairly traditional Jew, but has kind of fallen by the wayside on that. And he's a private investigator because he's a failed cop. And he's also an Elvis impersonator on the side. LB: And you, of course, were an Elvis impersonator? SF: No, that's the only thing I can say I really didn't do. Although when I was a teenager I absolutely loved and adored Elvis and everything that had to do with him, his music, everything. So I, I went through an Elvis phase as a teen. So that kind of, I brought that in as well. LB: So how did you get started writing? SF: I began writing, I think, when I was about 12 years old. I really decided that I loved it. I had this -- I was a terrible,

If you're looking for fast-paced thrillers with well-rounded characters and plenty of chills, look no further. Peg Brantley delivers. We talk about the inspiration for Red Tide; culture and vulnerable populations in The Missings; her most recent novel, The Sacrifice; and what she admires about her characters.  Also, she gives a shout-out to two books: - A debut cozy getting great buzz, Cynthia Kuhn's The Semester of Our Discontent, and - A WWII novel, Between Shades of Gray, by Ruta Sepetys.  Her next novel, Trafficked, is due out this fall. It centers on human trafficking -- the same topic I discussed when chatting with Désirée Zamorano, author of Human Cargo, if you'd like to check out our conversation. Don't forget, if you want a chance to win April's bundle of books -- thriller All In (signed by author Lisa Klink), noir Dead Soon Enough by Steph Cha; and cozy The Diva Steals a Chocolate Kiss by Krista Davis, along with a $10 Amazon gift card, sign up for the monthly newsletter in the boxes on the right. If you'd rather read than listen, here's the transcript. Enjoy! Peg Brantley Transcript Welcome to Destination Mystery, a podcast for readers who love a good mystery. My guest today is thriller writer Peg Brantley. It’s no accident Peg Brantley’s thrillers feel so terrifyingly real. She immerses herself in research, interviewing crime scene investigators, FBI agents, and human trafficking experts, and studying topics as diverse as arson dogs and Santeria. She’s gone through the citizen’s police academy and obtained her concealed carry permit, all in an attempt to bring realism to her stories. Her third novel, The Sacrifice, was a finalist for two Colorado literary awards. She’s currently working on her fourth novel, the second in the Mex Anderson series. Laura Brennan: Peg, thank you so much for joining me. Peg Brantley: Thank you for asking me. LB: Tell me a little bit about yourself. How did you get started writing? PB: My bonus son had a heart attack when he was 40, no 39 years old, and we moved him home with us. And I lost track of everything else that was going on in my life. I was paying attention to him. And after about a year and a half of that I decided, you know I've always wanted to write a book, and I'm home all day. Why not? So it was out of his tragedy, family tragedy, that got my heart where it needed to be. LB: Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry to hear that. PB: He's doing well now, by the way. LB: That is, that was the question. So your son came home and you had to take care of him and you ended up writing as something for yourself, within that. PB: Yeah. LB: You know, I find that really interesting because family relationships are such a big part of all of your novels. Are you close your family in general? PB: Yes. Yeah, I really am. You know, I was estranged from my mom for a number of years but thankfully before she died we were able to reconnect and take care of everything. I just think that part of who makes each one of us who we are, are the family dynamics and the relationships that we have with other people. And I try to have my characters be at least a little well-rounded where those are concerned. LB: Family dynamics and family secrets play a big role. So I'm not gonna pry into your family secrets. Tell me about the inspiration for Red Tide. PB: I read an article about a man who died in prison. And he left behind a photograph. And the question was, why this photograph? It wasn't person, it wasn't a place, it wasn’t an event -- well, it was a place. It was a field, just a field with trees around it. But he kept that photograph. And people said, well, there can’t be any special reason for him keeping that photograph. And I thought, well, what if there was a special reason? And it turns out that that is the dumping ground for bodies. LB: Is that what led you, then, to your heroine's job as a body retrieval specialist?

I am thrilled that my first interview with a cozy author is with the New York Times Bestselling Krista Davis. She has two delightful cozy series, the Domestic Diva mystery series and the Paws & Claws mysteries, set in pet-friendly Wagtail, Virginia.   I'll be giving away a copy of her most-recent Domestic Diva novel, The Diva Steals a Chocolate Kiss, as part of my April giveaway, along with books by Lisa Klink (signed by the author!) and Steph Cha, and a $10 Amazon gift certificate. To enter, just sign up in the box on the right.   Her 10th Domestic Diva mystery, The Diva Serves High Tea, will be published on June 7th. We chat about cozies - including the conversation around #SaveOurCozies, where readers are banding together to convince publishers that cozy mysteries are worth supporting. For a little more on what's going on, you can check out posts on these sites: The Cozy Mystery List Blog The Book's The Thing Any others I should link to? E-mail me at Laura@DestinationMystery.com If you'd rather read than listen, below is the transcript of our chat. Enjoy!   Welcome to Destination Mystery, a podcast for readers who love a good mystery. I'm Laura Brennan. Krista Davis writes what she knows. Like her protagonist, Sophie Winston, Krista had a gregarious Ocicat named Mochie; lived for a time in Old Town, Alexandria; and loves to entertain family and friends. Her Domestic Diva mystery series is a three-time Agatha Award nominee, and both of her series were on the New York Times Bestseller list, with Murder, She Barked, the first in her Paws & Claws mystery series, hitting the top ten. Her cozies include recipes, tips for gracious living, great characters and tremendous heart. I don’t know how she does it all. Laura Brennan: Krista, thank you for joining me. Krista Davis: Thank you so much for having me, Laura. LB: Have you always wanted to be a writer? KD: You know, I think I have. I went through periods when I did other things in life, but I go way way way back to grade school when I wanted to write and to read. And I even remember sitting in the window of my very boring house on a very boring street and thinking that books could just take you anywhere in the world and even to outer space. They could really introduce you to people that you would never meet otherwise. And I just thought they were marvelous. LB: Tell me how the Domestic Diva -- that was your first series -- tell me how the Domestic Diva mystery series started. KD: My agent suggested that I write a proposal for a different series. And when the editors were looking at that, they came back and asked, would this appeal to readers of Real Simple? Well, I had no idea what Real Simple was. So I hopped in the car right away and went to the CVS, and it was actually in the drugstore, looking at the magazine that the diva concept came to me. Real Simple in my mind is sort of the anti-Martha. It's for people who want the lifestyle, and the nice food and the nice home and all the things that Martha Stewart is about, but just not so complicated. So I was just standing there and I thought, oh, gosh, there could be two Domestic Divas, one who does things simply and the other one who just has these just incredibly difficult, wonderful things that she does. So the original idea before them was -- everyone thought it was going to go. They were very happy about it, they got good reads on it and at an editorial meeting it just was killed in like two seconds. So, I think that the editors felt kind of bad about that, because they really thought it was going to be purchased. So they came back again to my agent and said, send us three ideas and we’ll tell you which one we’re interested in looking at. Which almost never happens, but they did it. Which shows that you never know what could happen. And the one that they chose was the one that I was calling the Dueling Divas. I got the call nine years ago yesterday.

Episode 3 is an interview with author  Désirée Zamorano. We talk about her masterful PI novel, Human Cargo; her short story, "Quickie;" Akashic Books' Mondays Are Murder flash fiction series (hers will go live on August 1st!); and we briefly touch on her literary novel, The Amado Women. Désirée isn't just a writer, she is a fellow mystery lover, and she gives a shout-out to a number of fabulous writers and books. I've linked to the websites of these contemporary writers: Edgar winner Naomi Hirahara, Ausma Zehanat Khan, Sara Gran, best-selling author Kate Atkinson, James Sallis (who has won the lifetime achievement award from Bouchercon, among many other mystery awards), Rachel Howzell Hall, Sue Ann Jaffarian, and the wonderful Steph Cha, whom I interviewed in Episode 2. Classic mystery writers include Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, John D. MacDonald (the Travis McGee novels) and Patricia Highsmith. One last influential writer mentioned, although not in the field of mystery, is Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz. We talk about books and writing, but we also discussed the need for women to be financially savvy and have an "escape fund" -- not necessarily to escape a dangerous relationship (although obviously that can help), but also so you're not stuck in a bad work situation. Money is freedom.  The most important links, however, are the ones Désirée sent me on human trafficking: Fighting Human Trafficking, and 20 Ways You Can Help If you'd rather read than listen, here is the transcript. Enjoy! Transcript of interview with Désirée Zamorano Welcome to Destination Mystery: A Podcast for Readers who Love a Good Mystery. I’m Laura Brennan. A Pushcart Prize nominee and award-winning short story author, Desiree Zamorano has wrestled with culture, identity, and the invisibility of Latinas from early on and addressed that in her commentaries which have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, NPR’s Latino USA, and Publisher’s Weekly. She is also proud of having co-authored with her sister two plays commissioned by Southern California's Bilingual Foundation for the Arts. "Reina" and "Bell Gardens 90201" received Equity productions and toured for a total of eight years. She delights in the exploration of contemporary issues of injustice and inequality, via her mystery series featuring private investigator, Inez Leon, published by Lucky Bat Books. Human Cargo was Latinidad's Mystery Pick of the Year. Her novel, Modern Cons is a story of psychological suspense where she explores the reverberations of being raised by a con artist. Laura Brennan: Thank you for being here. I'm so excited. Désirée Zamorano: Whoo-hoo! LB: How are you, Désirée? DZ: Me, too. I'm excited, too. LB: Tell me a little bit about yourself. How did you get started writing? DZ: We writers are all a crazy bunch and we probably as kids said, Oh, I want to create something so wonderful, because as kids we have fallen into this world. And as kids we have this naïve perception that writers just magically put those words on the page. Well, I wanted to magically put those words on the page! But as I got older I realized it took a lot of work to make the work look seamless. So you asked how I got into it. I always wanted to be a writer and I started sending off my short stories -- those were a big deal as I was my twenties, short stories were the thing -- and after about 100 rejections, two acceptances and $50, I thought wow, that's a lot of heartache! I mean, if I'm going to deal with rejection, I might as well go big time. So I sat down to write a novel. I'm going okay, I'm going to write the Great American novel. And I sat down to write a novel and I thought, I have no idea what I'm doing. And I thought about all the books I loved to read and I love classics, I love contemporary modern fiction, but have a real soft spot for mysteries. And what I love about mysteries, and what I loved as I sat down to write mysteries,

Episode 2 is an interview with Noir author Steph Cha and her Juniper Song Mystery Series. You can listen to it here, or if you'd prefer, you can listen on i-Tunes. In this interview, we talk about all three of Steph's novels, Follow Her Home, Beware Beware and Dead Soon Enough. She also gives a shout-out to the Los Angles Review of Books as well as two authors she loves. You can check them out on their websites: Megan Abbott and Denise Mina. And you can find Steph on her website. In case you missed it, I am giving away a big bundle o' books by three mystery writers (Steph Cha's Dead Soon Enough, Lisa Klink's All In (signed by the author), and Krista Davis' The Diva Steals a Chocolate Kiss), plus a $10 Amazon gift card. If you'd like a chance to win the book bundle, all you have to do is sign up for my newsletter before April 30th. Everyone on the list at midnight Pacific Time, April 30th, will be automatically entered to win. No spam, by the way, just a monthly newsletter. I won't sell, rent, lend-out, or ransom your e-mail address. If you'd rather read the interview than listen, here's the transcript! Enjoy! Episode 2: Steph Cha Transcript Welcome to Destination Mystery, a podcast for readers who love a good mystery. I'm Laura Brennan. My guest today is Steph Cha. She is the author of Follow Her Home, Beware Beware and Dead Soon Enough, the third book in the Juniper Song Mystery Series. Her writing has appeared in the LA Times and she is currently the Noir Editor of the Los Angeles Review of Books. A graduate of Stanford University and Yale Law School, she lives in her native city of Los Angeles, California, and I am thrilled to have her here today. Laura Brennan: Welcome! How are you doing? Steph Cha: I'm doing well. Thank you for having me on. LB: Absolutely! I really love your work, it's just so rich and so full of the characters and the relationships -- it’s just so good. But let’s start by talking about Juniper Song. She’s your series protagonist, and really, what was her genesis? SC: Well, I wanted to write an LA novel. I guess even before I started writing, I had the idea -- I’d read Raymond Chandler in college -- and I just had the idea that it would be cool if a book like Follow Her Home existed, in that I wanted to -- I really love the way that Chandler represented Los Angeles, but it did seem very much a representation from another era, where it's a very starkly white man's vision of the city. And it just did not really jibe with my experience growing up in LA. You know, I’m Korean-American and what I really wanted to represent was the kind of upbringing that I had, the kind of 1.5 generation experience. I have a lot of Korean-American friends who were born and raised in LA and we have the largest Korean population outside of Korea, in Los Angeles. But it had not been, that experience had not been represented in fiction, like anywhere, or very scantly. So I just decided that I wanted to write a Korean-American Los Angeles novel and since Chandler is the biggest Los Angeles writer, it made sense to me to have a conversation with him. LB: Oh, that is such a great way of putting it, because I can absolutely see how all three books are a conversation with that and with his -- his vision of LA. It was so interesting, you were talking about -- well, I was reading it and I was thinking about Chandler and the whole lone hero thing. And then about 10 pages later you actually took that head on, in that your third book, and the thing that I was interested in was sort of the gendered issue of it. Song is very much a lone wolf private investigator, but at the same time it seems like she's longing for family SC: Actually, I really liked the fact that Philip Marlowe is this ‘man without a past’ character. I found it kind of fascinating. You know, you dive into those books and you know very little about him, except his age, his height, that he is a private investigator… But I wanted to ...

Author Steph Cha-also an attorney and a regular contributor to the Los Angeles Times and the multimedia literary and cultural arts magazine Los Angeles Review of Books-is the writer of the popular 'Juniper Song' novels featuring a Korean-American sleuth w

Steph Cha is the guest. Her new novel, Beware Beware, is available now from Minotaur Books. The Los Angeles Times says “Before this cautionary tale is over, secrets will be revealed, lies within lies told, more people injured or killed and Song's core values compromised in ways that will have psychological reverberations for years, and books, to come. Nathanael West and Raymond Chandler would be proud.” And Publishers Weekly says “Engaging… Song soon becomes caught in a complex plot involving deception, betrayal, and revenge.  Cha follows noir conventions, with Daphne as femme fatale and Song forced into morally ambiguous choices, but she also offers a plucky heroine, warm secondary characters, and a vivid portrait of L.A.’s Koreatown.” Monologue topics: mail, the monologue to Episode 318. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beware Beware (Minotaur Books)  Please join us for a very special launch event for Skylight favorite, Steph Cha! Juniper Song--an unforgettable new crime heroine hailed as "young, sharp, and worldly-wise" by New York Times bestselling author Meg Gardiner--returns in this smart, fast-paced follow-up to Steph Cha's critically acclaimed debutFollow Her Home. Working as an apprentice at a P.I. firm, Juniper Song finds herself nose deep in a Hollywood murder scandal where the lies may be more glamorous than most, but the truths they cover are just as ugly. When a young woman named Daphne Freamon calls looking for an eye on her boyfriend, her boss punts the client to Song. Daphne is an independently wealthy painter living in New York, and her boyfriend Jamie Landon is a freelance screenwriter in Los Angeles, ghostwriting a vanity project for aging movie star Joe Tilley. Song quickly learns that there's more to this case than a simple tail, and her suspicions are confirmed when Tilley winds up dead in a hotel room. Nonetheless, when Jamie becomes the prime suspect in the movie star's murder, she agrees to help the charismatic couple discover the truth, even as the police build their case against Jamie. As she chases leads and questions grieving Hollywood insiders, she uncovers a sordid layer of blackmail and hidden identities, of a history of violence that leaves no one--not even Song--safe from judgment. An edgy, gorgeously written read, Beware Beware is perfect for fans of Megan Abbott and Tana French. It's a tale that twists around the lies we tell ourselves and others, that examines the ugliness under the skin-deep glamor of L.A.  Praise for Follow Her Home: “[Song] is a compelling and original protagonist… One only hopes that Cha and her driven, neo-noir detective have more opportunities to explore those troubling intersections over many books to come.” –LA Times “Cha's debut updates Marlowe's dark and dangerous LA to modern times while keeping the quirky characters and a twisty mystery that will hold readers to the bitter end.” –Kirkus “Intriguing...it's clear that Song, a chain-smoking, hard-drinking, and noir-ish young woman with a Raymond Chandler fixation is well on her way to being a first-rate investigator.” —Publishers Weekly “For fans of urban noir and of mysteries that address contemporary social issues. Cha is a promising mystery author to watch.”–Library Journal “Many try to emulate Raymond Chandler; few succeed.  Put Cha in the latter category…. [she] has that certain something that makes you want to follow Song on her next adventure.”–RT Book Reviews “Follow Her Home's strength is in the creation of a relatable, dynamic, modern protagonist… Cha has penned a well-written, atmospheric text. But Follow Her Home is also a gritty tale that serves up social commentary on cultural fetishization.”–KorAM Magazine “While Cha pays very clear homage to Chandler -- indicated in the enthusiastic use of similes and Juniper often wondering what Marlowe would do -- she definitely transcends his influence to make the story her own… Cha does a great job of keeping the suspense taut, with deft pacing and effective cliff-hangers. Action pushes the plot resolutely forward -- whether Juniper is getting knocked out in the middle of the night or finding her bed chillingly made by someone other than herself. And Juniper herself is a likeable character with a distinct voice.”–Hyphen Magazine “Cha keeps you wanting to turn the pages with a need to know what is going on and cheering Song on to help work through the pain from her past. A well-written and very intriguing book.”–Suspense Magazine “As the sleuth is a Chandler fan, readers will find many references to his work throughout the story, but the novel holds its own as we see the grittiness of L.A. and Koreatown, and the fetishization of Asian woman through June's perspective.”–Mochi Magazine Steph Cha is a graduate of Stanford University and Yale Law School. She lives in her native city of Los Angeles, California. In her mysteries, Cha writes with a “unique perspective that an Asian American woman's voice offers to this traditional genre, something that goes beyond its usual tropes” (Hyphen Magazine).

Colin Marshall interviews Steph Cha about her debut novel "Follow Her Home."

Follow Her Home (Minotaur Books) A stunning, edgy debut introducing Juniper Song, an amateur sleuth taking on the darkness in the veins of L.A. with razor-sharp wit and a breaking heart. Juniper Song knows secrets-how to keep them and how to search them out. As a girl, noir fiction was her favorite escape, and Philip Marlowe has always been her literary idol. So when her friend Luke asks her to investigate a possible affair between his father and a young employee, Juniper (or "Song" as her friends call her) finds an opportunity to play detective. Driving through L.A.'s side streets, following leads, tailing suspects-it all appeals to Song's romantic ideal of the noir hero. But when she's knocked out while investigating a mysterious car and finds a body in her own trunk, Song lurches back to the real L.A., becoming embroiled in a crime that goes far beyond role play. What's more, this isn't the first time Song has stuck her nose in other people's business. As she fights to discover the truth about her friend's family, Song reveals one of her own deeply hidden secrets, something dark and damaging, urging her to see the current mystery through, to rectify the mistakes of her past life. A dazzling debut from fresh new talent Steph Cha, featuring a strong, modern, sharply observant heroine with an unforgettable voice, Follow Her Home takes readers through dangerous twists and turns, beyond the glittering high-rises and freeways of L.A. on a case that will stay with them long after the final page. Praise for Follow Her Home: "Cha's debut updates Marlowe's dark and dangerous LA to modern times while keeping the quirky characters and a twisty mystery that will hold readers to the bitter end." -Kirkus "For fans of urban noir and of mysteries that address contemporary social issues. Cha is a promising mystery author to watch." -Library Journal "Stephanie Cha's brilliant debut is as Noir as Old Nick's sense of humour. Compelling from first to last page, she takes on contemporary L.A., sweeping the reader through Chandler's twilight, heartbroken city from mansions to faux K-town hostess bars. L.A. Noir at its finest." -- Denise Mina, author of The Dead Hour ""Follow Her Home" takes a fresh trip down the sunny, dark streets of Los Angeles, and Juniper Song is a great guide - young, sharp, and worldly-wise. Keenly observed and deeply felt, the story slowly got under my skin. I couldn't put it down." - Meg Gardiner, Edgar Award-winng author of Ransom River "In a glittery L.A. of pretty, privileged twentysomethings, Stephanie Cha's "Follow Her Home" opens like a playful homage to Raymond Chandler but deepens into something darker: an utterly 21st-century ode to sisterhood in the face of crime. A fast-paced thriller told in smart, sparkling prose, "Follow Her Home" is a moving exploration of mothers and daughters, men and women, immigrant history, loss, and hope." -Joy Castro, author of Hell or High Water Steph Cha is a graduate of Stanford University and Yale Law School. She lives in her native city of Los Angeles, California. This is her first novel. THIS EVENT WAS RECORDED LIVE AT SKYLIGHT BOOKS, APRIL 30, 2013. COPIES OF THE BOOK FROM THIS EVENT CAN BE PURCHASED HERE: http://www.skylightbooks.com/book/9781250009623