The Chills at Will Podcast

Episode 339 with Sarah Aziza, Author of The Hollow Half, and Writer of Loving and Challenging Prose and Probing and Deeply-Researched Nonfiction

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:34:30 -0700

Notes and Links to Sarah Aziza’s Work

Sarah Aziza (she/هي ) is a Palestinian American writer, translator, and artist with roots in ‘Ibdis and Deir al-Balah, Gaza. She is the author of The Hollow Half. Winner of the Palestine Book Awards, The Hollow Half is a genre-bending work of memoir, lyricism, and oral history exploring the intertwined legacies of diaspora, colonialism, and the American dream. It is available wherever books are sold.

Sarah’s award-winning journalism, poetry, essays, and experimental nonfiction have appeared in The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Best American Essays, The Baffler, Harper’s Magazine, Mizna, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and The Nation, among other publications. The recipient of fellowships from Fulbright, MacDowell, the Asian American Writers Workshop, Tin House Writers’ Workshop, and numerous grants from the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting, she has lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Jordan, South Africa, Palestine, and the United States.

Buy The Hollow Half

Sarah Aziza’s Website

Review of The Hollow Half from Kirkus Reviews

Sarah on Democracy Now Discussing Her Memoir

At about 2:30, Sarah talks about her language and reading life growing up

At about 5:10, Sarah expands upon readings that inspired and challenged her

At about 13:00, Pete and Sarah discuss ideas of writing as “political,” inspired by Marwan Makhoul, and Sarah cites a gripping poem by Noor Hindi

At about 15:20,

At about 17:30, Sarah responds to Pete asking about the book’s title and ideas of generational trauma and Sarah’s Americanness

At about 20:30, Sarah talks about his father “pouring his hope” into her and sheltered and open pain

At about 22:20, Pete uses a Hasan Minhaj routine and Sarah expands on ideas of first generation and immigrant parents’ relationships

At about 23:20, Sarah reflects on ideas of love’s multiple meanings and connects these myriad ideas to much of the book and calls the book “an offering…in a time of suffering”

At about 28:00, The two discuss the vagaries of Arabic and translation and its challenges and beauty

At about 33:20, Pete recounts the book’s opening, and Sarah expands on her grandmother’s life and struggles and joys and how Sarah is connected to her grandmother-”Sittoo”

At about 37:25, The two meditate on the “small victories” of Sarah’s grandmother

At about 39:05, Sarah explains how she sees her recovery/”recovered” and her present and past with anorexia

At about 41:45, Sarah responds to Pete asking about an emblematic scene from the memoir where an IpHone asks to verify her identity

At about 43:05, Sarah discusses the idea of “better than what?” especially as a child

At about 45:15, Sarah talks about her family’s connections to ‘Ibdis, Gaza, and the fact that so much stolen and ethnically-cleansed land in Palestine is open/unused

At about 48:15, Sarah talks about her time recovering from prolonged anorexia

At about 50:45, Pete notes the specific and universal in the book, as he and Sarah discuss the impulse to bury oneself in work

At about 53:10, Sarah expands on reasoning for writing the book and in particular “put[ting] into place” her family history and finding a place to publish a story like hers that she feels is rarely published

At about 55:20, Sarah talks about her grandmother’s time living with Sarah and her family

At about 57:30, Sarah responds to Pete’s questions about the anorexia ward and how she saw and sees the employees there

At about 1:00:45, Sarah talks about the ways in which photos opened up ideas and research and thoughts of her grandmother and her history

At about 1:03:20, Pete talks about ideas of misogyny that is specific to non-white women

At about 1:03:50, Sarah reflects on and outlines two pivotal and damaging experiences in which white neighbors showed surprise and revulsion

At about 1:06:45, The two discuss Sarah’s parents and their foundation and Foundation

At about 1:08:45, Sarah responds to Pete’s questions about research for the book

At about 1:11:00, Sarah expands on connections between the personal and the geopolitical in her work and research

At about 1:11:30, Sarah recounts the story of some early involvement with pro-Palestine efforts and emotional and physical assaults

At about 1:13:00, Sarah talks about being in Middle East and ideas of “humanizing” and “a political awakening” in the US and Middle East

At about 1:17:10, Sarah talks about connections between resistance and love

At about 1:20:25, Pete cites Ernest Hemingway in citing Sarah’s family connections to Gaza

At about 1:22:00, Sarah talks about the idea of “yes” and a meaningful part of the book and interpretations of being “half…” Palestinian, etc.

At about 1:27:10, Sarah talks about parallels between her partner’s love for her and her choice to love Palestine on a daily basis

At about 1:28:00, Pete asks Sarah about ways forward, and how we get people to not “look away,” and she talks about inspiration

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

This month’s Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

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 340 with Donna Minkowitz, a writer of fantasy, memoir, and journalism lauded by Lilith Magazine for her “fierce imagination and compelling prose.” Her first book, Ferocious Romance, won a Lambda Literary Award for Best Book On Religion/Spirituality. She is also the author of the novel DONNAVILLE, published in 2024.

She and Pete will be revisiting her memoir Growing Up Golem, a finalist for both a Lambda Literary Award and Judy Grahn Nonfiction Award.

The episode airs on May 5.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Episode 338 with Adam H. Johnson, Author of How to Sell a Genocide: The Media's Complicity in the Destruction of Gaza & Dogged Researcher & Accountant of the Unconscionable Gaza Genocide Whitewashing

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 06:02:37 -0700

Notes and Links to Adam H. Johnson’s Work

Adam H. Johnson is co-host of the Citations Needed podcast. His writing can also be found in his Substack titled ‘The Column.’ His book, How to Sell a Genocide: The Media's Complicity in the Destruction of Gaza, is out as of today, April 21, through Pluto Press.

Buy How to Sell a Genocide: The Media's Complicity in the Destruction of Gaza

12 Page Excerpt from How to Sell a Genocide…

Adam H Johnson, Website for The Intercept

Column Blog: Adam’s Media and political analysis (with contributions from Sarah Lazare)

At about 1:30, Adam gives a summary of the book’s subject matter and his aim in writing the book

At about 5:00, Adam cites “liberal” media institutions and how they have laundered and perhaps “incited” the genocide

At about 6:45, Adam expands on his aim in using data and research to point out the media and educational institutions who have used diction that has aided/incited the Gaza genocide; he talks about making the information searchable to aid other researchers and institutions

At about 11:00, Adam talks about pessimism for the Democrats’ role in the genocide and their “accountability”

At about 13:00, Adam talks about liberal podcasters and media members and think tanks who have been silent or complicit

At about 16:00, Adam argues that an accounting and a lack of “moving on” is absolutely necessary, such that the “milieu” of Biden’s time will be repeated otherwise

At about 18:00, Adam talks about effective ways of quieting criticism in the face of overwhelming evidence of a genocide in Gaza

At about 19:20, Adam talks about using the map of Gaza atrocities and obfuscation in the future for imperial ends

At about 22:00, Adam identifies the “template” used for further atrocities in Gaza and beyond, especially with regard to stereotypes and othering of Muslims and Middle Eastern cultures

At about 26:30, Pete cites numbers from the book that shows the preponderance of violent and incendiary language used in describing Palestinians versus Ukrainian victims

At about 27:30, Adam responds to Pete’s sarcasm over Joe Biden’s niceties in funding the genocide and Adam talks about a broken system and articles that stated the same thing over and over again

At about 33:05, Adam talks about the “tote bag” set and justifying racist and colonial systems and genocide

At about 34:40, Adam and Pete discuss the alarming dearth of Palestinian guests on political talk shows and other media

At about 36:55, Pete and Adam reflect on the “chilling” cover of the book, designed by Melanie Patrick, and the “uniformity of the elite consensus” in masking/inciting genocide and being so “chummy” with Benjamin Netanyahu, as shown in the standing ovation given to him by Congress

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 339 with Sarah Aziza, a Palestinian American writer, translator, and artist with roots in ‘Ibdis and Deir al-Balah, Gaza. She is the author of The Hollow Half. Winner of the Palestine Book Awards, The Hollow Half is a genre-bending work of memoir, lyricism, and oral history exploring the intertwined legacies of diaspora, colonialism, and the American dream.

The episode airs on April 22, the one-year anniversary of the publication of The Hollow Half.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 337 with Daniel Tam-Claiborne, Author of Transplants, and Skilled Craftsman of Subtlety, Nuance, and Probing Questions for the Reader to Investigate

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:00:24 -0700

Notes and Links to Daniel Tam-Claiborne’s Work

Daniel Tam-Claiborne is a multiracial essayist and author of the short story collection What Never Leaves. His writing has appeared in Literary Hub, the Rumpus, SupChina, the Huffington Post, the Shanghai Literary Review, and elsewhere. He has received fellowships and awards from the U.S. Fulbright Program, the New York State Summer Writers Institute, Kundiman, the Jack Straw Writers Program, and the Yiddish Book Center. Tam-Claiborne serves as program director of partnerships and events at Hugo House in Seattle. He holds degrees from Oberlin College, Yale University, and the Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College, and is the author of Transplants, a finalist for the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction and longlisted for the 2026 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award.

Buy Transplants

Daniel Tam Claiborne's Website

Review and Informative Article for Transplants in the Seattle Times

At about 2:30, Daniel provides background on his reading and language life, including formative works and formative teachers

At about 6:40, Daniel talks about inspiring contemporary writers

At about 10:50, Daniel responds to Pete asking about seeds for Transplants; Daniel expands on how he “processes the world through [his] work” and explores ideas of identity and perception

At about 16:35, Pete cites the book’s epigraphs and ideas of transference and ideas of changing places

At about 17:20, the book’s exposition is discussed, and Daniel reflects on ideas of the collective vs. individual, especially with regard to Lin

At about 20:30, Daniel talks about Liz’s frustrations in connecting with others and mindset in moving to her ancestral home of China for teaching

At about 24:50, Daniel talks about Lin and how she deals with her burgeoning relationship with Travis and later ideas of shame and agency

At about 28:00, Liz and her “existential crisis” are discussed and her altruistic and otherwise actions are examined by Daniel

At about 31:20, The two discuss the real-life parallels involving a scene in the book that shows the back-and-forth between North Korea and China

At about 37:00, Pete talks about cultural misunderstandings in the book, and Daniel talks about the dissonance in the Chinese diaspora regarding new waves of Chinese immigrants and assimilation-he emphasizes Liz’s brother, Phil, and his views

At about 39:45, The two reflect on Liz’s budding relationship and growing pains in the beginning days of Covid in Shanghai

At about 41:20, Daniel replies to Pete asking about what Lin finds in Gua, her partner in the westward road trip

At about 45:10, The two reflect on ideas of “foreigners” and a caring nurse and her significance in the book

At about 49:00, Pete talks about feminism and Lin being “in control of her narrative” and ideas of moral clarity

At about 49:50, Daniel expands on Stephen, Liz’s boyfriend, and earlier iterations

At about 51:40, Daniel responds to Pete wondering about the real-life background for the housing complex and organization for which Lin delivered groceries to elderly and isolated people, many of them former internees from the Japanese/Japanese-American internment camps

At about 55:20, The two muse about Liz and her motivations-subconscious or not-in traveling to China

At about 56:40, Daniel talks about the book’s ending and portions of the book as “surprising” to him

At about 59:00, Pete and Daniel reflect on Daniel’s writing the book only a few years after the beginning of the Covid pandemic and the balance between urgency and perspective

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

Please tune in for Episode 338 with Adam H. Johnson, a media analyst and co-host of the Citations Needed podcast. His book is an incredibly important accounting of the malfeasance, whitewashing, and misdirection of so much of the media that has enabled the tragedies of Gaza.

The episode airs on April 21, Pub Day for How to Sell a Genocide: The Media's Complicity in the Destruction of Gaza.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 336 with Rachel Khong, Author of My Dear You, and Brilliant Purveyor of Precise Diction, Profound Absurdity, and Meaningful Fodder for Discussion

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:30:21 -0700

Notes and Links to Rachel Khong’s Work

Rachel Khong is a writer living in Los Angeles. Her debut novel, Goodbye, Vitamin, won the 2017 California Book Award for First Fiction, and was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist for First Fiction. From 2011 to 2016, she was the managing editor then executive editor of Lucky Peach magazine. With Lucky Peach, she also edited a cookbook about eggs, called All About Eggs. In 2018, she founded The Ruby, a work and event space for women and nonbinary writers and artists in San Francisco’s Mission district; she retired at the end of 2021. Her second novel, Real Americans, was published by Knopf in April 2024, and was an instant New York Times bestseller. Her story collection, My Dear You, is out now from Knopf. She writes the monthly newsletter, Short Story Short. Along with her friends Meng Jin, Susanna Kwan, and Shruti Swamy, she teaches writing workshops and retreats. Find them at The Dream Side.com

Buy My Dear You

Rachel Khong’s Website

Rachel Khong’s Wikipedia Page

At about 2:10, Rachel talks about her writing experience and philosophy involving eggs

At about 4:30, Rachel responds to Pete’s questions about her early language and literature background

At about 7:25, Pete and Rachel geek out about The Best American Short Stories anthologies

At about 10:30, Rachel highlights wonderful writing mentors and passionate readers

At about 12:00, Rachel describes her college “independent study” that exposed her to so much great writing, and Pete and Rachel cite Aimee Bender’s greatness

At about 15:45, Pete recounts his experience reading The Real Americans

At about 16:40, Pete lays out the story collection’s first resonant line and asks Rachel about the inspiration for the first story

At about 20:00, Rachel responds to Pete asking about the balance between the general and the specific, especially with regard to pathos

At about 22:50, Rachel reflects on a real-life parallel to a story in the collection, and an abstract/concrete connection to others in the world

At about 24:05, Cats and taking care of (literally!) their owners

At about 25:20, Pete and Rachel discuss racial dynamics and diversity with regard to the story “The Freshening”

At about 27:25, Rachel reflects on the ways that Asians and Asian-Americans have reacted to racism in the past

At about 30:10, Rachel discusses ideas of a “color-blind” society

At about 31:20, Pete cites resonant and outsized lines in the collection

At about 32:05, Rachel reacts to Pete’s musing about her as the writer sitting in judgment or not of her characters, especially Greg from “The Family O”

At about 38:45, the two discuss lost loves, missed connections, and senses of comfortability and routines

At about 41:00, Rachel talks about how the beginning of the pandemic connects to looking for meanings of suffering and pain and led to some of her story collections

At about 43:00, The two discuss themes of connection and alienation and loneliness in various stories

At about 46:20, Pete reflects on the traumas carried in the collection, and Rachel’s deft touch with her writing about miscarriage and other heavy topics

At about 48:10, Pete and Rachel discuss a story dealing with cultural change in Malaysia and shout out connections to the “beautiful book”-Rachel Heng’s The Great Reclamation

At about 51:20, Aihwa Ong’s article on possession by ghosts and worker protests are cited as seeds for Rachel’s work

At about 52:20,

At about 53:20, The two discuss the “beautiful absurdity” of Rachel’s work and Pete cites the profundity of friendship

At about 54:30, Rachel gives out tour info and book purchasing info

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show. You can also buy single episodes for $3.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 337 with Daniel Tam-Claiborne, a multiracial writer, multimedia producer, and nonprofit director. His debut novel, Transplants (Simon & Schuster, 2025), was a finalist for the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction and longlisted for the 2026 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award.

He is the author of the short story collection What Never Leaves, and his writing has appeared in Michigan Quarterly Review, HuffPost, Catapult, Literary Hub, Off Assignment, The Rumpus, and elsewhere. Daniel is an award-winning producer for two public media initiatives at WNET, America’s flagship PBS station, including the digital documentary series be/longing: Asian Americans Now, Between Black & White: Asian Americans Speak Out, Voices Rising: What’s Next for Asian Americans in the Arts, and Climate Artists.

Daniel is an outspoken advocate for Asian American issues and increased global understanding through education, cultural exchange, storytelling, and effective philanthropy. He serves as Deputy Director at The Serica Initiative, a nonprofit organization that amplifies the impact of the Asian diaspora in America.

The episode airs on April 14.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 335 with Toni Ann Johnson, Author of But Where's Home? and Wonderful Builder of Intriguing Family Trees, Memorable Characters, and Subtlety

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:58:58 -0700

Notes and Links to Toni Ann Johnson’s Work

Toni Ann Johnson won the 2024 Screen Door Press Prize for Fiction with her linked collection, BUT WHERE’S HOME? (UPK 2026).

In 2021, she won the Flannery O’Connor Award for her linked short story collection LIGHT SKIN GONE TO WASTE (UGA Press 2022). The collection was shortlisted for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, and also shortlisted for the Saroyan Prize.

A novella, HOMEGOING, won Accents Publishing’s inaugural novella contest in 2020 and was released in May of 2021.

Short fiction and essays have been published in The Emerson Review, Hunger Mountain, Fiction Magazine, Callaloo, The Los Angeles Times, and elsewhere.

A novel, Remedy For a Broken Angel, was published in 2014 and received a nomination for a 2015 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work by a Debut Author.

Johnson is a screenwriter with a number of produced projects to her credit including, Ruby Bridges (ABC), Crown Heights (Showtime), The Courage to Love (Lifetime) the TV pilot, Save The Last Dance (Fox Television), and the feature film, Step Up 2: The Streets (Summit Entertainment).

Buy But Where's Home?

“How But Where’s Home? by Toni Ann Johnson Got Made” from Publisher’s Weekly

Toni Ann Johnson’s Website

At about 1:50, Toni Ann shouts out Crystal Wilkinson and her great work in talking about Toni’s newest release, But Where’s Home? and awards

At about 3:25, Toni Ann speaks about working with real-life events as fodder for fiction

At about 7:40, Toni responds to Pete’s questions about her book’s structure, especially her inclusion of a novella

At about 11:00, the two discuss the book’s opening story and exposition

At about 13:30, Toni Ann expands on a real-life parallel in the story collection

At about 14:20, The two discuss Livia, the narrator’s sister, and her feelings of marginalization and her efforts as girl to adjust

At about 17:30, Pete and Toni Ann talk about traumas informing one’s own parenting, in relation to a deep quote in the book

At about 20:00, Toni reflects on a character in the book as a "generational nemesis” and a contentious neighbor’s links to the family’s generations and changing dynamics

At about 22:00, Toni Ann reflects on ideas of “not seeing color” as a damaging ethic in American history

At about 25:00, Pete and Toni Ann discuss changing ways of talking about race over the decades

At about 26:15, Toni Ann expands on a meaningful family heirloom, a pen, in the collection

At about 27:40, The two discuss empathy and sympathy for characters whose actions the readers may not condone

At about 29:10, Pete asks Toni Ann about Maddie’s response to her sexual assault, and how her words towards her mother come from her traumas

At about 31:55, Toni responds to Pete’s laying out of a resolution made by Maddie in discussing the actions of the children of narcissistic parents

At about 36:25, Pete remarks on the importance and skill of Toni Ann’s ancillary characters and veins of ancestors running through the collection

At about 37:45, The novella’s opening is discussed, with Maddie interested in getting Zeke’s attention

At about 39:25, Pete and Toni Ann talk about Zeke as navigating racism and tropes in a conservative town

At about 41:00, Muriel, Phil’s lover, and the events that lead to Velma’s “having her guard down” are discussed, as well as how Velma and Maddie interact

At about 44:45, a turnabout with mother and daughter is explored

At about 46:05, Pete cites important flashbacks and confrontations between Velma and Maddie

At about 47:20, Franny, a character who is in multiple of Toni’s works, is discussed as a reminder of home in Monroe, NY

At about 49:00, Pete and Velma highlight ideas of innocence and the traumatic experiences of childhood for Velma

At about 50:25, the two discuss Olivia and Maddie’s grievances towards their parents and guilt (or lack thereof) from Maddie

At about 53:20, Toni Ann responds to Pete’s questions about self-esteem and the significance of the collection’s title

At about 57:10, Toni Ann highlights “moments of levity” in the book

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 336 with Rachel Khong, whose debut novel, Goodbye, Vitamin, won the 2017 California Book Award for First Fiction, and was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist for First Fiction. In 2018, she founded The Ruby, a work and event space for women and nonbinary writers and artists in San Francisco’s Mission district. Her second novel, Real Americans, was published by Knopf in April 2024, and was an instant New York Times bestseller. Her story collection, My Dear You, is out as of today, April 7.

The episode airs on April 7, Pub Day for My Dear You.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 334 with Lisa Lee, Author of American Han and Creator of Wonderful Dialogue and Darkly Humorous, Memorable Characters and Scenes

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:55:42 -0700

Notes and Links to Lisa Lee’s Work

Lisa Lee is the recipient of the Marianne Russo Emerging Writer Award from the Key West Literary Seminar, an Emerging Writer Fellowship from the Center for Fiction, and a Pushcart Prize. Her work has appeared in Ploughshares, VIDA: Women in Literary Arts, North American Review, Sycamore Review, and elsewhere. Her essay on racial invisibility and erasure in the writing workshop was featured on Bitch Media’s feminism & pop culture podcast Popaganda, on the episode “Writing About Race.”

Today, March 31, is Pub Day for her novel, American Han.

Buy American Han

Lisa Lee’s Website

Review of American Han from Kirkus Reviews

At about 1:40, Lisa discusses the exhaustion and excitement that comes with Pub Day and the book’s unveiling

At about 4:45, Lisa gives info on publishing and buying her book

At about 5:40, Lisa and Pete shout out meaningful writers in her life and talk about her book events coming up

At about 6:15, Lisa responds to Pete’s question about her language and reading life in childhood and into young adulthood

At about 9:00, Lisa cites Housekeeping by Robinson and Everett’s Erasure as changing her perceptions of what writers

At about 10:30, Lisa expands upon the greatness of Percival Evertett, homing in on Erasure

At about 13:20, Pete reads a generic definition of han and compares it to a word like saudade that is virtually untranslatable

At about 14L15, Lisa responds to Pete’s questions about the meaning(s) of han

At about 16:00, Pete sets the book’s exposition, and Lisa expands on the narrator Jane’s mindset at the beginning of American Han

At about 20:45, The two discuss the competitiveness within the family and expectations of Jane’s mother

At about 21:45, Lisa responds to Pete asking about the quote that Jane has succeeded “despite” her mother, not “because of” her mother

At about 25:15, Pete cites the Korean folk tale of Chun in talking about parental-child relationships and sibling relationships

At about 26:05, Lisa responds to Pete’s question about empathy/sympathy for her characters

At about 29:05, Lisa reflects on Pete’s wondering about han and intergenerational traumas in the book, and expands upon differences in han’s impact in contemporary Korea and among members of the Korean diaspora

At about 33:30, Pete highlights a memorable scene that

At about 34:05, Pete riffs on the "manosphere" and connections to Kevin, the narrator’s sister, and his misogyny; Lisa speaks on Kevin’s background and sense of han and sense of gender identity

At about 40:15, Lisa and Pete discuss the book’s timing and pacing and flashbacks

At about 42:40, Pete highlights an important and well-drawn scene about an alternate way of being mother and daughter

At about 43:55, Lisa expands on a Korean custom of associating parents with their children through different forms of address

At about 45:40, The two reflect on children as the parents’ “identity”

At about 46:40, Pete points out the independence of the mother and father at a point in the book where Kevin’s horrific act shakes up the family

At about 47:35, The two discuss the importance of a family vacation and ideas of “let[ting] the lid off”

At about 48:10, Pete asks Lisa about ending the book as she does, with a flashback, and with the tone that she uses

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 335 with Toni Ann Johnson, who won the 2024 Screen Door Press Prize for Fiction with her linked collection, BUT WHERE’S HOME? (UPK 2026). In 2021, she won the Flannery O’Connor Award for her linked short story collection LIGHT SKIN GONE TO WASTE (UGA Press 2022). The collection was shortlisted for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, and also shortlisted for the Saroyan Prize. A novella, HOMEGOING, won Accents Publishing’s inaugural novella contest in 2020 and was released in May of 2021.

She is also a screenwriter with a number of produced projects to her credit including, Ruby Bridges (ABC), Crown Heights (Showtime), The Courage to Love (Lifetime) the TV pilot, Save The Last Dance (Fox Television), and the feature film, Step Up 2: The Streets (Summit Entertainment).

The episode airs March 31 or April 1.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 333 with Keith O'Brien, Author of Heartland: A Forgotten Place, an Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird, and Dogged Researcher and Journalist Whose Alchemy Leads to Wondrous Stories

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 21:05:21 -0700

Notes and Links to Keith O’Brien’s Work

Keith O’Brien has written five books, won the PEN America award for best biography, and has contributed to multiple publications over the years.

Keith's work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic, Rolling Stone, the Wall Street Journal, and on National Public Radio. His radio stories have aired on All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition, as well as Marketplace and This American Life. His latest gem is Heartland: A Forgotten Place, an Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird.

Buy Heartland: A Forgotten Place, an Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird

Keith O'Brien's Website

Review for Heartland from The Wall Street Journal

At about 1:50, Pete shouts out his brother as a huge Larry Bird fan

At about 2:30, Keith talks about his book tour for the launch of Heartland and gives a summary of the book

at about 4:40, Keith responds to Pete asking about the time period covered in the book and how he figured out his angle for the book

at about 7:55, Keith talks about his attempts to talk to Larry Bird for the book

at about 10:00, Pete sets the record straight grammatically, and Keith expands on Indiana State University President Dick Landini's persona

at about 11:20, The two discuss the book's opening sequence, and Keith explains why he started the book where he did, with an Indiana State NIT loss and Larry Bird fracas

at about 16:25, Keith talks about Larry Bird's treatment as "The Great White Hope" and the ways in which he was talked about and treated in the late 1970s

at about 19:00, Larry Bird's childhood is discussed, including his father's military background, and Larry talks about his research and work to make Joey Bird "three-dimensional"

at about 22:40, Keith gives background on the poverty and hardship in Larry Bird's upbringing

at about 23:40, Dave Bliss, Bobby Knight, and Larry Bird's college recruitment are discussed

at about 24:20, Keith recounts an amazing story involving Denny Crum and Larry Bird's recruitment

at about 26:45, Larry's short time at Indiana University and Northwood Institute are highlighted

at about 29:40, The two discuss important recruits for Indiana State to team up with Larry Bird, including Harry Morgan and his upbringing in a racist town/society

at about 33:00, Larry responds to Pete's asking about the college basketball Magic Johnson/Larry Bird dynamic, and the racial dynamics and popularity of the NBA in the late 1970s

at about 36:30, Keith gives background on the Celtics drafting Larry Bird after his junior year of college

at about 37:10, Pete discusses the "glue guys" that Coach Hodges brought in to ISU for Larry's third year and the novelty of nationally-televised games

at about 39:00, Keith reflects on the fact that while Magic Johnson is crucial to the book's events, he was at the time of the book's action, largely unknown to Larry, and vice versa

at about 41:30, Keith responds to Pete's referring to the book's last section, a sort of "Where are they now?" by calling it his favorite section and how the players and connections to ISU were irrevocably-changed

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 334 with Lisa Lee. She is the recipient of the Marianne Russo Emerging Writer Award from the Key West Literary Seminar, an Emerging Writer Fellowship from the Center for Fiction, and a Pushcart Prize. Her work has appeared in Ploughshares, VIDA: Women in Literary Arts, North American Review, Sycamore Review, and elsewhere. Her essay on racial invisibility and erasure in the writing workshop was featured on Bitch Media’s feminism & pop culture podcast Popaganda, on the episode “Writing About Race.”

The episode airs on March 31, Pub Day for her novel American Han.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 332 with Jordy Rosenberg, Author of Night Night Fawn and Master of the Poetic, the Profound, the Hilarious, and the Satirical

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 21:03:49 -0700

Notes and Links to Jordy Rosenberg’s Work

Jordy Rosenberg is the author of the novel Confessions of the Fox, a New York Times Editors Choice selection, shortlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, a Lambda Literary Award, a Publishing Triangle Award, the UK Historical Writers Association Debut Crown Award, longlisted for The Dublin Literary Award, and named one of the best books of the year by The New Yorker, Kirkus Reviews and others. Jordy’s work has been supported by MacDowell, The Lannan Foundation, The Banff Centre, and The Ahmanson-Getty Foundation. He is a professor in the Department of English and Associated MFA Faculty in the Program for Poets and Writers at UMass-Amherst. His latest work is Night Night Fawn, published in early 2026.

Buy Night Night Fawn

Jordy Rosenberg’s Website

Review for Night Night Fawn from The New York Times

At about 0:45, Jordy responds to Pete’s questions about the feedback Jordy has received since Night Night Fawn has come out

At about 2:50, Jordy talks about tour events and purchase info

At about 4:15, Jordy talks about his background in reading and writing, especially the influence of the Marxist tradition

At about 6:50, Jordy responds to Pete’s questions about what draws him to sci-fi, and Jordy expands on his interesting view of genre as “collective”

At about 9:00, Jordan cites contemporary writers whom he appreciates in his "omnivorous" writing, including Lara Sheehi

At about 12:30, Jordy reflects on seeds for his novel, which started out as memoir

At about 16:10, the two discuss the narrator, Barbara, and the book’s exposition, and connections to Marx

At about 18:50, Jordy discusses how he wanted to explore Marxism through the voice of someone with a passing knowledge of it

At about 20:45, Part II of the book, a letter from Barbara, is discussed

At about 22:45, Jordy reflects on how he satirizes those so obsessed with anti-trans vitriol

At about 25:00, Jordy expands on Barbara’s antiquated and biased world view and victim mentality

At about 26:45, Jordy discusses a pivotal scene at a funeral and the importance of a photo

At about 31:00, Jordy responds to Pete’s question about meta-writing and

At about 35:00, Barbara’s job and it providing “ammunition” for her homophobia is the basis of discussion

At about 36:00, Neil, a family friend, is discussed as a trope and anti-trope

At about 38:00, Pete compares Neil’s Marxism to “a la carte Catholicism”

At about 38:50, The beginnings of discussions of Israel and 1980s viewpoints and a “public relations nightmare” and a broken friendship are highlighted

At about 42:40, Jordy talks about the importance of the “carrot scene” and ideas of Jewish masculinity

At about 47:15, Pete cites Deni Avdija's story and Jordy expands on ideas of BDS and narratives of “the most moral army in the world”

At about 52:00, Jordy and Pete posit some ideas about the adult daughter in the novel and talk about Jewish leadership in the BDS movement

At about 54:10, The two discuss the scene in which Barbara reunites with her old friend and how Jordy uses satire in the scene

At about 57:15, Jordy reflects on real-life connections to Barbara sending her daughter to Israel for “support work”

At about 59:15, Jordy cites the book as adding to conversations that come from “bedside rants”

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 333 with Keith O’Brien. Keith has written five books, won the PEN America award for best biography, and has contributed to multiple publications over the years.

Keith's work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic, Rolling Stone, the Wall Street Journal, and on National Public Radio. His radio stories have aired on All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition, as well as Marketplace and This American Life. His latest gem is Heartland: A Forgotten Place, an Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird.

The episode airs on March 29 or thereabouts.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 331 with Davina Agudelo, Founder of Alegria Publishing, and Bright Light Bringing Underrepresented Voices, Stories, and Talent to the Reading and Creative World

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:13:46 -0700

Notes and Links to Davina Agudelo’s Work

Davina Agudelo-Ferreria is a Colombian-American bilingual poet, writer and the founder of her independent publishing company, Alegría Publishing. Agudelo-Ferreira was born in Miami and raised in Medellín, Colombia until the age of 17.

Alegría Publishing was created in 2020 to spotlight modern Latino/x stories and give a special opportunity for upcoming writers to have a platform to present their work.

She also runs the bilingual Alegría magazine, which was founded in 2012 and is published digitally and printed quarterly.

2021 Article in Remezcla: “With Alegría Bilingual Media, Colombiana Davina A. Ferreira Is Uplifting Latine Storytelling

Publishing on Instagram

At about 1:40, Davina shares some good Medellin, Colombia slang

At about 3:20, Davina expands upon her upbringing and her language and literary lives and literature and writing were places of “refuge” for her

At about 6:10, Davina talks about “gatekeepers” and difficulty in getting to read diverse writers and publish; she talks about her publishing company as a response to that

At about 7:50, Davina responds to Pete’s asking about her early writing-poetry, journals, etc.

At about 9:50, Pete cites Ingrid Rojas Contreras in asking Davina about connections between Colombian cultures and magic realism

At about 11:35, Davina responds to Pete’s wondering about her take on diversity in publishing and any positive changes in recent years

At about 14:15, Davina reflects on the usage of Latine and Latinx

At about 16:05, Davina talks about the name of her publishing company and its significance

At about 17:45, Davina expands on alegria vs. joy and their power

At about 18:20, Davina talks about the publishing company and its mission and challenges around the COVID pandemic

At about 23:05, Davina responds (en español) to Pete asking about her own writing-likes and specialties

At about 26:00, Pete asks Davina (en español) about balancing the personal and the universal, and the balance between the romantic and the cheesy

At about 28:20, Davina outlines the year-round work at a publishing company

At about 30:15, Davina discusses future projects for Alegria Publishing

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 332 with Jordy Rosenberg, the author of the novels Confessions of the Fox (2018) and Night Night Fawn (2026). Confessions of the Fox was a New York Times Editors Choice selection, shortlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, a Lambda Literary Award, and has been recognized by The New Yorker, the Huffington Post, among other places, as one of the Best Books of 2018. Jordy is a professor in the Department of English and Associated MFA Faculty in the Program for Poets and Writers at The University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

The episode airs on March 24.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 330 with Gaspare Randazzo, Wry and Hilarious Observer of The Teaching Life, the Student Life, and Life, and Alumnus of Netflix's "The Trust"

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:06:35 -0700

Notes and Links to Gaspare Randazzo’s Work

Gaspare Randazzo is a NYC high school teacher in his 13th year in the classroom. When he’s not in the classroom, you can find Gaspare doing Stand Up Comedy all around the country where he talks about his life as a teacher and his experiences dealing with students from all walks of life. In addition to stand up comedy and teaching, Gaspare recently starred in the Netflix show “The Trust” and co-hosts “The Social Studies Podcast” along with Joe Dombrowski. You can find him on all social media platforms at StandUpRandazzo.

Gaspare Randazzo’s Instagram

Gaspare’s Website

Tickets for Gaspare’s Shows

At about 1:35, Gaspare relates the incredible story of him buying an Egyptian sarcophagus

At about 7:50, Pete shouts out the connections between Gaspare and his AOL screen name

At about 9:00, Gaspare talks about his early connections to the comedy world, some tangential

At about 10:15, Gaspare responds to Pete’s questions about catalysts for his comedy career

At about 12:00, Gaspare shares an anecdote about his first headlining show and how he stretched eight minutes of material into an hour of material

At about 14:50, Gaspare talks about how he is “just him[self]” on stage

At about 15:45, Gaspare responds to Pete’s question about the “clip culture” of contemporary comedy

At about 16:30, Gaspare talks about “clean comedy”

At about 17:55, Gaspare talks about connections between teaching and comedy, and his public persona making it necessary to be a good teacher

At about 19:00, Gaspare expands on his usage of costumes in his history classes

At about 21:00, Gaspare responds to Pete’s questions about privacy concerns and how he is “mindful” of not giving specifics

At about 22:00, Gaspare discusses his evolving classroom management over the years

At about 23:15, Gaspare reflects on the comment boards and positive and negative comments

At about 26:10, Gaspare lays out his weekend schedule that integrates family time and comedy

At about 28:10, Gaspare talks about his time on Netflix’s The Trust and lays out his early experience and the concept of the show

At about 31:00, Gaspare explains his mindset on the show

At about 32:30, Gaspare talks about the shared experience with his castmates

At about 33:25, Gaspare shares how the byzantine way he “resigned” from his teaching job in order to be on the show

At about 35:15, Pete asks Gaspare about “go-to” jokes and lessons

At about 37:20, Gaspare cites about 92% of his audience being teachers and riffs on “translating” his comedy for non-teachers

At about 38:30: Rigor!

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 331 with Davina Agudelo, a Colombian-American bilingual poet, writer and the founder of her independent publishing company, Alegría Publishing, which was created in 2020 to spotlight modern Latino/x stories and give a special opportunity for upcoming writers to have a platform to present their work.

The episode airs on March 19.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 329 with Grant Ginder, Author of So Old, So Young, and Master Craftsman of Memorable and Funny Scenes, and Profound and Reflection-Inducing Truths

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:12:58 -0700

Notes and Links to Grant Ginder’s Work

Grant Ginder is the author of the novels Let’s Not Do That Again, Honestly, We Meant Well, The People We Hate at the Wedding, Driver’s Education, and This is How It Starts. Originally from Southern California, he studied at the University of Pennsylvania and received his MFA from NYU, where he currently teaches writing. He lives in Brooklyn with his husband, Mac, and their disastrous dog, Frankie.

Follow Grant on Twitter and Instagram at @GrantGinder.

Buy So Old, So Young

So Old, So Young Review for The Boston Globe

Grant Ginder’s Website

At about 2:05, Grant shares the fortifying feedback he has received since So Old, So Young has been out

At about 3:45, The two ruminate on aging and its “surprise” and its prevalence in

At about 5:15, Grant gives out book-buying info and upcoming book events

At about 7:15, Grant provides background on his rich reading life as a kid

At about 10:30, Grant talks about his love for Jane Austen’s work, and the two discuss connections in Austen and Grant’s work

At about 11:40, Grant talks about the “compulsion” and catalysts that led him to become a writer

At about 13:45, Grant reflects on how his speechwriting career has informed his novel writing

At about 14:50, Grant responds to Pete’s questions about seeing his work on the big screen with The People You Hate at the Wedding

At about 17:15, Grant shares writing wisdom from his teacher E.L Doctorow in discussing the episodic nature of his book

At about 18:25, Grant talks about the seeds for his novel

At about 20:20, The two discuss the meaningful epigraph and its change; Grant shouts out James Salter’s Light Years

At about 23:55, Pete lays out the book’s opening and a cryptic comment

At about 24:40, the two discuss the book’s chronological opening in 2007 and discuss the characters

At about 27:30, Grant explains the compliment of Adam being compared to a “roll of duct tape”

At about 28:50, Grant expands on why he steers clear of a straightforward cause-and-effect for his characters

At about 31:30,

At about 33:30, Pete shares some amazing coincidences in his life and the book’s second event, a 2014 wedding

At about 35:10, Grant expands on Mia’s comment that going to friends’ weddings is “bloodsport”

At about 37:40, Poor Nina, in her complexities, is discussed, and Pete compares her to Cecily Strong’s SNL character

At about 40:30, Ideas of expectations for women and the stakes “slowly getting ratched up” are discussed

At about 42:44, the next event, 2018’s party, is discussed

At about 44:00, Grant reflects on self-sabotage among longtime friends

At about 45:10, Nina and her hyperawareness of social anxiety and isolation are discussed

At about 47:50, Pete shouts out the wonderful invitation for Event #4 and the two discuss “dad rock”

At about 48:45, the two discuss the book cover and a “madcap scene”

At about 49:20, Grant talks about the eventual moving to the suburbs and people digging in their heels to stay in “the city”

At about 51:10, the two discuss the ways in which youth or lack thereof affects your mindset

At about 52:20, Grant reflects on long-lasting friendships and grace and change

At about 55:00, The two discuss connections between Grant’s book and The Big Chill

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 330, a conversation with Gaspare Randazzo, a New York City high school history teacher and stand-up comedian known for his humorous insights into education, social media presence, and appearance on Netflix's "The Trust." He has over a decade of teaching experience and performs comedy nationwide, co-hosting the "Social Studies" podcast.

The episode airs on March 18.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 328 with Tom Junod, Author of In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What it Means to be a Man, and Masterful Researcher and Writer of Iconic Character and Cultural Studies

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 06:43:41 -0700

Notes and Links to Tom Junod’s Work

Tom Junod is an ESPN senior writer who has written some of the most enduring and widely read longform journalism of the last 30 years.

He joined ESPN in 2016 and has specialized in deeply reported stories on subjects ranging from Muhammad Ali’s funeral to Tom Brady’s desire to play forever. He has been nominated for an Emmy for his work on “The Hero of Goodall Park,” an E60 program on the ancient secrets that were revealed when a car drove on a baseball field in Maine during a Babe Ruth League game in 2018.

In a 2022 piece, “Untold,” he and ESPN investigative reporter Paula Lavigne spent nearly two years uncovering the horrific crimes of Todd Hodne, a Penn State football player who in the late 1970’s terrorized State College PA, and Long Island, NY, as a serial sexual predator.

Before coming to ESPN, Junod wrote for GQ and Esquire, where he won two National Magazine Awards and was a finalist for the award a record 11 times. For Esquire’s 75th Anniversary, the editors of the magazine selected his 9/11 story “The Falling Man’ as one of the seven top stories in Esquire’s history. In 2019, his story on beloved children’s TV host Fred Rogers, “Can You Say…Hero?,” served as the basis for the movie “A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood,” starring Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys.

His work has been widely anthologized in collections including The Best American Magazine Writing, the Best American Sports Writing, the Best American Political Writing, the Best American Crime Writing, and the Best American Food Writing.

Buy In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to be a Man

Esquire: “Mr Rogers Changed Tom Junod's Life. Here's the True Story Behind A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Esquire Magazine: “Can You Say…Hero” Article about Fred Rogers

New York Times Review: “Tom Junod Would Like to Tell You about His Father”

“My Father’s Fashion Tips”-1996 GQ Article

“Untold”: 2023 Article from ESPN Regarding Penn State and Todd Hodne

At about 1:00, Tom talks about his night and days leading up to Pub Day, and the sometimes-arbitrary nature of publishing and Pub Day

At about 3:00, Tom talks about his upcoming book tour/events

At about 4:15, Tom highlights the greatness and importance of Amy Wallace and her work, an upcoming conversation partner for him

At about 6:30, Pete is highly complimentary-joining thousands and ten of thousands of fans-of Tom’s legendary “The Falling Man” article

At about 7:05, Tom responds to Pete’s questions about the ways in which Jerry Sandusky haunts Tom and Paula Lavigne’s master class in journalism, “ ”

At about 12:00, Tom expands on how the article about Todd Hodne pointed out the lies and hypocrisy regarding Joe Paterno and Penn State

At about 13:35, Tom responds to Pete’s questions about the seeds for In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to be a Man; he emphasizes the importance of a 1996 GQ article

At about 17:30, Pete brings up some intriguing quotes in making some connections between Lorenzo Carcaterra’s A Safe Place and Tom’s memoir

At about 18:30, Tom highlights the classic portrait of her father for the GQ article by Marion Ettlinger (also featured in the book), and talks about his father’s essence being captured

At about 20:20, Tom responds to Pete asking about his father Lou as a distinctive type of “man’s man”

At about 25:00, Tom talks about his dad as “Italian-adjacent”

At about 26:30, Tom discusses the two funeral services held for his father, and how “having the last word” in dealing with his father led to him becoming a writer

At about 30:50, Tom highlights a stunning eulogy from a former lover of his father

At about 32:10, Tom responds to Pete’s questions about balancing his father’s behaviors in his mind and in his feelings towards him; Tom emphasizes the “suspicions” about his father that he harbored for decades about his father

At about 36:50, Tom talks about love “unlocking” so much for his writing of the book, including his father but also his wife, his mother, his siblings, his aunts, etc.

At about 38:55, Tom reflects on ideas of grace and scrutiny involving his father, his paternal grandmother, and their life histories

At about 42:35, Tom responds to Pete’s question about how his life with his father has affected him as a father

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 329 with Grant Ginder Please tune in for Episode 325 with Grant Ginder, the author of the novels Let’s Not Do That Again, Honestly, We Meant Well, The People We Hate at the Wedding, Driver’s Education, and This is How It Starts, a few of which have been made into movies. His latest is So Old, So Young.

The episode airs on March 13 or 14.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 327 with Adolfo-Guzman Lopez, Author of California Southern: writing from the road, 1992-2025, and Reflective and Intrepid Reporter, Activist, and Chronicler of the Mundane and Marvelous

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:01:19 -0800

Notes and Links to Adolfo Guzman Lopez’s Work

Adolfo Guzman-Lopez has been a reporter at LAist 89.3, the Los Angeles NPR affiliate since 2000. He reported and hosted Imperfect Paradise: The Forgotten Revolutionary, a true crime podcast looking into the death in 1994 of Chicano college activist Oscar Gomez. He has reported on L.A. politics, education, art, museums and other topics. His stories have also aired and published nationally on NPR, The Washington Post, and other media. His awards include the LA Press Club’s “Radio Journalist of the Year.” He was born in Mexico City, grew up in Tijuana and San Diego, and lives in Long Beach.

Buy California Southern: writing from the road, 1992-2025

Listen to Adolfo’s “The Forgotten Revolutionary” Podcast Series

KPCC/LAist Article about Adolfo’s Visit to Pete’s Classroom, 2012

KPCC/Laist OnRamp Article about Adolfo being referenced on The Simpsons

At about 2:20, Pete and Adolfo talk about the wonderful experience Adolfo provided for Pete’s students during a 2012 class visit

At about 5:15, Adolfo recounts great stories and lessons learned (especially “collective voice”) from time with The Taco Shop Poets

At about 9:00, Adolfo gives background on growing up in San Diego and Tijuana, "bicultural and bilingual”

At about 11:30, Pete and Adolfo reflect on the book as “a road trip book”

At about 13:30, Adolfo discusses what he recently learned about earlier family immigrants to the US

At about 15:40, the two discuss of National City and San Diego in discussing the wonderful “binaries” that Mike Sonksen compliments in blurbs for the book

At about 20:50, Adolfo describes the “sadness” in the writing of Jack Kerouac and connections to ideas of “home” for himself and Kerouac

At about 23:10, Pete and Adolfo shout out Tim Hernández and his great work with Mañana Means Heaven

At about 24:00, “The Spine of Califas,” the book’s first poem, is discussed, and Adolfo discusses the “personification” of the border

At about 27:50, Pete highlights the POV and “myriad stories” in a poem about

At about 28:40, Adolfo responds to Pete’s questions about poems that focus on the border crossing and questions from immigration authorities

At about 29:40, Adolfo explains a dynamic phrase he uses-”milquetoast bilingualism" and how he played with language, especially with regards to “proper” Spanish and English

At about 34:55, Adolfo reads some of his work, meditating on ideas of possessions, tangible and not

At about 38:00, The two discuss “SanDiegotijuana” and its “negative definitions” and Adolfo reflects on the “set of feelings” that differ depending on where he is

At about 41:00, Adolfo reflects on his “footprints still [being] wet” in San Diego and its implications

At about 43:40, Pete compliments Adolfo’s work in tracing the histories, military and not, of San Diego and LA

At about 47:00, Adolfo responds to Pete’s asking about his poem(s) about Pacific Beach Junior High School

At about 48:55, Adolfo expands on his word play, especially using various permutations of “Sal” and talks about adopting Jewish religious practices and writing about a meaningful story from the Torah

At about 53:25, Adolfo responds to Pete’s questions about “The Words I’ve Lost” and ideas of remembered and forgotten language

At about 55:45, The two discuss gentrification as a topic in the poetry collections, particularly in San Diego

At about 1:00:25, Adolfo recounts the story behind his poem on the opening of the National City Library

At about 1:03:40, ideas of “passing the baton” and transitions between immigrant communities and migrant communities are discussed

At about 1:06:20, Adolfo reads the poem “Prudence”

At about 1:07:45, Adolfo talks about writing in response/in honor of Ginsberg and Chicano/a history

At about 1:10:35, Adolfo talks about the Chicano Student Movement, which he covered for his podcast, “The Forgotten Revolutionary”

At about 1:11:50, Adolfo talks about continuing various movements, and how he has written a “sequel(s) for “The Movement” poem

At about 1:14:00, Adolfo responds to Pete’s questions about the term Chicano and its changing meanings

At about 1:18:00, Adolfo reflects

At about 1:20:30, Adolfo reflects on continuing activism and misogyny within activist circles

At about 1:24:10, Adolfo expands on writing and a changed viewpoint on life after a horrible injury caused by police at a protest

At about 1:26:40, Pete shouts out “Those Winter Sundays” in highlighting Adolfo’s strong ending with a question

At about 1:27:40, Adolfo expands on a poem that highlights the building of the LA Philharmonic

At about 1:31: 30, Pete highlights a favorite poem in the collection, “Trucks” and shares a little Italian bone to pick with Adolfo

At about 1:35:15, Pete compares Adolfo’s “Trucks” and love for home to Hemingway’s “Old Man at the Bridge”

At about 1:37:30, Shifra Goldman and her mentorship and activism are referenced, as well as the “Tercera Caida”

At about 1:39:00, Adolfo reflects on dreams and their impact on writing and learning

At about 1:41:10, Adolfo reflects on how he was cognizant of tone at the end of the collection, and he reads “The Treaty”

At about 1:43:00, Adolfo shares how he ended “The Treaty” with a reference to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 328 with Tom Junod, ESPN senior writer who has written some of the most enduring and widely read longform journalism of the last 30 years.

His work has been widely anthologized in collections including The Best American Magazine Writing, the Best American Sports Writing, the Best American Political Writing, the Best American Crime Writing, and the Best American Food Writing.

The episode airs on March 10 or thereabouts, Pub Day for In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man: A Memoir.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 326 with Yiming Ma, Author of These Memories Do Not Belong to Us, and Reflective, Skilled Worldbuilder and Craftsman of "Constellation Writing"

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 08:09:39 -0800

Notes and Links to Yiming Ma’s Work

Born in Shanghai, Yiming Ma spent a decade in tech and finance before writing the dystopian novel These Memories Do Not Belong to Us, named a Spotify Editors' Pick, longlisted for the Goodreads Choice Award, and featured on Best Book of 2025 lists by Electric Literature, Debutiful, PEN America,and elsewhere.

Yiming attended Stanford for his MBA, and Warren Wilson for his MFA. His stories and essays appear in the New York Times, The Guardian, The Globe and Mail, Florida Review, and elsewhere. His story “Swimmer of Yangtze” won the 2018 Guardian 4th Estate Story Prize.

Buy These Memories Do Not Belong to Us

Locus Magazine Review of These Memories Don't Belong to Us

Yiming Ma's Website

Interview with Michael Zapata for Chicago Review of Books: “Mirrors, Memories, Rebellions: An Interview with Yiming Ma”

At about 2:10, Yiming shares the feedback he’s gotten and the ways in which These Memories Do Not Belong to Us has “resonated” with readers

At about 4:20, Yiming talks about his relationship with “home” and reading as a kid

At about 5:15, Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go is highlighted as a formative and transformative read for Yiming

At about 8:15, Yiming expands on how his immigrant background informed his career choices, agency, and adaptive skills and outlook on capitalism-he connects these to his book’s plot and themes

At about 10:25, Pete reflects on the book as science fiction/speculative fiction

At about 11:25, Yiming responds to Pete’s question about contemporary books that “flipped the switch”

At about 12:50, Yiming reflects on the dearth of fiction read by people in his former work life, as well as ideas of empathy and the changing landscape of diversity in authorship

At about 15:00, Yiming talks about AI and men reading (or not reading) fiction, and differences between his writer friends and tech friends

At about 18:00, Yiming describes the structure of the book in conjunction with seeds for the book, largely coming from the pandemic and ideas of what is remembered and not remembered and how

At about 21:55, Yiming explains how his award-winning story “Swimmer of Yangtze” and the idea of “constellation writing”

At about 23:00, Yiming lays out the book’s opening/exposition

At about 24:40, Yiming responds to Pete’s questions about early connections and memories between Jill and Hao

At about 28:00, Yiming recalls the early question about seeds for the book in reflecting on the motif of watches in the novel

At about 30:15, the two discuss “Easter eggs” in the book regarding “Ri-Ben” (China in Japanese), and Pete reflects on geopolitical tragedies that frame the “constellation writing”

At about 32:10, Pete asks Yiming about the book’s “Memory Epics” and ideas of art vs. commercialism and censorship in connection to today’s similarities

At about 36:40, Yiming expands on the story “Chankonabe” and its connections to real-life and its fit in the novel’s “constellation”

At about 37:35, Yiming talks about the importance of mantras in his book as guides for his storytelling

At about 40:00, Yiming talks about research on sumo wrestling and the resulting questions and reflection that brought out some profound scenes

At about 43:15, The two discuss the book’s first-person accounts from the main narrator, and Yiming expands upon ideas of agency and resistance against systems

At about 45:30, Yiming reflects on connections between the Chrysanthemum Virus and the coronavirus

At about 51:00, The two discuss the story “Swimmer of Yangtze”

At about 52:10, Yiming tells of the beautiful homage to his grandmother in the book

At about 53:10, Yiming turns the tables and asks Pete probing questions about the ever-encroaching AI

At about 56:40, Yiming talks about the “incredible” students he’s spoken with and reflects on a “biased sample” and the “paradigm shift” between disparate groups he speaks with regarding AI and its implementation

At about 1:01:00, Yiming reflects on the “worry” he has over critical thinking skills and employment in a future focused on AI

At about 1:02:20, Pete asks about “+86 Shanghai” and its immigration stories

At about 1:03:20, The two discuss the balance between changing the system and ideas of assimilation and Yiming talks about personal connections to “mining [his] own immigration story” and changing immigration narratives

At about 1:07:50, The two reflect on Kaveh Akbar’s brilliant work that Yiming riffs off in the book; Pete shares a story about Kaveh’s profundity in action, and Yiming talks about censorship and the timing of the release of his book

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 327 with Adolfo Guzman-Lopez. Adolfo Guzman-Lopez has been a reporter at LAist 89.3, the Los Angeles NPR affiliate since 2000. He reported and hosted Imperfect Paradise: The Forgotten Revolutionary, a true crime podcast looking into the death in 1994 of Chicano college activist Oscar Gomez. He has reported on L.A. politics, education, art, museums and other topics. His stories have also aired and published nationally on NPR, The Washington Post, and other media, and his poetry, especially from time with the Taco Shop Poets, has been awarded and anthologized.

The episode airs later today, March 3.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 325 with Oliver James, Author of Unread, and Dogged Proponent of Literacy, Vulnerability, and Self-Improvement

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:38:32 -0800

Notes and Links to Oliver James’ Work

Oliver James is a literacy advocate and motivational speaker who has been sharing his journey about learning to read as an adult, through TikTok and Instagram. Through videos and posts, he has been charting the books he’s read, and the lessons he’s learned and relearned. He has been featured on The Jennifer Hudson Show, The Today Show, NPR, and more.

Buy Unread: A Memoir of Learning (and Loving) to Read on TikTok

Oliver's Website

Oliver on The Jennifer Hudson Show

At about 1:25, Oliver talks about feedback he has gotten from early readers of Unread

At about 2:35, Oliver responds to Pete’s question about vulnerability in writing the book and presenting the book to the world

At about 4:00, Oliver talks about his social media availability and upcoming tour stops

At about 5:20, Pete asks Oliver about the book’s Dedication and important epigraph; Oliver expands upon the connections between reading and exercises

At about 7:40, Oliver talks about the emotions at the moment after he shared with his social media followers that he couldn’t read, in 2021

At about 10:00, Oliver explains how he would get by when being called on to read in school

At about 12:20, Oliver replies to Pete’s question about good ways for people to start learning to read/cement their developing reading skills

At about 15:00, Oliver talks about his singing and reading and other things that he does on Tik Tok Live and Instagram

At about 16:10, Oliver and Pete discuss

At about 18:00, Pete highlights Oliver’s great book recommendations throughout his book, and particularly connections between The Giver and Oliver’s pains and triumphs in learning and reading

At about 21:45, The two discuss missing important learning opportunities and learning cycles in adolescence

At about 23:15, Oliver talks about “creating [his] own identity” based on what teachers and other authority figures sometimes told him, subtly or not

At about 24:40, The two discuss how The Phantom Tollbooth connects to Oliver’s reading and learning journey

At about 26:30, Oliver gives background on how a speech class gave him more confidence and how it led to speech becoming a vocation

At about 29:50, Oliver reflects on what might have been different had he been a reader when he was set up in a sting operation

At about 31:50, Oliver explains how people in jail gave him hope and how this experience connects to the character of Zero in Holes, particularly with regard to a sense of “duty” and community learning

At about 33:50, Oliver highlights Dirty Laundry and shame and relationships with girls and dependence

At about 37:20, Oliver talks about the importance of a quote book that was his first gifted book and the “helpless[ness]” that came at the beginning of the COVID pandemic

At about 43:20, Oliver makes connections between COVID and “how to carry” on his reading and emotional journey

At about 44:20, The Diary of Anne Frank and The Outsiders and ideas of reading and being in community with readers and reading is discussed

At about 45:40, Pete gives a rec for one of his all-time favorites, That Was Then, This is Now

At about 46:20, The two discuss the Piiraha people and “living in the moment” based on Oliver’s car accident and other traumatic and triumphant moments

At about 51:00, Pete highlights The Alchemist and ideas of how books “unlock” so much, and expands upon the “agreements” featured in Don Ruiz’s books, in particular with regards to his father

At about 54:30, Empathy is discussed, as experienced in reading and in life, and love and thanks for his mother

At about 56:10, Oliver reflects on children’s books and “tap[ping] into emotions” and “be[ing] a kid”

At about 1:00:30, Pete highlights ways in which Oliver gave him a different perspective on finishing a book and on the classic The Giving Tree

At about 1:02:10, Oliver responds to Pete’s questions about his feelings upon meeting famous people for interviews, like Jennifer Hudson

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 326 with Yiming Ma, who spent a decade in tech and finance before writing the dystopian novel These Memories Do Not Belong to Us, named a Spotify Editors' Pick, longlisted for the Goodreads Choice Award, and featured on Best Book of 2025 lists by Electric Literature, Debutiful, PEN America, and elsewhere.

The episode airs on February 24 or 25.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 324 with Lillian Li, Author of Bad Asians, and Nuanced Chronicler of the Young and Restless

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 08:47:51 -0800

Notes and Links to Lillian Li’s Work

Lillian Li is the author of the novel Number One Chinese Restaurant, which was an NPR Best Book of 2018, and longlisted for the Women’s Prize and the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize. Her work has been published in the New York Times, Granta, One Story, Bon Appetit, Travel & Leisure, The Guardian, and Jezebel. Originally from the D.C. metro area, she lives in Ann Arbor.

Buy Bad Asians

Kirkus Reviews for Bad Asians

Lillian Li's Website

At about 1:30, Lillian talks about her mindset as Pub Day is a day away, and she shares heartening feedback she’s received on Bad Asians

At about 3:00, Lillian talks about her early relationship with language and literature, including Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club, and coins a great term, a “Borders Kid”

At about 4:40, Lillian describes growing up in a Chinese-American and Asian-American community in connection with ideas of representation

At about 6:30, Lillian reflects on “growing pains” with Joy Luck Club and having ambivalent feelings towards the book’s lasting impact

At about 8:50, Lillian highlights How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder as a standout text she’s reading currently

At about 10:10, Lillian highlights Literati Bookstore as a great place to buy her book and interesting tour events coming up

At about 12:05, Lillian gives background on starting the book with a map

At about 13:10, Lillian talks about North Potomac, MD, and growing up there

At about 14:50, Pete sets the book’s exposition through discussion of the Prologue, and Lillian comments on her interest in the experience of those who have gone viral

At about 16:30, Grace as the “golden child” is discussed in terms of Lillian’s childhood seeing comparison and "competitive friendships”

At about 18:10, the two continue to describe the book’s opening and main characters

At about 21:40, Lillian describes the original video that Grace recorded that morphs into the foundation for the “Bad Asians” viral video(s)

At about 23:00, Lillian responds to Pete’s asking about a middle-of-the-book scene with a caring/boundary-overstepping teacher

At about 25:20, Grace and her gilded rich girl life is described

At about 27:20, Lillian and Pete describe the ways in which the friends like Errol and Justin feel “unburdened” and free in filming with Grace, but also how Grace gets some controversial footage

At about 28:55, “Going to the Mall on Molly” and its ramifications is discussed

At about 30:40, Lillian describes how Vivían’s phone call leads to Grace “running away” to LA

At about 32:25, Lillian gives background on the plan that the group hatches in collaboration with Carrie Yang

At about 35:00, Vivían and Errol and their post-vows life and rave culture are discussed by Lillian; she talks about MDMA as a sort of emotional regulation

At about 36:30, Lillian talks about the scenes in the book as emblematic of the 2008 recession and recovery in Detroit

At about 37:20, Lillian riffs on “self-medication,” with regards to an article she read about overdoses in the Asian-American community/rave culture

At about 38:40, Errol’s dangerous “pranks” are analyzed

At about 40:00, Lillian discusses the “gilded cage” and “success trap” for Grace and her creative pursuits

At about 42:10, the two discuss the notoriety that comes with leaked cell phone footage from the New York

At about 42:45, Lillian talks about Justin’s sexuality and provides background on her research on bisexuality, intimacy and love for his character

At about 46:00, Pete compliments the ending of the book, and Lillian expands on her mindset in ending the book that way

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 325 with Grant Ginder, the author of the novels Let’s Not Do That Again, Honestly, We Meant Well, The People We Hate at the Wedding, Driver’s Education, and This is How It Starts, a few of which have been made into movies. His latest is So Old, So Young.

The episode airs on February 20, three days after Pub Day for So Old, So Young.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 323 with Luke Epplin, Author of Moses and the Doctor, and "Sportswriter" Who Writes so Adroitly about Race and Racism, Culture, and Intersections with Sport

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 21:55:24 -0800

Notes and Links to Luke Epplin’s Work

Luke Epplin is the author of Moses and the Doctor: Two Men, One Championship, and the Birth of Modern Basketball, and Our Team: The Epic Story of Four Men and the World Series That Changed Baseball.

His writing has appeared online in The Atlantic, The New Yorker, GQ, Slate, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and The Paris Review Daily. Born and raised in rural Illinois, Epplin lives outside of New York City with his wife and daughter.

Buy Moses and the Doctor

Wall Street Journal Review of Moses and the Doctor

Luke Epplin's Website

At about 1:15, Luke highlights Greenlight Books and Astoria Bookshop as places to find signed books, both online and off-

At about 2:15, Luke shares an interesting tidbit about fellow Illinois-ian David Foster Wallace

At about 4:40, Luke responds to Pete’s question about seeds for Moses and the Doctor, and how his first book figured in

At about 8:10, Luke and Pete discuss the book’s Prologue and an important Julius Erving “speech”

At about 11:15, Luke shares Dr. J’s thoughts on this consequential speech and further implications for his relationship with future teammate Moses Malone

At about 12:15, Chapter One is discussed, especially Julius Erving’s dazzling time at Rucker Park; Luke ruminates on Julius as “two people at once”

At about 17:55, The two discuss Moses Malone as a “prodigy” and how his hometown and upbringing shaped him

At about 21:05, Moses Malone’s college search and pro basketball signing are discussed

At about 24:00, Luke responds to Pete’s comments and question about the ABA/NBA and generalizations about Julius Erving and other players

At about 26:50, Luke reflects on Julius Erving’s free agent demands and travails

At about 28:00, the two discuss Moses Malone's “lost year” as the ABA wilts

At about 29:20, Luke references Julius Erving’s time in the ABA, and how people who watched him and played with him talk about how the NBA Julius Erving wasn’t the same

At about 30:55, Luke talks about the ways in which the super-successful Sixers were not hyped as much as teams like Magic Johnson’s Lakers and Larry Bird’s Celtics

At about 31:55, Luke pinpoints a pivotal scene in 1982 that he marks as critical in his book’s arc

At about 33:15, Luke responds to Pete wondering about the criticism towards Julius Erving before he won a NBA Championship

At about 34:15, The 1977 Finals and the competing styles the two teams brought are discussed, along with the New Jersey Nets’ impasse with Julius over his signing

At about 37:55, Pete shouts out an incredible dunk from Julius Erving on Bill Walton

At about 38:30, Luke expands upon the legendary stories told about Julius from his ABA days

At about 39:50, Luke responds to Pete’s questions about research processes for the book

At about 41:45, Luke reflects on his interactions with and memories of Bill Walton

At about 43:15, The two discuss Moses Malone’s opening season and NBA Finals’ Run with the Rockets

At about 45:00, Pete notes a transformational experience for Julius Erving/Dr. J at the end of the 1970s and Luke talks about Julius’ injury history and a turning point at age 30

At about 47:30, Luke reflects on a sense of “blessing” and introspection by Julius

At about 48:10, Luke reflects on racial and racist more of the 70s and 80s in Philadelphia, including the town ethic and Frank Rizzo’s oppressive governing, and how Moses Malone and Julius Erving acted in response and how they were received in Philly

At about 52:20, Pete references the Fonde Rec Center and its connection to Moses Malone’s “superstardom”

At about 53:15, Pete and Luke reflect on key moments and key losses that led to the teaming up with Moses Malone and the winning of the 1983 NBA Championship and Julius Erving opening up emotionally

At about 56:25, Pete highlights the power of Luke ending the book in 1983

At about 57:50, Luke discusses Moses Malone’s post-NBA career and his choice to live in the “shadows”

At about 58:40, Pete catalogs some of the post 1983 foibles and missteps of the 76ers players and brass, and Luke expands on why the buildup to the championship was so “dramatically satisfying”

At about 1:00:25, Luke talks about Julius Erving’s “legend” and legacy

At about 1:01:30, Andrew Toney was a bucket!

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 324 with Lillian Li, author of the book out as of today, February 17, Bad Asians. She is also the author of the novel Number One Chinese Restaurant, which was an NPR Best Book of 2018, and longlisted for the Women’s Prize and the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize. Again, the episode airs on February 17, today, Pub Day for Bad Asians.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 322 with Peter Orner, Author of The Gossip Columnist's Daughter and Maestro of the Offbeat, the Original, the Creative, and the Resonant

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 20:07:33 -0800

Notes and Links to Peter Orner’s Work

Peter Orner is the author of eight books, most recently the novel, The Gossip Columnist’s Daughter, named one of the best books of 2025 by the New Yorker and the Chicago Tribune, as well as the essay collections, Still No Word from You, a finalist for the PEN Award for the Art of the Essay, and Am I Alone Here?, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism. His story collection Maggie Brown and Others was a New York Times Notable Book. Other books include Love and Shame and Love (Winner of the California Book Award) Last Car Over the Sagamore Bridge, The Second Coming of Mavala Shikongo (finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award), and Esther Stories. A recipient of the Rome Prize and a Guggenheim Fellowship, Orner is also the editor of three books of oral history for the Voice of Witness series, and co-editor with Laura Lampton Scott of a new oral history series from McSweeney’s called “Dispatches.” His work has appeared in The New Yorker, the Atlantic, Harper’s, the Paris Review and has been awarded four Pushcart Prizes. With Yvette Benavides, he’s the co-host of the Lonely Voice Podcast on Texas Public Radio. Orner recently led short courses on James Joyce’s Ulysses, and Melville’s Moby-Dick for the Community of Writers/Writers’ Annex. He teaches at Dartmouth College and lives in Vermont.

Buy The Gossip Columnist’s Daughter

New York Times Review of The Gossip Columnist’s Daughter

Peter Orner's Website

At about 2:30, Peter responds to Pete’s question about the feedback he’s gotten since the publication of

At about 3:30, Peter expands on ideas of making Chicago concrete for his readers

At about 4:40, Peter gives background on family’s roots in Chicago and in Eastern Europe

At about 6:25, Mike Ditka slander?!

At about 7:50, Peter highlights Saul Bellow as a writer who influenced him, as well as Stuart Dybek, Betty Howland, and John Irving among others

At about 10:05, Peter reflects on David Foster Wallace as an “Illinois writer”

At about 12:10, Peter discusses Zadie Smith and Yiyun Li, and as impressive and chill-inducing contemporary writers

At about 13:30, Peter lists some reading favorites of his university students, and he expands on how they are “blown away” by James Joyce’s work

At about 15:00, The two fanboy over James Joyce’s “The Dead”

At about 16:15, Peter reflects on Pete asking if his The Gossip Columnist’s Daughter would be classified as “historical fiction”

At about 17:15, Peter expands on his view of the book’s epigraph from Chekhov

At about 18:15, Pete cites another great epigraph and great book from Jess Walter

At about 18:50, The two lay out the book’s exposition, and Peter describes the book’s inciting incident, a tragic death

At about 20:20, The two discuss the book’s beginning as in medias res

At about 21:30, Peter talks about the character of Babs as inspired by grandmother, and Pete shares about his Chicago grandfather’s longevity

At about 22:55, Peter expands on the idea of Jed, the book’s narrator, feeling that three key events in 1963 were a pivot point for the family

At about 26:15, Jack Ruby and the provinciality and “small world” of Chicago

At about 29:10, Pete and Peter lay out Jed’s college professor setup

At about 30:00, Peter explains the cause of death and theories and conspiracy theories around it

At about 31:35, Peter responds to Pete’s musings about the old-fashioned “imperative” headlines that

At about 33:00, Some of Cookie Kupcinet’s last writings are discussed

At about 34:30, Peter reflects on the travails and pressures of Cookie

At about 36:00, Some of the prodigious pull of Irv Kupcinet is discussed, and Pete compares Irv’s work to that of Ace in Casino

At about 37:55, Lou Rosenthal’s reticence and kinship with Robert Todd Lincoln are discussed

At about 39:00, Peter expands on a scene in which the “grieving” narrator walks by the house where his ex-wife and daughter live; he discusses the importance he places on place

At about 41:40, Sidney Korshak and his historical background and Chicago connection is discussed

At about 44:10, The two discuss doubts in the story about the way in which Cookie died

At about 45:20, Cookie’s legacy and the ways in which Jed, the narrator, gains a sort of obsession with conspiracy theories and marginalia

At about 48:20, Peter talks about the book’s storyline as a “family story” and using a “tiny kernel” as a “jump off” point for his book

At about 49:20, Peter responds to Pete’s questions about the state of the current conspiracy theories involving the Kupcinets and JFK’s assassination

At about 51:20, The two discuss the breakup of the friendship between the Rosenthals and Kupcinets, as Pete compares a turned-down piece of writing to the book’s storyline

At about 53:20, Peter reflects on the intrigue that comes with

At about 55:00, Peter expands on the “Captain” moniker his grandfather have, and that he played off in his book

At about 58:20, The two reflect on the memorable character of Solly

At about 1:01:00, Theories involving traumas and low points and broken relationships are discussed

At about 1:03:00, Pete highlights a resonant last scene

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 323 with second-time guest Luke Epplin. He is the author Our Team: The Epic Story of Four Men and the World Series That Changed Baseball and Moses and the Doctor: Two Men, One Championship, and the Birth of Modern Basketball.

The episode airs on February 13, three days after Pub Day for Moses and the Doctor.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 321 with Carolina Ixta, Author of Few Blue Skies and Master of Nuance and the Balance Between Nonfiction Concepts and Real-Life Ossues and Fiction in Her Fictional Work

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 06:05:35 -0800

Notes and Links to Carolina Ixta’s Work

Carolina Ixta is a writer from Oakland, California. A daughter of Mexican immigrants, she received her BA in creative writing and Spanish language and literature at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and obtained her master's degree in education at the University of California, Berkeley. Her debut novel, Shut Up, This Is Serious, was a Morris Award finalist, an LA Times Book Prize finalist, and the winner of the Pura Belpré Award. Few Blue Skies is out now.

Buy Few Blue Skies

Carolina Ixta's Website

Kirkus Review on Few Blue Skies

At about 1:50, Carolina responds to Pete’s question about how she feels with her book at Pub Day

At about 3:35, Carolina shouts out Mrs. Dalloway’s and other bookstores to buy Few Blue Skies

At about 4:25, Carolina talks about her language and reading background

At about 6:00, Pete and Carolina reminisce on taking the challenging Spanish linguistics class

At about 8:25, The two reflect on the unceasing reading list

At about 9:15, Carolina shouts out Pam Munoz Ryan and Esperanza Rising-a transformative book and wonderful person

At about 10:45, Carolina highlights the wonderful evolution of young adult fiction

At about 12:45, The two fanboy and -girl over Jason Reynolds

At about 14:55-RILKE!

At about 16:30, Aria Aber is cited as a great fan and proponent of Rilke

At about 18:10, Carolina gives an intricate and wise explanation of how writing and teaching elementary school and her own schooling have come together in a balance in writing for young people

At about 24:30, Carolina gives information on seeds for Few Blue Skies-an urban education class and references to drinking water in Oakland Public Schools is cited

At about 27:05, Pete compliments the universality and specificity of the book in asking Carolina about the area in which she writes and connections to real-life companies

At about 28:30, The two set the book’s exposition

At about 32:40, Carolina expands on familial connections to the Bracero Program and cites Alejandra Oliva’s Rivermouth as a great source for information about the shocking (or not) racism associated with the program

At about 36:20, Carolina likes to

At about 38:00, Carolina makes interesting points about the “invisible” work done by Paloma’s mother and many women

At about 42:00, The two discuss the strike undertaken in the book and ideas of practicality and idealism

At about 42:40, AQA days are discussed in connection to air quality issues that happen in the book and in real life

At about 44:00, The two discuss grief, and Pete compliments the realism shown by the character in the book after Julio’s father’s death

At about 45:20, Carolina responds to Pete’s question about the significance of a garden envisioned by Julio in the book

At about 47:40, Carolina expands on Julio as a “wholesome character” and drawing his dimensions and his future and romantic life

At about 49:00, Carolina talks about stretching her Bay Area loyalties in writing realistically about the IE and their sports loyalties; she talks about wanting/needing to write something that shows her "range"

At about 51:15, Carolina responds to Pete’s question about the provenance of the book’s Mayor Warner

At about 55:45, Pete and Carolina talk about ideas of ignorance with regard to Paloma, and real-life versions of naivete and idealism

At about 59:00, Carolina talks about anxieties around proving that she can write fiction rooted in nonfiction, and how she so wants kids to go to Wikipedia and do deeper research in enjoying reading

At about 1:01:55, Pete cites the “good and fun awkwardness” in some of the romantic scenes in the book, and Carolina talks about struggling to write those scenes

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 322 with Peter Orner, the author of eight books, most recently the novel, The Gossip Columnist’s Daughter, named one of the best books of 2025 by the New Yorker and the Chicago Tribune, as well as the essay collections, Still No Word from You, a finalist for the PEN Award for the Art of the Essay, and Am I Alone Here?, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism.

The episode airs February 3, later in the day.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 320 with Larry Strauss, Author of A Lasting Impact in the Classroom and Beyond Knowledge and Insight for Brave Teachers, and Sage Writer of a Diverse Listing of Opinion Pieces, & (Non)Fiction

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:42:51 -0800

Notes and Links to Larry Strauss’ Work

Larry Strauss is the author of five novels, most recently Light Man and Now's the Time—now an Earphone Award winning audiobook—and numerous non-fiction titles, including Students First and Other Lies, a collection of essays mostly about education, and 2025’s A Lasting Impact in the Classroom and Beyond, a guide for new and struggling teachers.

His short fiction has appeared in Streetlight, Extract(s), and elsewhere. Op-eds and other non-fiction have appeared in USA Today, for which he is an opinion columnist, and The Guardian, among others. If you grew up in the 1980s, you might have seen some of the episodes he wrote for the first-generation Transformers cartoons.

Buy A Lasting Impact in the Classroom and Beyond

Larry Strauss' Article Listing

The Chills at Will Podcast, Episode 83, with Larry Strauss

At about 1:45, Larry highlights positive feedback for his book, including a lawyer who found the book so instructive

At about 4:50, Larry recounts a tale from the book’s Preface,

At about 7:40, Larry talks about the “contagion” that is fun that can and should come with teaching, and how this relates to him wanting to write the book

At about 9:20, Larry talks about his first teaching job allowed him to “find [his] way”

At about 10:30, Larry reflects on a Catch-22 that balances systematic change and day-to-day work

At about 13:10, Larry recounts conversations dealing with guilt for teachers in taking days off

At about 15:20, Larry talks about administration and the demands they feel and what they ask of teachers

At about 16:00, The two discuss the travails of teaching during the early days of the Covid pandemic-Larry had an active 40 person class!

At about 20:30, Larry reflects on ideas of “saving kids” as a teacher

At about 23:55, Larry talks about learning, including in literature, as “life-saving” and “writers as the first psychologists"

At about 25:30, The two discuss cinematic displays of teaching and “inspirational” teaching

At about 28:25, The two reflect on early days for teachers and ideas of teaching “authenticity”

At about 33:30, Larry talks about

At about 34:25, Larry references Willy Loman in talking about “salesman” as one of the myriad roles that a teacher plays, and Pete cites extracurriculars like basketball and the difference in working with students in a voluntary situation

At about 36:20, Larry expands on his first year(s) teaching and ways in which students bought in

At about 39:00, The two discuss the importance of passion and enthusiasm and getting to know students

At about 40:40, Larry responds to Pete’s question about how he came to understand that a loud classroom is not necessarily a bad thing

At about 44:10, Larry recounts a story of a former student discovering journalism stories that already existed in his life

At about 45:30, Larry reflects on a revelation he had about never surrendering to resistant learners and about how all/most students want to learn

At about 47:25, the two talk about being adaptable as students both change and remain the same

At about 50:20, Larry draws a distinction between talking about students’ incredible qualities versus complaining to other teachers about the students

At about 52:45, Larry talks about a second-generation student and parent complaints

At about 55:25, Larry and Pete discuss the need for adaptability and “improv” as a teacher, illustrated by a lesson that has become a stalwart

At about 57:20, The two discuss the need for joy and empathy in the midst of sadness and the grind of teaching-a great Cain and Abel story!

At about 58:50, The two discuss the pros and cons of small schools

At about 1:05:15, Pete highlights an early publication of Larry’s as the two talk about supporting the students unconditionally

At about 1:07:00, The two discuss different ways of being an advocate as a teacher

At about 1:08:10, Pete compliments the book’s mixture of art and science

At about 1:08:45, Larry talks about unique new writing assignments for himself

At about 1:11:30, in talking about horrible hires for US Secretary of Education, Larry highlights the way in which John King’s fifth-grade teacher “saved his life” through field trips and other ways

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 321 with Carolina Ixta, a writer from Oakland, California. Her debut novel, Shut Up, This Is Serious, was a Morris Award finalist, an LA Times Book Prize finalist, and the winner of the Pura Belpré Award. Few Blue Skies is her sophomore novel, forthcoming from HarperCollins on February 3, 2026.

The episode airs on February 3, Pub Day.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 319 with Farah Ali, Author of Telegraphy, and Master Finesser of Understated Characters, the Macro Informing the Micro, and Connector of the Past and the Present

Sat, 17 Jan 2026 22:07:47 -0800

Notes and Links to Farah Ali’s Work

Farah Ali is from Pakistan. She is the writer of the novels Telegraphy (January 2026, CB editions), and The River, The Town, as well as the short story collection People Want to Live. Her fiction has been anthologized in Best Small Fictions and the Pushcart Prize where it has also received special mention. She is the cofounder of Lakeer, a digital space for writing from Pakistan, and reviews editor at Wasafiri.

Buy Telegraphy

Farah Ali’s Website

2024 Interview with Swetha Amit in Atticus Review

At about 0:25, Farah talks about her mindset as Pub Day approaches

At about 3:25, Farah traces her early reading, writing, and bilingualism

At about 7:30, Farah responds to Pete’s question about the connection between a high volume of British books and Britain's colonial past

At about 9:45, Farah cites Roy’s of The God of Small Things as “transformative”

At about 10:55, Natalie Diaz and Kaveh Akbar, Tom McCarthy, and Shandana Minhas are cited some as some of purveyors of some of Farah’s contemporary thrill-inducing writing

At about 13:20,

At about 15:40, Farah discusses seeds for the book

At about 18:10, Farah reflects on throughlines in the book, and her clarity in knowing what the book was to be about, and not about

At about 19:50, Pete riffs on Farah’s book in comparison to Sigrid Nunez’s The Friend

At about 20:45, Pete lays out the book’s exposition, and Farah gives background on the book’s first character, Andreas Vesalius

At about 23:55, Farah and Pete discuss protagonist Annie’s nostalgia (or lack thereof) and journaling that makes up the bulk of the book

At about 25:35, Farah talks about the epistolary nature of the book

At about 26:20, The main character, Quratulain/Annie, is characterized/given background

At about 28:05, Farah reflects on the importance of Annie as a woman in relation to stereotypes involving women’s physical and emotional health, as well as how she incorporated Adam, the long-lost love/friend of Annie and his POV

At about 30:45, an incident in which Annie and her cousin are involved in childish frivolity is discussed, and Pete asks Farah about Annie as an “observer”

At about 32:45, Farah expands on her views of agency, and expectations of writers connected to that agency

At about 33:40, Annie’s childhood sickness is examined with regard to her father’s warning her against being a maulani, as well as how she sees a man with wings

At about 36:10, Pete highlights important events for high school age Annie, and compliments a resonant line about “taking up space in the world,” which Farah reflects upon

At about 38:15, The two reflect on “awakenings” for Annie in her late adolescence and college, particularly with regard to her writing and meeting Adam

At about 41:40, The two discuss existential issues for Annie, and ways in which she sees hopelessness and hope

At about 43:25, Farah responds to Pete’s questions about Adam and Annie’s views of and performance of spirituality and religiosity

At about 45:10, Farah responds to Pete’s wondering about why Annie gets married and discussions of somatic issues

At about 46:15, The two discuss histories and themes used in the book, and Farah talks about the balance and planning for plot vs. allegory/symbolism, as well as her deep research

At about 48:55, Emerson’s “Transparent Eyeball” is cited by Farah, as she talks of her love for Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping and how the book and the theory propelled her writing

At about 50:50, The two discuss ideas of insanity and intellectual achievement

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 320 with second-time guest Larry Strauss, the author of five novels, most recently Light Man and Now's the Time—now an Earphone Award winning audiobook—and numerous non-fiction titles, including Students First and Other Lies, a collection of essays mostly about education and 2025’s A Lasting Impact in the Classroom and Beyond, a guide for new and struggling teachers, and the focus of the conversation. His short fiction has appeared in Streetlight, Extract(s), and elsewhere. Op-eds and other non-fiction have appeared in USA Today, for which he is an opinion columnist, and The Guardian, among others. If you grew up in the 1980s, you might have seen some of the episodes he wrote for the first-generation Transformers cartoons.

The episode airs on January 27.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 318 with Timothy Welbeck, Esq., Professor for and Creator of "Kendrick Lamar and the Morale of M.A.A.D. City" Class at Temple University, and Devoted and Thoughtful Civil Right Advocate

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 22:07:30 -0800

Notes and Links to Timothy Welbeck’s Work

Timothy Welbeck, Esq., is an affiliated faculty member in the Department of Africology and African American Studies, where he previously served as an Assistant Professor of Instruction. There he teaches an array of popular courses, including a course he developed entitled Kendrick Lamar and the Morale of the m.A.A.d city. More broadly, Timothy’s scholarly work focuses on contemporary issues of racial identity in America, the intersection of racial classifications and the law in the American context, contemporary African American culture, and hip-hop as a microcosm of the Black experience. Timothy has also written several peer-reviewed journal articles including “We Have Come Into This House: The Black Church, Florida’s Stop W.O.K.E., and the Fight to Teach Black History.” He also authored “Specter of Reform: The late Sen. Arlen Specter’s Criminal Justice Reform, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, and its Role in Expanding the Modern Prison Industrial Complex,” explores the impact of the infamous 1994 Crime Bill in providing the infrastructure for mass incarceration within the United States. The research, funded by the Arlen Specter Center fellowship, examines how the federalization of criminal law, pursuant to the Commerce Clause, has led to expansive growth in federal law enforcement, imprisonment, and thus setting the foundation for the modern carceral state. Timothy's article “People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths to Rhythms: Hip-Hop’s Continuation of the Enduring Tradition of African and African American Rhetorical Forms and Tropes,” examines hip-hop’s continuation of centuries-old African cultural norms and aesthetic values.

As an attorney, Timothy has long been an advocate for justice, using his legal expertise to defend society’s most vulnerable individuals, including survivors of human trafficking, survivors of police brutality, and the indigent. He has also provided crisis management, guidance, and legal counsel to churches and nonprofit organizations across the globe. In that capacity, Timothy is the Chair of the Board of Directors for The Witness Foundation, and an Advisory Board member of For the Future Organization. Timothy has also served as the Civil Rights Attorney for the Philadelphia Chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), where he defended the constitutionally protected civil rights and liberties of those who experience discrimination and harassment based on their faith, race, ethnicity, and/or national origin, particularly members of the Muslim community within Pennsylvania.

As a hip-hop artist, he has released four full length recordings, shared the stage with national and international acts (Janelle Monáe, Jidenna, EPMD, Dead Prez, and Immortal Technique), won songwriting contests (Session 1 Grand Prize in 2010 John Lennon Songwriting Contest), garnered high compliments from hip-hop legends, industry taste-makers (Sway) and record executives (VP of A&R at Def Jam, Lenny S). His latest work, entitled ‘Trane of Thought, is a live recorded hip-hop album that melds songs from his first two albums the musical style of John Coltrane.

Timothy presently serves as the Pastor of Formation and a Teaching Elder at Epiphany Church of Wilmington, bringing over twenty years of ministry experience. He fosters spiritual growth through expositional and topical preaching, community engagement, trainings, workshops and spiritual counseling. In his role, he equips Epiphany members to live out their faith practically in their communities and prepare others to do the same.

Timothy's work as an attorney and scholar has allowed him to contribute to various media outlets, such as: Axios, BBC Radio 4, CBS, CNN, The Huffington Post, NBC, The New York Times, NPR, The Philadelphia Inquirer, REVOLT TV, The Washington Post, VOX, and 900 WURD AM. He has lectured nationally and internationally at esteemed institutions like: Magdalen College of Oxford University, Georgetown University, Swarthmore College, and provided invited keynote addresses at major corporations like 1Hotels, Campbell Soup, and Merrill Lynch. As a contributing writer, Timothy has bylines in The Huffington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, WHYY, and RESPECT Magazine.

He earned his J.D. from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law and his B.A. from Morehouse College, where he graduated cum laude and was awarded the Corella and Bertrand Bonner Scholarship.

Timothy finds his greatest joy and fulfillment at home with his wife and three children.

Timothy Welbeck’s Website

Video: “Kendrick Lamar and the Morale of m.A.A.d City Hiphop Course | Prof. Timothy Welbeck Explains”

Video Conversation with Georgette from XXL: “Inside the Kendrick Lamar College Course Created to Study His Lyrics and Life”

At about 2:50, Timothy highlights some “surreal moments” in his hip hop career and advocacy

At about 4:20, Timothy responds to Pete’s question about declining or rising advocacy in contemporary hip-hop

At about 6:30, Timothy reflects on the balance between a democratization of hip hop and old models of record company control

At about 9:05, Timothy talks about his reading background, including a Tim Follett read (!) and other formative works

At about 12:10, Timothy talks about being a “late bloomer” in his hip hop exposure

At about 13:25, Timothy cites Nas, Lauryn Hill, Blackstar, Outkast, The Roots as some of his favorite rappers and groups

At about 14:45, Timothy talks about friends The Remnant and how they helped him to “understand the power of [his] own voice”

At about 15:30, Timothy responds to Pete’s question about how he listen to music now that he has written about and taught classes so extensively about hip hop

At about 17:00, Timothy breaks down his process for listening to music that he will be writing/teaching about

At about 17:50, Timothy explains the different ways of ordering Kendrick Lamar’s albums/mixtapes, and expands on the class’ contours

At about 20:30, Timothy talks about the class on Kendrick Lamar’s seeds, calling it "serendipitous"

At about 23:10, Timothy talks about the class structure, including the foundation established at the beginning of the class

At about 26:30, Timothy talks about how he goes about establishing Compton as an entity in itself, while at the same time showing its similarities to other casualties of government neglect and racism

At about 28:25, Timothy talks about the "compelling" way in which Kendrick Lamar is both popularly respected and critically-acclaimed

At about 31:55, Pete and Tim discuss an early Kendrick Lamar concert

At about 32:25, Pete and Tim reflect on Kendrick Lamar’s love of Black culture and for important music legends, particularly the way in which he featured titans on To Pimp a Butterfly

At about 34:30, Tim describes the great insights

At about 36:05, Marcus J. Moore’s The Butterfly Effect and Cole Cuchna and his Dissect Podcast are shouted out by Timothy as experts on Kendrick and his work, and DJ Head as well and Curtis King are highlighted as close colleagues of Kendrick’s

At about 38:00, Timothy shares some of his favorite bars from Kendrick Lamar

At about 41:15, Pete and Timothy fanboy over Kendrick’s verse on “Nosetalgia” and Timothy gives kudos to Cole Cuchna’s breakdown of the numerology of the verse

At about 42:10, Timothy talks about a few songs that might be best representative of Kendrick Lamar’s music

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of children’s literature on standout writers from the show, including Robert Jones, Jr. and Javier Zamora, as well as Pete’s cherished relationship with Levar Burton, Reading Rainbow, and libraries.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 319 with Farah Ali, writer of the novel The River, The Town, and the short story collection People Want to Live. Her fiction has been anthologized in Best Small Fictions and the Pushcart Prize where it has also received special mention. She is the cofounder of Lakeer, a digital space for writing from Pakistan, and reviews editor at Wasafiri. Her novel Telegraphy is out on January 16, from CB editions, and the episode airs on Pub Day.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 317 with Kasim Ali, Author of Who Will Remain and Master of Snappy Dialogue, Dynamic Characters, and Resonant and Creative Plot

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:42:24 -0800

Notes and Links to Kasim Ali’s Work

Kasim Ali was born and raised in Alum Rock, Birmingham. He is the author of the debut novel Good Intentions, has written fiction for BBC Radio 4 and has a column at The Bookseller. His short fiction has been longlisted for the 4th Estate and Guardian 4thWrite Short Story Prize, and Good Intentions was shortlisted for the Mo Siewcharran (Sue Sharon) Prize. He works as an editor in publishing and now lives in London.

Buy Who Will Remain

Kasim Ali’s Website

Interview from Hyphen Magazine: “Kasim Ali: ‘Some men think that shifting to the right is what’s going to save them’ ”

From The Observer UK: ‘What did we do to make you want to leave?’

At about 1:20, Kasim reflects on his experience since Who Will Remain was released in July 2025

At about 2:45, Kasim responds to Pete’s question about he balances the commercial and the aesthetic

At about 5:00, Kasim discusses his editing process for his own books, especially with regard to the fact that he is an editor

At about 7:20, Kasim expands on why he calls himself “1.5” with regards to generations and immigration, as well as his early language and literature life

At about 13:35, Pete asks about Urdu, and if Kasim can trace any of his writing in English to echoes of his familial language

At about 16:15, Kasim talks about his confidence (or lack thereof) in his writing of dialogue after Pete compliments his dialogue skills

At about 17:40, Kasim expands on “but” and “therefore” in dialogue-interesting and necessary writing advice

At about 20:30, Kasim schools Pete on schooling structures in the UK

At about 21:10, Kasim highlights formative and transformative writing and writers

At about 24:00, Kasim writes about his first novel as a departure from his “usual” writing style

At about 26:00, Does Kasim know Elena Ferrante’s identity????

At about 27:05, Pete asks Kasim about the book’s dedication, and Kasim expands upon his life trajectory

At about 30:05, Kasim riffs on Suella Braverman’s racist and xenophobic comments that became his book’s epigraph

At about 35:00, Kasim reflects on ideas of dealing with stereotypes and reflecting broader Pakistani/immigrant/communities is general and getting past “limiting conversations”

At about 37:05, Pete lays out some of the novel’s exposition

At about 38:15, Kasim expands on ideas of “fitting in” with different familial groups and shifting roles within the family for real-life brothers and Bilal and Amir in the novel

At about 43:05, Kasim reflects on his interest in “duality” and connects to the novel’s opening funeral scene

At about 46:10, Kasim responds to Pete’s question about tropes of masculinity dealt with in the book

At about 47:20, Kasim discusses incorporating real-life violence into the book

At about 50:00, Pete highlights simple and powerful writing (“Then then then”) that he asks Kasim about

At about 51:50, The two discuss arguments and bitterness over money

At about 52:35, Kasim responds to Pete’s noting of the affections between men in the novel

At about 59:40, Pete notes a nice nostalgic moment, and Kasim reflects on Amir’s reintroduction to Adnan, a young man he previously would have avoided; Kasim connects to his own life and seeing ex-classmates

At about 1:03:00, Kasim shares how the book Doppelganger fascinated him and gave him inspiration for his own writing about duality

At about 1:06:20, Kasim responds to Pete’s question about ideas of the “manosphere” and its connection to Amir and his connections with Farrah and the way he and friends talk about women

At about 1:10:35,

At about 1:11:50, Kasim talks about an “easy and boring” job and how it in a strange way leads to nice and welcome conversations between brothers

At about 1:14:50,

At about 1:17:40, Amir “growing into the mask”

At about 1:18:30,

At about 1:18:50, Kasim posits some possible actors for a movie

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 318 with Timothy Wellbeck, Esquire, a leader in the fight for justice and racial equity. Timothy presently serves as the founding Director of the Center for Anti-Racism at Temple University, where he has led the Center from its inception into becoming one of the leading institutions of its kind. A Civil Rights Attorney by training and practice, Timothy is a scholar of law, race, and cultural studies. He and Pete will be talking about his standing-room only, incredibly popular Temple University classes about Kendrick Lamar and his music.

The episode airs today, Jan 13.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 316 with Kiese Laymon, Author of the Award-Winning Heavy: An American Memoir and Inimitable Writer of Culture, History, and the Personal, and Standout Literary Citizen and Teacher

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 15:51:37 -0800

Notes and Links to Kiese Laymon’s Work

Kiese Laymon is a Black southern writer from Jackson, Mississippi. Laymon is the Libbie Shearn Moody Professor of English and Creative Writing at Rice University. Laymon is the author of Long Division, which won the 2022 NAACP Image Award for fiction, and the essay collection, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, named a notable book of 2021 by the New York Times critics. Laymon’s bestselling memoir, Heavy: An American Memoir, won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose, the Barnes and Noble Discovery Award, the Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media, and was named one of the 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years by The New York Times. The audiobook, read by the author, was named the Audible 2018 Audiobook of the Year. Laymon is the recipient of 2020-2021 Radcliffe Fellowship at Harvard. Laymon is at work on the books, Good God, and City Summer, Country Summer, and a number of other film and television projects. He is the founder of The Catherine Coleman Literary Arts and Justice Initiative, a program based out of the Margaret Walker Center at Jackson State University, aimed at aiding young people in Jackson get more comfortable reading, writing, revising and sharing on their own terms, in their own communities. He is the co-host of Reckon True Stories with Deesha Philyaw. Kiese Laymon was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2022.

Buy Heavy

“The Worst Shot Ever Taken” from Believer Magazine

Review for Heavy from NPR

Kiese Laymon's Website

Kiese Laymon's Wikipedia Page

At about 1:45, the two discuss Kiese’s article from The Believer and word counts and teaching high and college

At about 3:05, Kiese talks about his love of hoops and names some standout and favorite players from back in the day and now

At about 4:10, The two shout out grizzled veterans like Phillip Rivers and LeBron James

At about 5:30, Pete highlights Ernie Barnes’ work and asks Kiese about the significance of Barnes’ paintings

At about 8:45, Kiese shares his memories of and love for basketball and jumpstops and shot fakes-shout out, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

At about 10:40, Pete shouts out Jeff Pearlman’s basketball wiles

At about 11:10, Kiese lays out the exposition for his The Believer article and Pete and Kiese fanboy over Kiese’s writer friends and Sactown’s own, Cydni Matsuoka

At about 14:00, Kiese responds to Pete’s question about the “possibility” of Steph Curry

At about 16:45, Toni Cade Bambara and “Gorilla, My Love” is highlighted, as Pete links Kiese’s penultimate sentence to Bambara’s work

At about 18:20, The two discuss Kiese’s mom as a “public intellectual” and Kiese lists formative reading and listening

At about 20:30, Kiese shouts out Kendrick Lamar as a link to Public Enemy’s activism and consciousness, and marvels at his lasting power

At about 24:20, Kiese reflects on Public Enemy’s methods versus that of others like NWA or Dead Prez

At about 26:25, Kiese highlights Julian Randle, Safiya Sinclair, Deesha Philyaw, and Sarah Aziza’s work as some that resonates with his college students

At about 28:40, Pete calls attention to Heavy’s epigraph and dedication and discusses their significance

At about 31:05, Kiese responds to Pete’s question about so much of the book’s Prologue being centered on his Grandmama

At about 32:45, Kiese outlines his rationale and motivation for ultimately writing a different type of book, not the “safer” book his mom and publishers might have wanted

At about 34:30, Kiese and Pete discuss the echo of his time at Millsap College being censored/edited with an op-ed piece of his

At about 35:40, Kiese recounts stories associated with the book’s opening scene in Las Vegas

At about 38:45, Kiese reflects on his mother as his “best friend” and ideas of mortality and “initation”

At about 40:55, Kiese responds to Pete’s questions about the way his family interacted in his childhood

At about 45:20, Pete sets up an important opening scene involving Layla and asks Kiese about rape/sexual assault in the house of older acquaintances

At about 50:10, Kiese reflects on ideas of power and safety and sexuality

At about 53:15, Pete and Kiese discuss the juxtaposition of his mom as a public intellectual and as someone who struggled with financial and other practical pursuits

At about 55:30, Kiese talks about Malachi Hunter in the book and balancing “reductive and stupid” comments he made with lessons he taught Kiese

At about 57:20, Kiese and Pete trace the different ways in which Malachi and Kiese’s mom and grandmother undertook “reckoning” or didn’t

At about 59:00, Kiese homes in on his grandmother’s life and “reckon[ings}” with history and sexism and racism

At about 1:01:00, Pete and Kiese discuss the ways in which Kiese’s grandmother got by financially and spiritually

At about 1:01:50, Kiese expands on the ways in which he viewed organized religion

At about 1:03:40, The two discuss the ways in which the book’s title was manifested through his grandmother’s love

At about 1:04:10, Abundance! and slang that didn’t catch on is discussed

At about 1:04:50, Kiese reflects on a painful experience in school involving a viewing of Roots without a larger discussion

At about 1:08:55, Kiese expands upon how he saw Mississippi in his year away in Maryland

At about 1:11:05, Kiese discusses an early relationship and its challenges and the conflicting ways in which he viewed his coach and teacher

At about 1:14:10, Kiese regrades a high school essay-it’s an “A!”

At about 1:15:00, Kiese responds to Pete asking about his high school graduation boycott

At about 1:16:50, The two discuss time in college and Kiese’s relationship with a girl and his learning in class and outside of school-Pete highlights a wonderful paragraph on Page 141 that highlights “liberation”

At about 1:18:00, Kiese shares the practical advice Malachi Hunter gave Kiese as he was threatened in college for his writing

At about 1:19:25, Kiese reflects on the ways in which he viewed his writing

At about 1:20:45, Kiese talks about Tate Reeves’ presence at a racist frat event and the ways in which Tate knew Kiese and failed him

At about 1:23:50, Kiese talks about how the book is different/aged since he published it in 2018

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 317 with Dr. Timothy Wellbeck. a leader in the fight for justice and racial equity. Timothy presently serves as the founding Director of the Center for Anti-Racism at Temple University, where he has led the Center from its inception into becoming one of the leading institutions of its kind. A Civil Rights Attorney by training and practice, Timothy is a scholar of law, race, and cultural studies. We’ll be talking about his standing-room only, incredibly popular Temple University classes about Kendrick Lamar and his music.

The episode airs on January 13.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 315 with Cole Cuchna, Creator and Host of Dissect Podcast and an Intellectually Curious, Master Analyst and Researcher of Sound and Lyrics and the Alchemy of the Great Artists

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 08:39:49 -0800

Notes and Links to Cole Cuchna’s Work

Cole Cuchna graduated from California State University with a degree in music composition. Cuchna graduated in 2015, pursued a short solo career, then worked as a barista. But his desire to bridge the classical and pop worlds persisted. He remembered his love of writing essays and conducting deep research about music. That coincided with the growing popularity of podcasting, which had been around for a decade. It was the perfect medium, he felt, for long-form analysis of an audio art.

Cole is the host and creator of Dissect Podcast, a music podcast which debuted in 2016. The podcast is renowned for its in-depth analysis of contemporary music. Dissect was named "Best podcast of 2017" by Quartz, and the following year was named "Best podcast of 2018" by The New York Times. Additionally, both Time magazine and The Guardian listed Dissect as one of the top 50 podcasts of 2018. 2025 marks the 13th season of Dissect.

Listen to Dissect Podcast

Watch Dissect Podcast on Netflix

Dissect Podcast Homepage

Dissect Podcast Wikipedia

Review of Dissect Podcast

At about 2:55, Cole explains plans for Dissect Podcast on Netflix, coming soon!

At about 4:40, Cole responds to Pete’s question about his own love of hip hop and transformative and formative music for him

At about 6:50, Cole underscores the “shared community” of skating growing up that welcomed “rappers” and “rockers”

At about 8:30, Robin Branson, who put Pete on to Dissect (thanks, Robin), asks Cole about his view of himself as an “educator”

At about 12:35, the two discuss Cole’s research process and ideas of knowing the artist and his/her art

At about 15:45, Pete shares a profound quote from Cole about the essence of music and music fandom

At about 16:15, Cole responds to Pete’s question about how he listens to music differently (or not) since he has become

At about 17:20, Cole expands upon the genesis for the podcast, dealing with Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly and his daughter’s birth

At about 19:00, a discussion of possible future hip hop heads alludes to a classic video

At about 20:00, Cole outlines his average research time and his early research in the early days of the podcast

At about 20:45, Cole explains what skills he had already developed in college music composition, and what skills he has learned/used in doing the podcast

At about 22:20, Cole responds to Pete’s question about how he picks an album

At about 25:00, Pete details some of the great “subtlety and nuance” on the podcast

At about 26:45, Cole expands on one of the show’s “inside jokes”

At about 27:45, Pete brings up “syncopation” in Radiohead’s work in asking Cole about he balances sonic and lyrical jargon with digestible information for people who are not necessarily students of music theory

At about 32:15, Cole responds to Pete’s question about what it’s like to work with experts on individual artists in crafting his seasons

At about 34:25, Cole and Pete discuss the “side projects” that Cole has done involving standout artists and songs

At about 36:20, Cole reflects on contemporary artists and his willingness to stay open to new sounds and talents

At about 40:20, Cole talks about cool and beneficial feedback from the artists profiled on the podcast

At about 41:40, Cole responds to Pete asking about “surreal” moments he’s experienced in doing the podcast and offshoot projects

At about 42:40, Manifesting for a future Cole interview with Kendrick!

At about 43:20, Cole shouts out the rapper who has “sealed the deal” for him as the G.O.A.T.

At about 44:25, When’s Frank Ocean gonna drop?

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 316 with Kiese Laymon, a Black southern writer from Jackson, Mississippi. He is the author of Long Division, which won the 2022 NAACP Image Award for fiction, and the essay collection, How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, named a notable book of 2021 by the New York Times critics. Laymon’s bestselling memoir, Heavy: An American Memoir, won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, the Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose, the Barnes and Noble Discovery Award, the Austen Riggs Erikson Prize for Excellence in Mental Health Media, and was named one of the 50 Best Memoirs of the Past 50 Years by The New York Times.

The episode airs on January 6.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 314 with Joe McGinniss Jr., Author of Damaged People: A Memoir of Fathers and Sons and Master of Nuance, Resonant Scenes, and Reflection Created by Juxtaposition

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:00:26 -0800

Notes and Links to Joe McGinniss’ Work

Joe McGinniss Jr. is the author of DAMAGED PEOPLE, CAROUSEL COURT and THE DELIVERY MAN.

Buy Damaged People: A Memoir of Fathers and Sons

Joe's Wikipedia

Review of Damaged People in Kirkus Reviews

People Magazine Article about Damaged People

At about 1:30, Joe talks about wonderful feedback he’s gotten from readers of his memoir

At about 2:40, Pete and Joe reflect on his father’s work and ideas in relation to the “public intellectual”

At about 4:45, Joe expands on the hard work and determination that led to him being so revered, even by Robert F. Kennedy

At about 8:10, Joe gives purchasing information for Damaged People

At about 9:30, Joe gives seeds and background for his memoir, including a catalyst in a 2016 New Yorker article

At about 10:45, The two discuss the book’s epigraphs and Joe remarks on writing about such personal experiences and close friends and family

At about 13:50, Joe responds to Pete’s questions about the book’s Prologue setting

At about 16:50, Joe expands on the analogy of his father put forth by his brother of their father as a “puppy pissing on the rug”

At about 21:40, Pete references Lorenzo Carcaterra’s A Safe Place and connections to Joe’s book

At about 23:00, Joe expands upon cycles involving sons and fathers and reflects on the line from the book that “progress is being made”

At about 28:00, Joe responds to Pete’s questions about a telling photo opp for a magazine article on Heroes by his father

At about 30:50, Pete and Joe give background on Joe, Sr.’s breakthrough with The Selling of the President, and Joe discusses connections between the events of the book and today’s politics

At about 33:00, the two discuss Joe’s father’s triumphs and the parts he was lacking as a father, in connection to his own father’s treatment of him; Joe emphasizes that his son knew he “was loved” by his grandfather

At about 36:20, Pete lays out some of the book’s flashforward scene to beautiful memories of his growing son and wonderful wife, and then the two talk Rex Chapman and basketball inspiration

At about 40:10, Joe talks about his first book’s tour, and how he built great memories, and he talks about the juxtaposed

At about 41:40, The two discuss the “idyllic” life lived by Joe’s father (and Joe for a while), and Joe shares some amazing anecdotes from those days

At about 44:40, Joe relates the story of his dog Lucy being stolen by a 19-year-old Kiefer Sutherland (!)

At about 45:30, Joe expands on his father’s experience researching Fatal Vision

At about 49:50, Joe gives background on the importance of the saying, “Everything’s blowin’ away” in connection to his father’s energy and ambition and anxiety

At about 52:45, Joe responds to Pete’s questions about his father’s treatment of Jeffrey McDonald in Fatal Vision

At about 53:30, Pete reflects on changes in Joe’s relationship with his son as he grows up

At about 54:30, Joe recounts the story that Janet Malcolm wrote regarding the MacDonald case and how Joe, Sr. was sued

At about 59:20, Joe traces the late 80s and 90s for his father, and his bold decision to turn down an O.J. Simpson trial book and write instead about Italian soccer

At about 1:05:30, Joe shares his perspective on apology letters and confession letters written by his father to him and his siblings

At about 1:08:00, Joe reflects on the times in which he knew he had been too overbearing and strict with his son in his basketball career

At about 1:11:50, Joe reflects on ideas of life and father-son relationships as “process[es]” in connection to his father’s death and “gaps” left behind

At about 1:15:10, Joe responds to Pete’s question about how he now sees sons after these years of writing and reflection

At about 1:17:30, Joe charts his dad’s reactions to hip-hop

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of flawed characters, protagonists who are too real in their actions, and horror and noir as being where so much good and realistic writing takes place.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 315 with Cole Cuchna, the host and the creator of Dissect, a serialized music podcast that examines a single album per season, one song per episode. Dissect was named "Best podcast of 2017" by Quartz, and the following year was named "Best podcast of 2018" by the New York Times. It has done deep dives on albums by Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce, Childish Gambino, Tyler the Creator, MF Doom, Radiohead, Frank Ocean, and more.

The episode airs on December 30.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 313 with Jackie Domenus, Author of No Offense: A Memoir in Essays, and Standout Builder of Subtlety and The Macro and Micro, The Societal and the Personal

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 09:04:42 -0800

Notes and Links to Jackie Domenus’ Work

Jackie Domenus (she/they) is a queer writer from South Jersey and the author of NO OFFENSE: A MEMOIR IN ESSAYS (2025), published with ELJ Editions. A 2021 Tin House Winter Workshop graduate, Jackie’s essays have appeared in The HuffPost, The Offing Mag, The Normal School, Variant Lit, Entropy, Watershed Review, Wig-Wag, Philadelphia Stories, and HerStry, among other publications Their poetry has appeared in Hooligan Mag and Giving Room Mag. Her short story “Mirror Image” published in So To Speak, as well as her essay “Two Truths and a Lie” published in Identity Theory, were both nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

Jackie has formerly served as a publishing assistant at Guernica Magazine, an associate editor for Glassworks Magazine, and a contest coordinator for Philadelphia Stories. They work as the Program Director for Fellowships at Mid Atlantic Arts.

Buy No Offense: A Memoir in Essays

Jackie's Website

Review of No Offense in The Rumpus: “Misperceptions, Assumptions, and Slurs: Jackie Domenus’s No Offense”

At about 3:45, Jackie talks about ideas of representation and reading as a kid-they highlight The Perks of Being a Wallflower

At about 6:50, shout out to Shel Silverstein’s feet (and writing)!

At about 7:15, Jackie responds to Pete’s questions about their early writing journey

At about 9:45, Jackie reflects on writing as “cathartic” and "therapeutic," in certain conditions, and in some conditions, not so

At about 12:20, Zoe Bossier, Kiese Laymon, Melissa Febos, and K.B. Brookins are shouted out as writers who thrill and challenge Jackie

At about 14:05, Pete asks Jackie about their book’s Foreword and the process in ultimately deciding to include early writing that had them in different and perhaps more privileged places

At about 18:10, Pete and Jackie

At about 20:40, Jackie talks about interesting and fun feedback from readers

At about 24:30, Jackie responds to Pete asking about early on in the book defining “microaggression”

At about 26:15, Pete lays out the book’s exposition in discussing the first essay of the book, and Jackie expands upon the essay’s themes and connecting POVs

At about 30:20, Jackie emphasizes their belief that any memoir, particularly queer and trans memoir, does not need to be linear

At about 31:15, the two discuss the book’s essay meditations on the uses of terms for men and women connected to dogs

At about 33:15, Jackie responds to Pete’s question about the anecdote in the essay where their dad broke down over the loss of the family dog

At about 35:35, Jackie and Pete discuss Mary Poppins and heroes and queer people and their representations in media in Jackie’s formative years

At about 39:00, The two discuss ignorance and ideas of “othering” as reflected in a resonant anecdote in the book about a trip to the OB/GYN

At about 42:45, Pete uses an example from a Simpsons’ episode in asking Jackie about the balance between educating and becoming a crutch for people looking for validation

At about 46:50, Jackie expands upon the line from the book that their “coming out was not really a ‘coming out’ ”

At about 49:10, Jackie reflects on the material from the book’s essay dealing with interpretations of queerness in Jennifer’s Body, Girl, Interrupted, and Black Swan

At about 53:15, Jackie discusses an essay that identifies three “first loves” and traces their outward sexuality

At about 56:20, Pete compliments Jackie’s use of second person, highlighting a beautiful imagined scene on Page 84, and Jackie talks about their mindset and aim for the essay

At about 1:00:35, “Burden of Proof” and a student of Jackie’s, Isaac’s, moving experiences are discussed

At about 1:04:50, Fear and the Trump era are discussed as rendered in the book, as well as Jackie’s continuing "realization"

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 314 with Mariah Rigg. She is a Samoan-Haole who was born and raised on the island of O‘ahu. She is the author of the short story collection EXTINCTION CAPITAL OF THE WORLD (Ecco/HarperCollins, 2025), which was listed a best book of 2025 by Esquire, Electric Lit, and Debutiful, and received praise from Vulture, Oprah Daily, Chicago Review of Books, Literary Hub, Autostraddle, Ms. Magazine, and more.

The episode airs on December 16.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 312 with Amber Sparks, Author of Happy People Don't Live Here, and Creator of Wonderfully Weird Characters, Resonant Settings, and Clever Page-Turners

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 19:20:52 -0800

Notes and Links to Amber Sparks’ Work

Amber Sparks is the author of the short story collections And I Do Not Forgive You and The Unfinished World. Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review, Granta, Slate, and elsewhere. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband, daughter, and cats. Happy People Don’t Live Here was published in October 2025.

Buy Happy People Don't Live Here

Amber’s Website

Kirkus Reviews of Happy People Don't Live Here

At about 1:20, Amber describes the “weird” time about a month after the book’s publication, an in-between time

At about 2:25, Amber talks about the feedback she has received since the book was published, including surprising thoughts shared about the child narrator and the “other” narrator, Alice

At about 5:25, Amber talks about her influences growing up, including fantasy and writers like Dean Koontz

At about 7:40, Amber talks about her inclination to write a book featuring multiple genres, with the result being Happy People Don’t Live Here

At about 9:20, Amber responds to Pete asking about plot and allegory and their balance

At about 11:35, Amber shouts out Kelly Link, Rion Amicar-Scott, Stephen Graham-Jones, and Matt Bell as a few of many contemporary writers she loves

At about 14:35, Amber and Pete discuss the book’s resonant epigraphs, and Amber talks about her interest in ghosts

At about 18:00, Pete shouts out the classic story “Someone Has Been Disarranging these Roses”

At about 19:15, Amber explains her chapters and the rationale in making the book “episodic”

At about 20:50, The book’s beginning and connections to real-life events is discussed

At about 24:35, The two discuss one of the book’s main character, Fern

At about 27:10, Pete compliments the book’s setting, and Amber provides background for the place

At about 30:00, the two discuss the book’s inciting incident, a body discovered by Fern, and Amber expands on the ways she went about populating the book

At about 35:40, some key characters are discussed, including a possible love interest for Alice

At about 36:40, Amber responds to Pete’s question about Alice’s ex-husband as a sort of flat character-she calls him a “cipher”

At about 40:10, Amber reflects on Alice’s ways of avoiding the past and running from this past, and Amber shouts out William H. Macy in Magnolia

At about 43:50, the two discuss the “banal” ghost

At about 47:00, parent-child relationships are discussed

At about 51:20, Pete asks Amber about writing in second-person, as she does for part of her book-shout out to Lorrie Moore!

At about 55:40, Amber talks about exciting new projects

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 313 with Jackie Domenus, a queer writer from South Jersey and the author of NO OFFENSE: A MEMOIR IN ESSAYS (2025), published with ELJ Editions. A 2021 Tin House Winter Workshop graduate, Jackie’s essays have appeared in The HuffPost, The Offing Mag, The Normal School, Pidgeonholes, Foglifter Journal, Variant Lit, Entropy, and many more. Their poetry has appeared in Hooligan Mag and Giving Room Mag. Her short story “Mirror Image” published in So To Speak, as well as her essay “Two Truths and a Lie” published in Identity Theory, were both nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

The episode airs on December 2.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 311 with Kurt Baumeister, Author of Twilight of the Gods, and Skilled Worldbuilder, Craftsman of the Subtle and Resonant, and Curious Student of History

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 19:05:46 -0800

Notes and Links to Kurt Baumeister’s Work

Kurt Baumeister’s writing has appeared in Salon, Guernica, Electric Literature, Rain Taxi, The Brooklyn Rail, The Rumpus, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, The Nervous Breakdown, The Weeklings, and other outlets. An acquisitions editor with 7.13 Books, Baumeister holds an MFA in creative writing from Emerson College, and is a member of The National Book Critics Circle and The Authors Guild. Twilight of the Gods is his second novel.

Buy Twilight of the Gods

Kurt’s Website

Chicago Review of Books Interview Re: Twilight of the Gods

At about 2:45, Kurt talks about the book’s original publication date falling around the 2024 elections

At about 6:15, Kurt reflects on the vagaries of publishing, and interesting and complimentary feedback from readers on the book

At about 11:30, Pete shares a wonderful quote about Kurt’s writing, and Kurt discusses Martin Amis and other influences on his writing

At about 15:45, The two discuss the book’s “Dramatis Personae” to start the book and some tongue-in-cheek descriptions of some Norse gods

At about 17:30, Kurt responds to Pete’s questions about Loki’s historical and mythical evolutions

At about 20:30, Kurt reflects on metafiction and gives background on why he names a main character in the book “Kurt”

At about 23:50, Kurt talks about media representations of Loki in connection to his own

At about 25:30, Kurt describes why he makes Loki as he is

At about 28:20, Kurt gives background on the Norns, of which Sunshine/Sabrina from the book is a member

At about 29:30, Pete compliments the ways the book traces human history, particularly with regard to Hitler’s rise

At about 34:15, Kurt responds to Pete’s question about mixing fiction and fact

At about 37:00, Kurt talks about history repeating itself and connecting disparate eras

At about 39:55, Kurt responds to Pete’s question about the subtleties and the nuances of the book, i.e, plot focus v. allegory focus

At about 42:00, Kurt discusses his mindset in writing the ending(s) of the book

At about 45:00, An intriguing question posed in the book about fate is probed

At about 45:50, Pete cites the book’s ending as highly successful, and Kurt shouts out a shared beloved movie, Training Day, with regard to slowly-creeping evil

At about 47:50, a “reverence and pity” for artists is discussed, as mentioned in the book

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 312 with Amber Sparks, the author of the short story collections And I Do Not Forgive You and The Unfinished World. Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review, Granta, Slate, and elsewhere. Her book, Happy People Don’t Live Here, was published in October 2025.

The episode drops on November 25, today.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 310 with Stephanie Elizondo Griest, Author of Art Above Everything: One Woman’s Global Exploration...of a Creative Life, and Empathetic Listener, Dogged Researcher, and Curious Learner

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 09:46:54 -0800

Notes and Links to Stephanie Elizondo Griest’s Work

*Content Warning: Please be aware that the book discusses sexual assault

Stephanie Elizondo Griest is a globetrotting author from the Texas/Mexico borderlands. Her six books include Around the Bloc: My Life in Moscow, Beijing, and Havana; Mexican Enough; All the Agents and Saints; and Art Above Everything: One Woman’s Global Exploration of the Joys and Torments of a Creative Life. She has also written for the New York Times, Washington Post, VQR, The Believer, BBC, Orion, Lit Hub, and Oxford American. Her work has been supported by the Lannan Foundation, Henry Luce Foundation, Princeton University, and the Institute for Arts and Humanities, and she has won a Margolis Award, an International Latino Book Award, a PEN Southwest Book Award, and two Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism prizes. Currently Professor of Creative Nonfiction at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Elizondo Griest has performed in capacities ranging from a Moth storyteller to a literary ambassador for the U.S. State Department. Wanderlust has led her to 50 countries and 49 states. Her hardest journey was to Planet Cancer in 2017, but she’s officially in remission now. She recently endowed Testimonios Fronterizos, a research grant for student journalists from the borderlands enrolled at her alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Journalism.

Buy Art Above Everything

Stephanie's Website

Review of Art Above Everything in Southern Review

At about 3:40 Stephanie expands on her creative background and family connections to music and language

At about 10:15, Stephanie talks about formative and transformative texts, including work by and her relationship with her “spiritual madrina,” Sandra Cisneros

At about 11:30, Stephanie discusses similarities and differences in some Mexican Spanish and Tejano Spanish

At about 13:30, Stephanie provides seeds for her book

At about 16:50, The two discuss a dearth of publicity and respect for female travel writers, and generally females writing about art

At about 18:15, Stephanie talks about the formative artist residency in 2014 in India, at Nrityagram

At about 20:30, Stephanie responds to Pete’s question about Sheryl Oring’s inspiration for Stephanie’s creative life

At about 24:45, the two discuss “Art as Reconciliation” and Stephanie’s experiences in Rwanda with therapeutic theater and hard and painful and moving conversations and reconciliations

At about 29:05, Pete and Stephanie discuss post-dictatorship and art done in response to the House of the People in Romania

At about 34:20, Stephanie and Pete discuss similarities between female artists around the world, as seen in Stephanie’s research and travels, regardless of economic status and country of origin; Stephanie cites “callings” at young ages

At about 38:30, Wendy Whelan and her absolute “devotion” to art is discussed, as well as the ways in which domineering males have often abused and defamed artistic women

At about 44:00, Bjork and Iceland’s masterful director Vilborg Davíðsdóttir and “Art as Revenge” are discussed

At about 48:55, Stephanie talks about the process of writing so personally

At about 50:45, “Art as Medicine” and Stephanie’s journey with cancer and ideas of humor and sustenance are discussed, along with Stephanie being “revived” by sharing stories on a mini book tour

At about 54:20, Havana Habibi and its resonance are discussed

At about 56:40, Sandra Cisneros as a “spiritual madrina” to Stephanie and so many others is discussed

At about 1:00:40, Stephanie expands on the “force” that is Mama Mihirangi and her connection to Maori and female liberation

At about 1:04:10, Ayana Evans and her performance and her subverting expectations of Black women are discussed, including the Loophole of Retreat

At about 1:09:00, The two discuss “Art as Immoratality” and ideas of legacy and passing on creativity and art as so meaningful

At about 1:11:20, Stephanie reflects on the book’s 10 year span and its meanings

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 311 with Kurt Baumeister, whose writing has appeared in Salon, Electric Literature, The Brooklyn Rail, The Rumpus, and other outlets. An acquisitions editor with 7.13 Books, Baumeister is a member of The National Book Critics Circle and The Authors Guild, and 2025’s Twilight of the Gods is his second novel.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 309: Kaila Yu, Author of Fetishized: A Reckoning With Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty, and Nuanced Writer of Historical and Contemporary Pop Culture, Misogyny, & Anti-Asian Racist Othering

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:17:22 -0800

Notes and Links to Kaila Yu’s Work

Kaila Yu is a singer, songwriter, former model, and freelance journalist for Rolling Stone, CNN, Glamour, and more.

She was formerly the lead singer for the all-Asian-American, female rock band Nylon Pink. Yu is also one of the founders of the jewelry/fashion line "Hello Drama" which is affiliated with the Nylon Pink band and style.

Buy Fetishized: A Reckoning With Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty

Kaila's Instagram

Review of Fetishized for The New York Times

At about 1:10, Kaila responds to Pete’s questions about feedback she has gotten on the book, and how she sees the book now, post-publication

At about 3:15, Pete asks Kaila to share background information on her reading and language life

At about 4:45, Kaila talks about how writing as a profession developed and shouts out Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong and Melissa Febos and Roxane Gay’s greatness

At about 7:05, Kaila talks about the catalysts for her writing her book, largely around the beginning of the Covid pandemic

At about 10:20, Kaila talks about distinctions, or lack thereof, between “fetish” and preference

At about 11:45, Kaila and Pete discuss the book’s opening and hurtful and harmful comments towards Kaila, some in recent years

At about 13:20, Kaila reflects on “mainstreamed objectification” and an observation from the book that “objectification was better than invisibility”

At about 16:35, the two discuss halting attempts at Asian representation in the 90s and early 2000s

At about 18:10, Kaila discusses the evolution of Asian and Asian-American stars and their ability to “make their own lane”

At about 19:05, Kaila talks about ideas of personal “diminish[ment]” growing up in comparison to media portrayals

At about 20:30, Kaila responds to Pete’s questions about the effects of Memoirs of a Geisha and perpetuation of harmful tropes

At about 22:30, more examples of problematic representation of Asian women in pop culture and in Kaila’s schooling are discussed

At about 23:00, Kaila talks about the evolution of “ABGs”

At about 25:30, Kaila talks about the “groundbreaking” Joy Luck Club and also ways that it could have been better in minimizing stereotypes

At about 26:30, Kaila gives background on the start of her pinup model, as well as how rife the industry is with sexualization and sexual crimes

At about 27:45, Kaila gives background on a contemporary San Diego “modeling gig” agency that led to sexual crimes, showing how her experience was sadly not unique

At about 30:05, Kaila responds to Pete’s question about online and in-person hateful and misogynistic comments and how she and bandmates

At about 31:50, Kaila talks about she didn’t connect at the time, but does now, about how she dealt with traumas

At about 33:00, Shoutout to Allen Carr and his anti-smoking books

At about 33:45, Pete asks Kaila about the pitfalls of fame, and her ceaseless battle to remove a defamatory video

At about 35:35, Kaila talks about ideas of a "separation" and the impetus for her name change

At about 36:40, The two discuss ideas of interchangeability and the history of blepharoplasty

At about 38:50, Afong Moy and other exoticism and inhumane conditions for Asian women are discussed, and how this led to a sexualization of these women

At about 41:15, Kaila and Pete discuss some acting and entertainment highlights and struggles; included is some reminiscing about MySpace!

At about 43:50, Kaila responds to Pete’s questions about the end of her music career and performing in multiple ways

At about 45:15, Kaila talks about recent iterations of KPop and patriarchal and feminism in more current music

At about 46:55, Kaila reflects on positive feedback and the legacy involving Nylon Pink

At about 47:10, Kaila talks Guns n Roses and “classic” songs and concerts

At about 49:15, Kaila forecasts what she will be writing about in the future

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 310 with Stephanie Elizondo Griest, a globetrotting author from the Texas/Mexico borderlands. Her six books include Around the Bloc: My Life in Moscow, Beijing, and Havana; Mexican Enough; All the Agents and Saints; and Art Above Everything: One Woman’s Global Exploration of the Joys and Torments of a Creative Life. The latter will be the main conversation piece.

This episode airs on November 20.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 308 with Jeff Pearlman, Author of Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur and Dogged Researcher, Master of Story "Layering" and of Both Concepts in "Work of Art"

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 11:18:51 -0800

Notes and Links to Jeff Pearlman’s Work

Jeff Pearlman is the New York Times bestselling author of ten books. His subjects include the ’80s Los Angeles Lakers (Showtime), the 1986 New York Mets (The Bad Guys Won), the ’90s Dallas Cowboys (Boys Will Be Boys), and NFL legends Walter Payton (Sweetness) and Brett Favre (Gunslinger). HBO adapted Showtime into the dramatic series Winning Time, produced and directed by Adam McKay. A former Sports Illustrated senior writer and ESPN.com columnist, Pearlman is the host of the Two Writers Slinging Yang podcast and blogs regularly at jeffpearlman.com.

Buy Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur

Jeff's Website

NPR Coverage of Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur

At about 3:15, Jeff talks about writing against hagiography and how he doesn’t “bring bias” into his writing, whether about Tupac or sports

At about 5:25, Pete compliments the structure of the book, as it examines each of the places that shaped Tupac’s life

At about 5:55, Rapid-fire questions! *Best Tupac collab? Best movie role?

At about 8:45, A beautiful shout-out to friend Curtis Dorsey and Jeff’s dad, Stan

At about 10:20, Jeff shouts out some favorite lines from Tupac’s songs

At about 10:50, Pete and Jeff discuss Tupac’s “layering songs” and wondrous laugh

At about 12:55, Jeff responds to Pete’s question about Jeff’s “in”/entry point for writing about someone who has been written about so much

At about 15:45, Jeff expands on writing his biography of Tupac as a type of "layering" and the importance of specificity

At about 17:00, Jeff talks about how interviewing 652 people for his Tupac book is actually something that “[he] is supposed to do”

At about 19:55, Jeff reflects a bit on book promotion and book release

At about 21:25, Jeff shouts out Dusty Baker as “maybe the coolest human being who’s ever walked the planet”

At about 22:20, Pete asks Jeff about Set Shakur’s quote that Tupac died “alone”; Jeff reflects on the “isolation” of fame

At about 24:00, Jeff talks about Suge Knight and his indifference and his intriguing story

At about 25:45, Jeff talks about Tupac’s connection or lack thereof to the Mob Piru gang

At about 26:45, Pete gives an incomplete and rambling answer to the best Tupac song

At about 28:10, Davonn Hodge and his mother reuniting due to great work by Jeff Pearlman and Michelle Soulli is discussed, as Jeff gives the background on the reunification

At about 30:20, Jeff gives background on Afeni Shakur’s hometown, Lumberton, NC, and he gives a shoutout to Howard Bryant’s book on Ricky Henderson

At about 31:30, Jeff recounts a story about going to Lumberton to use the microfiche, but wound up seeing Tupac’s grave

At about 32:10, Jeff gives background on Afeni Shakur’s amazing life and highlights her accomplishments and travails

At about 33:30, Jeff and Pete discuss “Dear Mama” as aspirational and the sadness of Afeni’s substance abuse and how Tupac dealt with this horrible disappointment and “trauma”

At about 35:15, Jeff talks in awe of Afeni’s defending herself in the “Panther 21” trial

At about 36:20, Jeff discusses Tupac’s name origins

At about 37:45, Jeff responds to Pete’s question about Tupac’s dad Billy Garland and male role models

At about 39:40, The two discuss horrible athletic performances in movies and Tupac’s unfortunate basketball shooting motion

At about 41:00, Jeff gives some background on Tupac’s birth name

At about 41:40, Jeff talks about the impression that New York made on Tupac, musically and personally

At about 43:00, The two discuss Tupac’s time in Baltimore and at the Baltimore School for the Arts, and Tupac as an actor and singer; Jeff calls Baltimore his “favorite Tupac era”

At about 45:10, The two talk about Tupac’s Baltimore time and struggles and how “shapeshifter” didn’t quite fit him

At about 47:10, Jeff traces the Shakurs’ move to Marin City and connections to Geronimo Pratt and his family

At about 48:15, Jeff shares a profound statement from Set Shakur about moving vs. “relocating”

At about 48:50, Jeff talks about Marin City and recreating the Marin City of when Tupac lived there

At about 50:50, Jeff expands on similarities between Tupac’s time in the creative worlds of performing arts high schools in Baltimore and Marin City/ and his mother’s downward spiral

At about 51:55, The two discuss the significance of Marin City’s Festival on the Green 1992 and further reporting on the tragedy as a “turning point”

At about 55:50, Jeff responds to Pete’s observation about Tupac’s first albums not being highly-received and focuses on the changes that led to his second album being disappointing for Tupac

At about 57:20, Jeff traces an almost parallel life for Tupac as a revolutionary leader in Atlanta

At about 58:45, Jeff talks about the awkward time with Tupac working to become a community leader

At about 1:00:20, Jeff responds to Pete’s question about the reactions from people who were wowed by Tupac's raps in person

At about 1:03:00, Jeff shares what he learned in his interviews about Tupac the actor

At about 1:06:00, Jeff shares his thoughts on the alleged second sexual assault by Tupac

At about 1:08:15, Pete and Jeff discuss the “fan[ning] of the hip hop media/media and Tupac’s

At about 1:09:35, Pete compliments the skillful ways in which the last hours and days (the “banal”) were rendered in the way

At about 1:11:10, Pete asks Jeff about how much Death Row changed Tupac/brought out tendencies in him

At about 1:12:55, Jeff shares information from the book on two or three parallel universes where Tupac almost avoided being in Las Vegas

At about 1:13:55, Jeff reflects on Tupac as a 54 year old

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 309 with Amber Sparks, the author of the short story collections And I Do Not Forgive You and The Unfinished World. Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review, Granta, Slate, and elsewhere. Her book Happy People Don’t Live Here was published in October 2025.

The episode drops on November 18.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 307 with Nicole Cuffy, Author of O Sinners! and Master of Subtlety, Dynamic Characters, and Historical Fiction that Shines a Light on Today

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 08:42:33 -0800

Notes and Links to Nicole Cuffy’s Work

Nicole Cuffy is the author of Dances, longlisted for the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel. Cuffy has an MFA from The New School and is a lecturer at the University of Maryland and Georgetown University. Her work can be found in the New England Review; The Masters Review, Volume VI (curated by Roxane Gay); Chautauqua; and Blue Mesa Review. Her chapbook, Atlas of the Body, won the Chautauqua Janus Prize and was a finalist for the Black River Chapbook Competition. She lives in Washington, D.C.

Buy O Sinners!

Nicole's Linktree

Los Angeles Times Review of O Sinners!

At about 2:20, Nicole talks about O Sinners and the feedback she has gotten on the book since publication

At about 3:45, The two discuss the three POVs/genres of the book and Nicole’s early inspirations, including Toni Morrison and Shirley Jackson

At about 5:25, Nicole responds to Pete’s inquiry about the wonderful “specificity” of Toni Morrison, and Pete brings up the interesting ways that Myriam Gurba sees allegory and specificity

At about 6:40, Nicole talks about Karen Russell and Victor Lavalle and other contemporary favorite writers

At about 8:00, Pete lays out the book’s exposition and asks Nicole about the significance of a groove in the wall at the narrator Faruq’s house

At about 10:05, the two discuss Faruq’s complicated feelings towards his aunties and his deceased father

At about 12:45, Nicole describes the reporting gig that serves as a catalyst for much of the book’s action

At about 14:15, Nicole discusses the significance of an AirPod that says a lot about the way Faruq sees death and his father’s death

At about 15:45, Nicole gives some background on the Nameless’ beliefs

At about 17:05, Pete gives some background on the book’s structure

At about 18:05, Nicole outlines the dynamic between the group of soldiers introduced in the “Before” sections of the book

At about 19:30, Nicole talks about Faruq’s father’s “power[lessness]” in experiencing racism and cites a telling quote from James Baldwin about fathers and sons and racism

At about 23:05, Nicole responds to Pete’s question about the makeup of the cult, the Nameless, and she expands also on the type of person who might be a cult leader

At about 25:00, Nicole talks about envisioning the “rage” that Odo, the leader, would harbor coming home after Vietnam in the first US segregated army and continuing to experience systemic racism

At about 27:45, Nicole traces the rise of Odo in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, while reflecting on what would make him popular

At about 29:00, Nicole reflects on the “charisma” and other qualities that drew people to Odo

At about 31:00, Nicole talks about the Nameless’ move to Texas and the chain of events that led to confrontations

At about 32:30, Nicole talks about being “inspired” by the structure and storyline of “Wild, Wild Country”

At about 34:00, Nicole responds to Pete’s questions about the racism shown by Will Roy and his followers in Texas in response to the Nameless’ move

At about 35:35, the two talk about small discrepancies in the cult’s history and narrative

At about 37:00, Nicole talks about the multiple “reads” of the book’s wolf

At about 40:10, Nicole reflects on the Nameless’ views of death and life and the 18 Utterances doctrines

At about 41:30, Nicole traces the origins of the book in her knowledge of and research into the Vietnam War

At about 47:00, Nicole responds to Pete’s question about the “best” Vietnam War movies

At about 49:00, Nicole reflects on the cult’s theology and its search for transcendence and beauty

At about 50:20, Nicole talks about the similarities of cults’ beliefs and the human conditions connections to cults

At about 53:00, Pete and Nicole talk casting for a future big screen/small screen adaptation (fingers crossed!)

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 308 with Jeff Pearlman, the New York Times bestselling author of ten books. His subjects include the ’80s Los Angeles Lakers (Showtime), the 1986 New York Mets (The Bad Guys Won), the ’90s Dallas Cowboys (Boys Will Be Boys), and NFL legends Walter Payton (Sweetness) and Brett Favre (Gunslinger). HBO adapted Showtime into the dramatic series Winning Time, produced and directed by Adam McKay. A former Sports Illustrated senior writer and ESPN.com columnist, Pearlman is the host of the Two Writers Slinging Yang podcast. His latest is Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur.

The episode drops on November 11.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 306 with Shea Serrano, Author of Expensive Basketball, Master of Earnest Storytelling and Pop Culture Hilarity, and Transmitter of a Love of the Game

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 22:05:38 -0700

Notes and Links to Shea Serrano’s Work

Shea Serrano is an American author, journalist, humorist, and former teacher. He is best known for his work with the sports and pop culture websites, The Ringer and Grantland, as well as his books, including The Rap Year Book, Basketball and Movies, all of which were The New York Times best-sellers.

Buy Expensive Basketball

Shea Serrano's Wikipedia Page

Expensive Basketball Review and Interview for San Antonio Express

At about 2:00, Shea notes his accomplishments involving having multiple bestsellers as a Mexican-American writer

At about 3:30, Pete remarks on the intensive research process that Shea undertook for this book and notes a possible “typo”

At about 5:15, Shea responds to Pete’s question about which writers inspired him as a kid, and Shea transitions into talking about writing as an untapped career

At about 6:30, Shea gives background on how Chuck Klosterman’s work amazed him and inspired him to become a writer, as well as how Bill Simmons’ work proved aspirational for Shea

At about 8:45, Shea responds to Pete’s question about what texts his middle-school students enjoyed, and he details some interesting lessons and points and connections he would teach, and Pete is surprised to learn that Shea taught science

At about 10:40, Shea makes an interesting point about why he decided to teach science

At about 11:35, Shea highlights his journey in knowing and working with Bill Simmons

At about 13:35, Shea expands on the definition of the book’s title, Expensive Basketball

At about 16:00, Shea details the chapter in the book about Tim Duncan

At about 18:20, Shea talks about his chapter on Kobe Bryant and being “overcome with emotion” during Kobe’s last game

At about 22:10, more about “Timmy” and all that could have been with the 2010s Oklahoma Thunder

At about 23:20, Shea expands on “the coolest basketball player in the world” in Allen Iverson

At about 26:05, Pete wonders about Sue Bird’s staying power, and Shea expands upon being drawn to the WNBA through the dynamic 2018 Playoffs

At about 28:25, Pete and Shea discuss different types of trash talk and trash talk preferences

At about 30:00, Shea waxes poetic about the “before” and “after” for Ajá Wilson

At about 34:45, the two discuss why and why not for Vince Carter’s dunk on Frederic Weis as the greatest dunk ever

At about 36:05, Shea names his best dunk of all-time

At about 36:40, Pete highlights a great dunk from Michael Jordan

At about 37:30, the two stan Reggie Miller-both as a broadcaster and a player

At about 40:00, Steph Curry’s “beautiful” shot is discussed, as well as his possible sunset as a beautiful player

At about 41:30, Shea traces the incredible ending of the 2024 Olympics Basketball gold medal game and Curry’s

At about 43:35, Shea discusses the pain and pleasure of the book’s “Grail and Ghost Stories”

At about 44:35, Pete highlights the “Miscellaneous” chapter in the book, and Pete and Shea lament the horrors of Robert Horry’s dagger

At about 46:55, Pete complains about Jason Williams, despite his

At about 47:45, Shea responds to Pete’s questions about how to properly write about Shaq and his dominance, highlighting the ways in which even the greats talked about their awe of Shaq

At about 51:25, The two discuss connections between the 1993 Charlotte Hornets and Steve Urkel, as well as the chapter about this team and its resonance

At about 54:00, The two reflect on the singlemindness of the greatest of the great

At about 55:10, Pete hits Shea with some rapid-fire questions, and Shea responds with the “0.4 Seconds Game,” Derek Fisher hate, a controversial take on Drake’s “Forever,” “off-the-wall bars,” the best concerts he’s ever been to, and “Remember[ing] Some Guys”

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 307 with Nicole Cuffy, the author of Dances, longlisted for the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel. Her chapbook, Atlas of the Body, won the Chautauqua Janus Prize and was a finalist for the Black River Chapbook Competition. Her 2025 critically-acclaimed novel is O Sinners!

The episode is out today, October 28.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 305 with Myriam Gurba, Author of Poppy State: A Labyrinth of Plants and a Story of Beginnings, and Brilliant Thinker, reflection-Inducer, and Master Connector of the Allegorical and Immediate

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 20:31:11 -0700

Notes and Links to Myriam Gurba’s Work

Myriam Gurba is a writer and activist. Her first book, the short story collection Dahlia Season, won the Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction. O, the Oprah Magazine ranked her true-crime memoir Mean as one of the “Best LGBTQ Books of All Time.” Her recent essay collection Creep: Accusations and Confessions was a finalist for a National Book Critics Circle award for Criticism, and won the Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Nonfiction. She has written for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Harper’s Bazaar, Vox, and Paris Review. Her next book, Poppy State: A Labyrinth of Plants and a Story of Beginnings, published by Timber Press, is out today, October 21.

Buy Poppy State: A Labyrinth of Plants and a Story of Beginnings

Myriam's Website

Los Angeles Daily News Review of Poppy State: A Labyrinth of Plants and a Story of Beginnings

At about 1:50, Myriam discusses her mindset as the book is to be published, and she shares early feedback and reviews

At about 4:05, Myriam talks about being inspired a bit by Borges’ short story collection, Labyrinths, and more so from mythologies for Mesoamerica and the Minotaur

At about 5:20, Myriam defines an important term

At about 6:30, Myriam talks about writing from the perspective of a child and connections to The Secret Garden

At about 8:30, “halycon” talk!

At about 9:20, Myriam talks about the book’s epigraph/opening saying, which comes from Myriam’s grandfather Ricardo Serrano Ríos, as well as an early message/challenge to the reader

At about 12:30, Myriam responds to Pete’s questions about the differences between carefree childhoods and an encroaching world of homes and development, and nature being pushed aside

At about 14:55, Myriam provides background on the book’s main locale, Santa Maria, and its changes in her lifetime

At about 15:45, The two talk about “claiming” of land and “renaming” and its connection to colonization

At about 18:20, Myriam discusses "indigeneity imposed from outside” in relation to a profound quote Pete notes from the book

At about 20:20, Myriam talks about Western terms and ideas that make it difficult to describe and document Chumash and other indigenous contemporary life and geographical boundaries

At about 22:15, Myriam shares the story from the book about Deborah Miranda and a young child’s shocked realization

At about 24:15, Pete notes some great puns, and Myriam expands on multiple meanings of “hoja” and connections between literacy and botany and the

At about 26:05, Myriam talks about her use of The Santa Maria Times and its archive in building a history of the “settler town through the perspective of settlers”

At about 28:00, Myriam highlights Santa Maria-born Ida Mae Bochmann as an example of a certain time of progressive and colonizing woman

At about 30:20, Myriam reflect on the “communal garden” that was pre-European California

At about 32:00, Pete and Myriam discuss the importance of paper and indigenous practices and priorities

At about 35:10, Myriam responds to Pete’s questions about how she balances the macro- and the micro-, the allegorical and literal

At about 36:45, BARS

At about 39:30, “allegorical memoir” and “botanical criticism” are two possible genres that Myriam imagines for her "kaleidoscopic" book; she also talks about her love of writing and solving puzzles

At about 42:00, Corn talk! Myriam shares some frightening stories about encounters with Midwestern cornfields

At about 45:50, The two discuss a resonant homecoming scene

At about 47:10, Myriam reflects on how local travel and local appreciation inform her argument about “[our] homes hav[ing] multitudes”

At about 48:45, The two discuss the humungous industry that is agriculture, and Myriam talks about focusing in on Santa Barbara County’s strawberry industry

At about 51:30, Myriam talks about the history of Japanese-American farmers dispossessed by the internment camps of World War II

At about 53:45, Myriam makes salient points about catharsis, emphasizing its conditionality-she cites “conditional catharsis”-and chats about susto and “cleansing”

At about 58:50, Myriam talks about “the ethos of the local” and recommends Octavia’s Bookshelf and The Theodore Payne Society , and she also shares book tour events

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 306 with Shea Serrano, an American author, journalist, humorist, and former teacher. He is best known for his work with the sports and pop culture websites, The Ringer and Grantland, as well as his books, including The Rap Year Book, Basketball and Movies, all of which charted on The New York Times best-sellers list.

The episode drops on Pub Day, October 28, the date the episode airs.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 304 with Erin Somers, Author of The Ten Year Affair, and Crafter of Hilarious, Incisive, and Clever Characters and Scenes

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 21:59:28 -0700

Notes and Links to Erin Somers’ Work

Erin Somers is a writer, reporter, and book critic based in the Hudson Valley. Her fiction, essays, and criticism have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, The Paris Review, Esquire, GQ, The Nation, The New Republic, Best American Short Stories, and elsewhere. Her first novel, Stay Up With Hugo Best (2019), was a Vogue Magazine Best Book of the Year.

Her second novel, The Ten Year Affair, was named a most anticipated book by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vulture, Bustle, LitHub, W Magazine, The Millions, Orion, and Our Culture, and a best book of the month by Apple Books and People Magazine. It is published by Simon & Schuster as of today, October 21.

Buy The Ten Year Affair

Erin's Website

Erin on NPR All Things Considered

New York Times Review of The Ten Year Affair

Erin's Book Tour/Events

At about 1:25, Erin talks about her mindset as Pub Day approaches on October 21

At about 3:20, Pete asks Erin about her relationship with reading and the written word

At about 8:00, Erin discusses pivotal text and writers that cemented her love for reading and writing, including some GGMarquez classics read in a beautiful "ceremony" with her father

At about 9:50, Erin gives background on her foray into screenwriting and how her father encouraged her writing

At about 11:15, Erin highlights “funny” writers like George Saunders, Lorrie Moore, and Sam Lipsyte as “approachable” in style and subject matter

At about 12:40, Erin responds to Pete’s question about “exercising different parts of the brain” in writing fiction and nonfiction

At about 13:15, Erin shouts out places to buy her book and outlines her book tour

At about 15:25, Erin discusses the book’s seeds and the title’s provenance, and references how the book started out as a successful short story

At about 17:30, The two discuss the book’s opening and the two main characters’ early alliance

At about 23:25, Erin describes how she worked to draw Elliott, Cora’s husband, as against archetype

At about 25:00, Erin responds to Pete’s question about posing four main characters-two couples-so close to each other

At about 26:50,

At about 27:50, Pete and Erin stumble through some possible casting moves for a possible future movies

At about 28:50, The two discuss the differing roles of the men and pregnant women, and the two fanboy/girl over Rachel Yoder’s Nightbitch

At about 30:20, Pete wonders about Sam parrying the advances of Cora

At about 31:30, Pete skirts plot spoilers in discussing the book’s parallel plotline and compliments the fact that the st

At about 33:00, Erin discusses how the contrast between “banal reality” and the parallel world allowed her to have “fun” and “experiment with techniques”

At about 34:00, Erin responds to Pete’s question about standing in judgment of Cora’s behaviors, and Erin brings up interesting points about professional and class mobility and dissatisfaction

At about 36:25, Elliott and Cora’s relationship is analyzed, with particular attention to Cora’s anxieties and Elliott’s loss that continues his depression

At about 39:00, Pete asks Erin how she was able to “delicately” write about the Covid era

At about 41:35, Erin analyzes a telling quote by Jules, Sam’s wife, with regard to ideas of unhappiness, and the two discuss the physical proximity of the couples

At about 43:00, Erin gives insight on an interesting dialogue full of lies at a joint 40th birthday party

At about 44:10, Erin responds to Pete’s question about the families of Sam and Cora as “collateral damage”

At about 46:40, Erin responds to Pete’s question about aging, with regard to Cora’s anxieties

At about 48:30, The two discuss a meaningful dream sequence and ideas of freedom post-parenthood

At about 51:10, Pete highlights some funny and resonant lines in the book, including a podcast about rope

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 305 with THE Myriam Gurba, a writer and activist. O, the Oprah Magazine ranked her true-crime memoir Mean as one of the “Best LGBTQ Books of All Time.” Her recent essay collection Creep: Accusations and Confessions was a finalist for a National Book Critics Circle award for Criticism, and won the Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Nonfiction.

This episode airs today, October 21, Pub Day for her newest book, Poppy State: A Labyrinth of Plants and a Story of Beginnings.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 303 with Anthony Gedell, Author of Love Lies in the Throes of Rhetoric, and Brilliant Creator of Worlds Internal and External, and Dystopia in its Macro and Micro

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 08:27:54 -0700

Notes and Links to Anthony Gedell’s Work

ANTHONY GEDELL writes from New Jersey publishing in Hobart, Poverty House, Variant, Revolution John, Punk Noir Magazine, and Bull. His debut novel, Love Lies in the Throes of Rhetoric, was released in October 2024.

Buy Love Lies in the Throes of Rhetoric

Anthony's Instagram

Anthony’s Writing for Hobart Pulp

Video Review for Love Lies in the Throes of Rhetoric

At about 1:40, Pete and Anthony talk about inspirations for the podcast

At about 3:00, Anthony talks about how teaching informs his writing, and vice versa, with observations on

At about 5:20, Anthony talks about being a concerted listener and always being cognizant of “getting into the room” of wonderful writers and writing conversations

At about Anthony talks about the ways in which he and the book’s significance have evolved in the year since publication

At about 8:40, Anthony talks about ideas of “writing from comfortability" and

At about 9:40, Anthony responds to Pete’s question about what texts have resonated with his students, which includes a major shout out for Eli Cranor

At about 13:00, Anthony highlights Of Mice and Men as one example of “high intensity emotion” that moves/interests readers

At about 14:50, Anthony cites Marlon James saying that “the new American novel is the crime novel” and talks about the “writer as journalist” in discussing ideas of writing dystopian in a dystopian world and “writing towards genre”

At about 20:10, Pete and Anthony discuss ideas of the continuity of writers and writing over the centuries

At about 25:00, Anthony expands on ideas of nihilism in contemporary society

At about 31:00, Pete reads the Ecclesiastes, Ch 9, Verse 4, the introduction for Love Lies in the Throes of Rhetoric

At about 32:20, Anthony responds to Pete’s questions about the book’s opening and significance for the rest of the book

At about 35:00, Anthony talks about lessons and questions brought out in Biblical passages

At about 36:00, Pete responds to Anthony’s questions about how Anthony’s novel is evocative of Catholic/catholic themes

At about 39:30, Anthony shares moving connections in real-life and in the novel and ideas of misery and tragedy and compassion

At about 43:40, the two discuss the “snare” trope and how Eudora has been seen in two ways by a lot of readers, and Anthony shouts out Light Years by James Salter-its beautiful sentences and the possibility of Nedra in Salter’s book as a “snare character”

At about 48:50, The two connect meaningful scenes and quotes from the novel to memorable Scripture

At about 49:50, Anthony responds to Pete’s musings about the interesting “too young to feel this old” after Pete rambles about a writing project that “got away”

At about 52:40, Anthony references Conrad in talking about nihilism and hopelessness, particularly with regard to Trasc and Eudora, the book’s protagonists

At about 55:25, Pete compliments Anthony’s use of “snappy dialogue” and asks Anthony about ideas of impotence, especially as seen with Trasc and Eudora

At about 1:00:15, Anthony details particular scenes and reflects on some meanings that come from the portraits of masculinity

At about 1:04:30, Trasc and his sensitive nature is discussed, and Anthony talks about

At about 1:06:30, Anthony talks cryptically and profoundly on the writing process for his novel and quotes a memorable line from Salter’s Light Years

At about 1:09:30, Pete and Anthony stan Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolff? and talk about the play’s “dialectical violence”

At about 1:12:00, Anthony reflects on his writing style and the place from which he writes and how boredom and “soccer dad” literature enervates

At about 1:14:50, a quote from the novel leads to the two dissecting David Foster Wallace’s work and its significance, and some texts that are thought to be overly celebrated

At about 1:18:00, Anthony reflects on dystopia, worldbuilding, and “collective human behaviors” and how the physical atmosphere he creates can shadow feelings and characters’ characteristics

At about 1:23:00, Anthony emphasizes the intentionality of the writing in the novel, while at the same time allowing for the speculation that comes with the uncertain world and readers’ experiences

At about 1:24:40, the two reflect on Biblical connections to revelation and Revelation and dystopia and apocalypse

At about 1:26:40, Anthony responds to Pete’s question about “The Court” and connection the Greek Chorus

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 304 with Erin Somers, a writer, reporter, and book critic based in the Hudson Valley. Her fiction, essays, and criticism have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Esquire, Best American Short Stories, and elsewhere.

Her second novel, The Ten Year Affair, was named a most anticipated book by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vulture, Bustle, LitHub, W Magazine, Orion, and Our Culture, and it will be published by Simon & Schuster on October 21, the date the episode airs.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 302 with Ellen Birkett Morris, Author of Beware the Tall Grass, and Talented Worldbuilder and Skilled Writer of the Past-Tinged Present, the Human and the Humane

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 16:15:13 -0700

Notes and Links to Ellen Birkett Morris’ Work

Ellen Birkett Morris is the author of Beware the Tall Grass, winner of the Donald L. Jordan Award for Literary Excellence, judged by Lan Samantha Chang, published by CSU Press. She is also the author of Lost Girls: Short Stories, winner of the Pencraft Award and finalist for the Clara Johnson, IAN and Best Book awards. Her fiction has appeared in Shenandoah, Antioch Review, Saturday Evening Post, and South Carolina Review, among other journals. She is a winner of the Bevel Summers Prize for short fiction. Morris is a recipient of an Al Smith Fellowship for her fiction from the Kentucky Arts Council.

Morris is also the author of Abide and Surrender, poetry chapbooks. Her poetry has appeared in The Clackamas Literary Review, Juked, Gastronomica, and Inscape, among other journals, and in eight anthologies. Morris won top prize in the 2008 Binnacle Ultra-Short Edition and was a finalist for the 2019 and 2020 Rita Dove Poetry Prize. Her poem “Abide” was featured on NPR’s A Way with Words. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, AARP’s The Ethel, Oh Reader magazine, and on National Public Radio.

Morris holds an MFA in creative writing from Queens University-Charlotte. She attended the Kentucky Women Writers Conference on fellowship and teaches creative writing at The Virginia Piper Center at ASU in Tempe, Arizona and The Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning in Lexington, Kentucky. Morris has spoken and taught at the 2018 Antioch Writers Workshop, 2019 Kentucky Women Writers Conference, 2022 Writer’s Block Festival and 2022 Louisville Book Festival.

Buy Beware the Tall Grass

Ellen's Website

Review of Beware the Tall Grass from Heavy Feather Review

At about 3:40, Ellen responds to Pete’s question about receiving the Donald L. Jordan Award for Beware the Tall Grass

At about 5:30, Ellen talks about the different resonance the book has a year plus after its publication; she highlights feedback from people with interesting comments about the continuing resonance of the Vietnam War

At about 7:10, Ellen provides a summary of the novel

At about 8:20, Ellen relays seeds for the book, particularly based on a NPR segment from 2014

At about 10:30, Ellen responds to Pete’s questions about any cynicism in exploring the stories of past lives’ remembrance, and she expands on how she dealt with the spiritual/reincarnation

At about 12:45, Pete and Ellen stan over Andrew Porter’s (Episode 294 guest) The Imagined Life

At about 13:25, Ellen speaks beautifully of her mother as an “advocate”

At about 14:50, Ellen talks about how she put into practice the saying about “put your characters into trouble,” particularly with regard to Eve, one of two protagonists, and her mother

At about 16:05, The two discuss the exposition for main character and one of two narrators, Thomas, and how the loss of his horse affects him

At about 18:00, Ellen describes the agony in writing a particularly brutal and sad scene from the book

At about 19:00, The two discuss Eve’s friend, Amy, and ideas of peace and tranquility

At about 20:00, Ellen reflects on the “hasty decision” pointed out by Pete, made by both Thomas in the novel and in real-life, for those who signed up for the army

At about 21:30, Ellen talks about Dan in the novel and his family history that makes him act more logical even when the surreal comes out

At about 23:00, The two discuss Thomas’ decision to enlist for Vietnam, and how it was perhaps subtly influenced by his father’s past service

At about 24:00, We Were Soldiers Once and Young and Ellen’s uncle and soldiers' logs are cited as inspirations for Ellen’s writing

At about 26:00, Pete lays out some of Charlie’s

At about 27:00, Ellen reflects on Carrie’s faith in Thomas’ coming back safe from Vietnam

At about 27:40, The two reflect on connections in the novel to Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried

At about 28:50, The two discuss two crises that bring much stress to Eve

At about 29:50, Ellen talks about a caustic and “sinister” fellow soldier of Thomas’ and giving him some “roundness”

At about 31:30, Ellen talks about the emotional difficulty in writing a death in the novel

At about 34:40, Ellen cites her poet background as she discusses the book’s titular metaphor and its multiple uses, and she describes the background of the book’s cover

At about 37:45, The two discuss family histories and shared traits over the generations in discussing Charlie’s channeling of past traumas

At about 39:00,

At about 41:00, Pete asks Ellen about regression theory and therapists who deal with those thought to be experiencing past lives

At about 43:20, Ellen responds to Pete’s question about how home and Carrie and his child on the way inspire Thomas; Ellen tells an anecdote about almost changing POVs in the novel

At about 44:30, Ellen talks about balancing the personal and the geopolitical in drawing up the Vietnam War scenes

At about 46:40, The two discuss the idea of the story that repeats itself throughout the generations, and Ellen describes a moving and profound trip to Ireland that shows the “continuity of history”

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 303 with Amber Sparks, the author of the short story collections And I Do Not Forgive You and The Unfinished World. Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review, Granta, Slate, and elsewhere.

This episode airs on October 14, Pub Day for her novel Happy People Don’t Live Here.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 301 with Nishant Batsha, Author of A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart, and Master of Subtlety, the Singular and the Universal, and the Historical and Personal

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 12:36:38 -0700

Notes and Links to Nishant Batsha’s Work

Nishant Batsha is the author of the novel A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart (ecco/HarperCollins). Set between California and New York at the dawn of World War I, A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart is an expansive and poignant story of love, radical ambition, and intellectual rebirth—all drawn from a lost American history.

His first novel, Mother Ocean Father Nation (ecco/HarperCollins) was a finalist for 2023 Lambda Literary Award, longlisted for a 2023 Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award, and named one of the best books of 2022 by NPR. It also won Honorable Mention in the prose category of the 2024 Association for Asian American Studies (AAAS) Book Awards.

He is currently at work on a third novel. This project has received monetary support from The de Groot Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts.

Nishant holds a PhD in history from Columbia University where he was a Paul & Daisy Soros Fellow. He also works as a ghostwriter for public officials, CEOs, and leaders across various industries. Material he has ghostwritten has appeared in the New York Times and Politico, among other publications. He lives in Buffalo, NY with his wife and two children.

Buy A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart

Nishant's Website

BookPage Review for A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart

Interview for Los Angeles Review of Books

At about 1:15, Nishant gives purchasing info for his novel

At about 1:45, Nishant talks about his childhood connections to language and literature

At about 4:15, Nishant recounts how he began to embrace history and becoming a historian

At about 7:20, Nishant responds to Pete’s comments about connections between his main character Cora and him and other writers with regard to “the intoxication” of writing finding audience

At about 9:20, Nishant talks about history and literature and “seeking out sameness”

At about 10:30, Nishant talks about being “so taken” by Marilyn Robinson’s Gilead

At about 11:40, Nishant shouts out as writers who have thrilled and inspired him, including Sebald and Han Kang

At about 14:30, Nishant reflects on Conrad’s Heart of Darkness

At about 16:50, Pete asks Nishant about seeds for the book

At about 19:00, Nishant lays out much of the work of M.N. Roy and Evelyn Trent, inspirations for the book’s protagonists, Indra and Cora

At about 22:05, Nishant talks about research for his book

At about 24:25, Pete lays out some of the book’s exposition

At about 25:30, Nishant responds to Pete’s question about what draws Indra and Cora together

At about 28:10, Nishant reflects on the “in-betweeness” of Cora and how she connects to Indra

At about 32:25, Nishant gives background on the Ghadar Party, which is so important in the novel

At about 35:15, Nishant responds to Pete’s question about how Indra saw “action” and resistance

At about 38:40, Nishant outlines how he sees the novel as a sort of “parlor drama”

At about 39:45, Nishant explains the significance of Indra receiving being called “cosmopolitan” as a compliment

At about 42:30, The two discuss the etymology of the term “cosmopolitan”

At about 44:40, Pete and Nishant reflect on ideas of consumerism and creativity, and Nishant gives background on the real-life Rachel Crothers

At about 46:25, The two discuss the contradictions of Dawson in the novel, based on David Starr Jordan and his views on anti-imperialism and eugenics

At about 49:40, the two reflect on the “strange and weird ideas” of the late 19th and early 20th centuries-a “heady time” and connections to the US military in the Philippines

At about 50:45, Scullion (based on John Osborne Varian) and his views of political and cultural change are discussed, in how the beliefs affect Indra

At about 54:00, Nishant discusses ideas of class and caste in connection with Indra

At about 58:15, Nishant traces the real-life connection between M.N. Roy and Bal Gangadhar Tilak

At about 1:00:20, Nishant reflects on lies as a throughline of the novel, and the “danger” of the lie

At about 1:01:20, Pete notes the universal and singular beauty of the book

At about 1:02:00, Pete shares one of many examples of the beautiful sentences in the novel, and Nishant talks about his philosophy of writing-sentence length, etc.

At about 1:05:00, Nishant talks about the history and significance of the novel’s title

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 302 with Ellen Birkett Morris, a second-time guest and the author of Beware the Tall Grass, winner of the Donald L. Jordan Award for Literary Excellence, judged by Lan Samantha Chang, published by CSU Press. She is also the author of Lost Girls: Short Stories, winner of the Pencraft Award and finalist for the Clara Johnson, IAN and Best Book awards. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, AARP’s The Ethel, Oh Reader magazine, and on National Public Radio.

This episode airs on October 7.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 300 with Nathan Thrall, Author of A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy and Deep Researcher and Brilliantly-Objective Chronicler of Life under Israeli Occupation

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 18:39:22 -0700

Notes and Links to Nathan Thrall’s Work

Nathan Thrall is an American writer living in Jerusalem. In 2024, he received the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction for A Day in the Life of Abed Salama. An international bestseller, it was translated into more than thirty languages, selected as a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, and named a best book of the year by over twenty publications, including The New Yorker, The Economist, and Time. He is also the author of The Only Language They Understand. His reporting, essays, and criticism have appeared in the London Review of Books, The Guardian, The New York Times Magazine, and The New York Review of Books. He spent a decade at the International Crisis Group, where he was director of the Arab-Israeli Project, and has taught at Bard College.

Buy A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy

Nathan's Website

2021 The New York Review of Books Article: “A Day in the Life of Abed Salama”

At about 1:15, Nathan recounts the experience of winning the Pulitzer Prize, and notes the wonderful ways in which the book’s protagonists and others close to him have celebrated the achievement

At about 3:20, Nathan provides purchasing info and book details

At about 4:15, Nathan responds to Pete’s question about the added significance of the book being published on October 3, 2023, four days before a pivotal event

At about 6:30, Nathan reflects on how “nothing [much] has changed” regarding the organizations (the “gatekeepers”) who cancelled events with him and Abed Salama, with perhaps more of these organizations digging in on standing with Israel

At about 9:30, Nathan notes that “organized political money” is all on one side in the “corrupt political system”

At about 12:35, Pete wonders about the “tail wagging the dog” regarding the voting public and the politicians, and Nathan expands upon the reasoning and details for this “gap”

At about 14:35, Pete asks Nathan about seeds for the book, and about how the book speaks to the idea that the Israeli/Palestinian conflict did not start on October 7, 2023

At about 15:35, Nathan explains the apartheid and “walled ghetto” at the center of the book, and talks about how this ghetto is a microcosm for Israeli policy

At about 18:30, Nathan responds to Pete’s questions about and admiration for his objective hand in writing the book

At about 20:45, Pete sets the book’s exposition

At about 21:45, Nathan notes the “striking” fact of talking to parents with their “unwarranted” guilt since the bus accident, in response to Pete wondering about Nathan’s broaching such a horrible topic with survivors

At about 24:05, The two reflect on the innocence of youth as Nathan recounts the details of parents and family looking for their children and relatives after the bus accident

At about 27:30, Nathan explains how just the telling of the basics of Abed’s story, including his odyssey just to find his son in the hospital, was to “tell of apartheid”

At about 29:00, Pete compliments the ways in which Nathan’s tracing Abed’s childhood and youth and Nathan expounds on how the personal stories have the reader see “the world through [the character’s eyes]”

At about 31:45, Nathan shares a recent experience that shows how life is micromanaged for Palestinians in Israel, revolving around a bridge crossing for Abed, his wife Haifa, and Nathan

At about 34:45, Pete asks Nathan to explain the colored-permit system involving Palestinian ID cards and how the intifadas changed the processes, including for Abed

At about 39:50, Pete and Nathan talk about different Palestinian cultural and political factions, as described in the book

At about 40:30, Nathan explains “bypass roads” and the ways in which they represent Israeli control of Palestinians' lives; in so doing, he points out inaccuracies in the ways that democracy and Israel have often been linked

At about 47:35, Nathan expands on “fabric of life roads” and “sterile roads”-brutally racist as an official name-and “gerrymandering”-mapping-done by Dany Tirza, featured pretty prominently in the book

At about 50:05, Nathan talks about schooling for Palestinians and how Israeli control is rendered in the book-he describes the "forensic analysis” of the bus accident and homes in on the forced walling-in of Palestinians

At about 53:00, Nathan further explains land use and land possession as strategies

At about 54:35, Pete remarks on the banal of the Israeli Occupation and asks Nathan’s thoughts on the “reverberations” of Israel’s seemingly-small and detailed actions/policy of moving the Palestinians out

At about 58:00, Nathan responds to Pete’s questions about how an average Jewish Israeli lives his/her life with “informational apartheid”

At about 1:01:05, Nathan states the common narrative about Israel’s history and the continued bloodshed for average Israelis

At about 1:04:15, Nathan recounts an anecdote about a publishing company that has asked him multiple questions about early Israeli history

At about 1:06:05, Nathan reflects on the task of sitting with parents and relatives during the emotionally-wrenching times and listening to their stories

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 301 with Nishant Batsha, the author of the novel A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart, his 2025 novel set between California and New York at the dawn of World War I. His first novel, Mother Ocean Father Nation was a finalist for 2023 Lambda Literary Award, longlisted for a 2023 Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award, and named one of the best books of 2022 by NPR.

This episode airs on October 7.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 299 with Dr. Matthew Boedy, Author of The Seven Mountains Mandate: Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and Destroy Democracy, and Thoughtful Chronicler of Christian Nationalism

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 21:00:00 -0700

Notes and Links to Matthew Boedy’s Work

Matthew Boedy has written for many publications and authored three books. He's appeared on CNN and MSNBC and in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other media outlets.

He has been a leader in faculty organizing since 2020 as president of the Georgia conference of the American Association of University Professors, a national higher education advocacy group.

He completed his Ph.D. in English in 2015 at the University of South Carolina where he also received in 2010 a master's in creative writing. He most prizes his bachelor's degree in journalism in 2001 from the University of Florida and his work at the campus newspaper, the Independent Florida Alligator.

He is a full professor of rhetoric at the University of North Georgia. He researches and writes about religious rhetoric, particularly in the last few years about the rise of Christian Nationalism.

Buy The Seven Mountains Mandate: Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and Destroy Democracy

Matthew's Website

Matthew Speaks on WBUR’s “Here and Now” on The Seven Mountains Mandate

Article from Mother Jones: “His Book on Charlie Kirk Was About to Come Out. Then His Subject Was Murdered.

At about 1:50, Matthew responds to Pete’s question about “exercising different muscles” in writing fiction, academic, and journalism

At about 3:15, Matthew gives information on his book-publisher, summary, etc.

At about 5:00, Matthew gives background on the book’s title and subtitle in cover in response to Pete’s question about added resonance for the book since Charlie Kirk’s murder

At about 8:25, Matthew responds to Pete’s question about what Matthew has learned about the Turning Point and Charlie Kirk’s influence as seen from outside the United States

At about 10:20, Matthew discusses seeds for the book

At about 11:40, Matthew talks about why he wrote two Prefaces for the book, and how the 2024 Presidential Election was a huge turning point for Turning Point

At about 12:45, Pete and Matthew trace the book’s opening timeline and its significance in tracing the history of the Seven Mountains Mandate

At about 13:55, Matthew summarizes the Seven Mountains Mandates and talks about Charlie Kirk’s “conversion” to the philosophy

At about 17:25, Matthew reflects on whether or not Charlie Kirk’s “religious fervor” was authentic and on his turn to Christian nationalism

At about 19:45, Matthew responds to Pete’s musings about the connection between “grifting” and Charlie Kirk’s career

At about 21:00, Matthew talks about the connections between the prosperity gospel and the Seven Mountains Mandate

At about 22:15, Pete lays out some of the book’s early writing on Project 2025, and Matthew expands on its connection to the mandate

At about 23:30, Matthew emphasizes how the book is a lot about post-January 6 and connections to the “Mountain of Government"

At about 24:10, Matthew talks about Bill Bright and Loren Cunningham and some early iterations of the mandate

At about 27:25, Sara Diamond's prescient writing on the mandates is discussed

At about 29:15, Pete uses a unique analogy to ask Matthew about the ideas of mandates, and Matthew makes a key point about the Mandate as being part of a “minority movement”

At about 32:10, Matthew reflects on Trump’s connection to the Mandate and the movement and mutual benefits

At about 33:30, Pete and Matthew discuss a staggering stat about American’s beliefs in and knowledge of the Mandate

At about 34:25, Matthew responds to Pete’s question about Charlie Kirk’s death and its influence on religious conversion and political engagement

At about 35:20, Matthew talks about Charlie Kirk’s role in fulfilling a hole for many millennials and Gen Z and young men, particularly with reradds to a religious direction and “finding [one’s] purpose]

At about 36:45, Pete asks Matthew about ideas of nonengagement and engagement and connections to Christian fundamentalism

At about 40:10, Matthew explains the “salt and light” metaphor often used by proponents of the Mandate

At about 41:10, Matthew talks about Jimmy Carter’s “falling out” with evangelicals

At about 43:00, The two discuss the naming of the mandate and tracing the history of the title/metaphor

At about 44:20, Matthew talks about his personal experiences and those others who have been listed on the Professors’ Watchlist

At about 47:00, Matthew traces Charlie Kirk’s connections and contradictions involving higher education, as well as his “origin story”

At about 49:40, Matthew recounts a memorable trip to a TPUSA event at the University of GA where higher ed was ridiculed

At about 51:05, Matthew reflects on connections between state budgets and philosophies on public school and voucher programs

At about 52:40, Matthew discusses distinctions between “republic” vs. “democracy” and notes important links to the Mandate

At about 56:15, Matthew reflects on the usage and meanings of “stewardship” in certain circles

At about 57:30, Matthew responds to Pete’s question about Charlie Kirk’s seemingly-contradictory attitude towards Israel and Jewish people

At about 1:00:05, Pete and Matthew talks about ideas of manhood and male bonding and “warrior” archetypes and TPUSA’s tokenization and abuse towards minorities of all types

At about 1:02:55, Matthew discusses Erika Kirk’s trapeze act of being an emboldened and powerful businesswoman and political force, as well as complementary partner/“stay in the home” woman and mother

At about 1:05:15, Pete quotes a line about Charlie Kirk astutely learning how to “erase history,” and Matthew discussed particular mentors who taught him this lesson

At about 1:07:30, Conspiracy theories and religious connections to the Mandate are discussed, including how The Great Reset as a conspiracy was hyped and sidelined by TPUSA

At about 1:08:50, Andrew Breitbart and Jon Root as representative of the Entertainment Mandate are discussed

At about 1:10:25, Matthew discusses Benny Johnson and the “cultural buckets” that have been repurposed through meme culture

At about 1:11:55, Matthew talks about Neil Postman’s book, Amusing Ourselves to Death, and its close connection to the Seven Mountains Mandate and politics as entertainment

At about 1:12:55, the two discuss the “pomp and circumstance” that pervades politics, including the proposed UFC fight at the White House

At about 1:14:55, Pete asks Matthew about the idea of Charlie Kirk’s possible future as a “martyr”

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 300 with Nathan Thrall, an American writer living in Jerusalem. In 2024, he received the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction for A Day in the Life of Abed Salama. An international bestseller, it was translated into more than thirty languages, selected as a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, and named a best book of the year by over twenty publications, including The New Yorker, The Economist, and Time. He spent a decade at the International Crisis Group, where he was director of the Arab-Israeli Project, and has taught at Bard College.

The episode airs on September 30, and Pete is thrilled and stunned to make it to Episode 300. Thanks to all of those who have helped him make it to 300 episodes.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 298 with Robert Paylor, Author of Paralyzed to Powerful: Lessons from a Quadriplegic's Journey, and Writer of the Profound, the Uplifting, and the Heartening

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 21:06:52 -0700

Notes and Links to Robert Paylor’s Work

Robert Paylor was paralyzed from the neck down during the collegiate rugby national championship after a spinal cord injury left him with a prognosis that he would never walk or move his hands again. Refusing to accept that fate, Robert embarked on an extraordinary journey of recovery, re-learning life’s most basic functions and defying the odds to walk again. Now an inspirational speaker and author, Robert shares his powerful story and the mental tools that helped him overcome quadriplegia with organizations worldwide. Through his keynote, Paralyzed to Powerful, Robert inspires audiences to conquer what “paralyzes” them and turn their adversity into triumph.

Buy Paralyzed to Powerful: Lessons from a Quadriplegic's Journey

Robert's Website

Book Coverage and Article about Robert’s Journey in The Guardian

Robert's TED Talk: "Lessons in resilience from a quadriplegic"

At about 2:25, Robert talks about the four-month journey since the book has been published

At about 3:25, Robert responds to Pete’s question about how he endeavored to make his individual story universal and widely-relatable

At about 4:35, Robert expands on the genesis of the book’s structure, and why he needed to balance storyline and reader takeaways

At about 7:00, Robert reflects on the writing process and knowing when a writing project is done (or not)

At about 10:45, Robert talks about seeds for the book, and ideas of what the plan is for his life

At about 11:45, Robert details the injury that led to his paralysis

At about 17:00, Robert talks about “controlling [his] mindset” upon being so severely injured

At about 21:15, Robert responds to Pete’s question about the incredible support and love shown by his brother and friends

At about 23:45, Robert talks about a key turning point at age 12 in raising the level of his aggression and success in sports

At about 26:50, Robert expands upon an interesting and inspirational idea in setting goals, “moving from right to left”

At about 31:00, Robert shares how hard it was to write about such personal pain, catharsis, and how the phrase “no tears in the writer, no tears in the reader” informed his writing

At about 33:50, Robert gives more detail on the idea of the “mental diet” and using it to help bring progress

At about 34:45, Robert describes the “relief” provided for the reader and for Robert through an impromptu hospital visit by Bill Murray

At about 37:15, Robert and Pete talk about underrated scenes and quotes from Forrest Gump, and Robert describes marathon viewings of the movie in the hospital and ideas of destiny and deeds

At about 38:40, Robert remarks on the beauty and selflessness of Joyce Zuidema and Talon Bonnano and those who prayed for Robert, as he also reflects on ideas of inspiration and comparison

At about 43:10, Robert talks about “get to v. have to” as a paradigm for his recovery and inspiration

At about 45:25, Robert responds to Pete’s question about not wanting to be referred to in certain ways regarding disabilities

At about 46:30, The two discuss the “fraternity” of rugby and wonderful mentors and friends and coaches

At about 47:40, Robert reflects on ideas of forgiveness and the rage he felt and has felt after his injury was caused by an illegal move

At about 51:20, Robert expands on the ways in which USA Rugby “neglect[ed] their duties” and Coach Jack Clark and Robert’s family

At about 53:45, Robert responds to Pete’s comments and the question of “how [he’s] overcome” versus “what [he’s] overcome”

At about 55:55, Robert talks about ideas of failures and successes and living with “joy, positivity, and “purpose”

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 299 with Matthew Boedy, who has written for many publications and authored three books. He's appeared on CNN and MSNBC and in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other media outlets.

The episode airs on September 30, Pub Day for The Seven Mountains Mandate: Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and Destroy Democracy.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 297-Cynthia Miller-Idriss, Author of Man Up: The New Misogyny and the Rise of Violent Extremism, and Skilled Chronicler of Misogyny and Hate, and Crafter of Reasonable, Data-Driven Remedies

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 06:27:36 -0700

Notes and Links to Cynthia Miller-Idriss’ Work

Cynthia Miller-Idriss is the author of Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far Right and Man Up: The New Misogyny and the Rise of Violent Extremism. She is an opinion columnist for MSNBC and writes for The New York Times, The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, The Washington Post, Politico, USA Today, The Boston Globe, and more.

Buy Man Up: The New Misogyny and the Rise of Violent Extremism

Cynthia's Website

At about 1:25, Cynthia talks about the run-up to Pub Day, and how it’s different than for her previous books

At about 3:00, Pete asks Cynthia about the unfortunate “timeliness” of her work, especially the book

At about 5:45, the two discuss seeds for the book, as Cynthia expands on the Turning Point Suffragist Museum and its history and importance

At about 7:35, the two discuss the not-so-distant history of misogyny and Simone de Beauvoir, and rising "hostile sexism and misogyny” in the social media and outside world

At about 9:55, Cynthia talks about the silence that often is pervasive regarding “gender policing” how misogyny must be central in more explorations of violence

At about 12:05, Cynthia shares some insightful and profound quotes from young people regarding gender norms and expectations

At about 16:35, Pete and Cynthia discuss Eliot Rodger and a recent school shooter and the ways in which the “warning signs” were so numerous for a long period of time, but resources are often hard to tap into, even from well-meaning parents and adults and friends

At about 21:25, the two discuss The Death of Expertise and ideas of “alternative facts” and a pervasive lack of trust in “experts” and government

At about 23:00, Cynthia responds to Pete’s noting that she purposely avoids naming past shooters

At about 25:00, the two lay out the book’s structure

At about 24:25, Pete reports some eye-popping stats of misogynist violence

At about 26:05 Cynthia and Pete reflect on the profound quote from the book that contemporary girls have “more freedom but less power, and boys less freedom and more power”

At about 24:40, Cynthia discusses masculinity/sexuality paradigm shifts

At about 29:35, Cynthia and Pete laugh and almost cry regarding fitness as being claimed by the masculine right, such as with jeans-clad RFK

At about 30:35, the two reflect on the moral arc of the universe and disturbing trends with Gen Z men

At about 32:20, Cynthia responds to Pete reflecting on Trump voters and his misogyny and fixed and demanding gender rigidity and policing

At about 34:15, Pete notes the “intersectionality” of Christian nationalism and masculinity, and Cynthia expands on the adherents’ beliefs

At about 36:15, the two discuss ideas of “containment” and visceral hatred and misogyny in hate email and chants and lashing out at women

At about 37:20, Cynthia talks about the data that charts female elected officials and hateful attacks, including from online vitriol and memes

At about 39:35, Cynthia talks about people downplaying and excusing male behavior

At about 40:55, More discussion of women needing to be in the home/domestic sphere and women as a “safety net” in parts of the West, especially in the US, even up to Taylor Swift

At about 42:30, Cynthia uses an anecdote from Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation to illustrate racist/sexist policing of women and women of color

At about 44:50, “bonding through slurs” and online gaming’s influence on misogyny and young men is discussed

At about 48:30, The two discuss some stunning (or not) numbers about the way Andrew Tate is viewed

At about 49:35, Cynthia responds to Pete’s question about what sets Andrew Tate apart

At about 52:10, Scapegoating of sexual and racial minorities is discussed, and the “spiral” of keeping children safe and QAnon, anti-vax, etc.

At about 54:40, Cynthia responds to Pete asking about possible remedies in her book, and how one avoids “preaching” in talking to those who have been radicalized online and off

At about 57:00, Cynthia talks about multifaceted remedies for a multifaceted issue

At about 58:00, Cynthia puts a puzzling and "hilarious" and telling interaction with a young man into perspective

At about 1:02:05, Cynthia shouts out resources provided in the book’s appendix, and how proceeds from the book often benefit and highlight local gender-based violence organizations

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 298 with Robert Paylor, an Inspirational speaker, quadriplegia survivor, resilience expert, and author. His book is Paralyzed to Powerful: Lessons from a Quadriplegic's Journey.

This episode airs on September 23.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 296 with Ursula Villarreal-Moura, Author of Like Happiness and Master of the Subtle Shifts in Relationships and through Phases of Life

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 22:13:02 -0700

Notes and Links to Ursula Villarreal-Moura’s Work

A native of San Antonio, Texas, Ursula Villarreal-Moura is the author of two works of fiction. Her debut novel Like Happiness is a finalist for The Rudolfo Anaya Fiction Award, longlisted for The Crook’s Corner Book Prize, selected as an Indie Next Pick, and was named a Best Book of 2024 by NPR, San Francisco Chronicle, ELLE, and Them. Math for the Self-Crippling, her flash fiction story collection, was a small press bestseller and has been taught at numerous universities. Her stories, essays, and interviews can be found in Lit Hub, Electric Literature, Story, Alta Journal, and The Rumpus, among others. She is a longtime advocate of reading diversely and of Land Back.

Buy Like Happiness

Ursula's Website

Book Review for Like Happiness from NPR

At about 30:50, Ursula expands on “subverting” ideas of teenage rebelliousness and daughter/parent relationships

At about 34:40, Pete talks about Happiness, M. Dominguez’s book, as an “oasis”

At about 35:15, Ursula responds to Pete’s questions about Tatum “using her voice” and revisiting past events with Mateo

At about 36:20, The two discuss the initial email correspondence between Tatum and Mateo

At about 37:40, Ursula responds to Pete’s question about

At about 39:40, Pete remarks on the literary world’s idiosyncrasies, and Ursula shares an amazing story about the National Book Awards and some writing industry “slipper[iness]”

At about 42:05, Pete and Ursula reflect on book readings and their myriad crowds; Ursula shares a cool summary of seeing Sigrid Nuñez speak

At about 44:00, Ursula expands on Pete’s wondering and asking about Mateo and Tatum’s early relationship and ideas of a platonic and perhaps unequal relationship

At about 47:35, Ursula gives background on real-life parallels to the nunnery portrayed in the novel

At about 49:00, Ursula talks about the juxtaposition of Mayumi and Valeria as reflections of Tatum’s naivete and growth

At about 51:10, Ursula talks about the “limbo” that governs Tatum’s reaction to early indications of Mateo’s possible womanizing

At about 54:05, Pete wonders about Tatum being in denial and also aware that Mateo may be guilty of charges, and Ursula talks about the Kitty Genovese story and it “always staying with [her]”

At about 55:15, Ursula expands on her interest in the “bystander effect” and how this phenomenon has played out with outreach for Gaza

At about 56:50, Pete asks Ursula about the importance of Tatum staying in New York

At about 59:00, Ursula responds to Pete’s question about the pull of teachers and teaching in Tatum’s life

At about 1:01:30, the two discuss the phases of life and subtleties of the Mateo and Tatum relationship

At about 1:02:10, Pete talks about Tatum reading Maria Luz’s account of the abuse inflicted by Mateo

At about 1:3:00, Pete asks Ursula about writing the phases of the relationship

At about 1:06:00, Pete and Ursula talk about Tatum’s writing her own account of his time with Mateo and if her “ ‘complicated feelings’ ” are helping to “sanitize” Mateo’s behaviors

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 297 with Cynthia Miller-Idriss, who is an opinion columnist for MSNBC and writes for The New York Times, The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, The Washington Post, Politico, USA Today, The Boston Globe, and more. The episode airs today, Sept 16, Pub Day for Man Up: The New Misogyny and the Rise of Violent Extremism.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 295 with Wright Thompson, Author of The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi and One of America's Foremost Storytellers of the Shocking, The Banal, The Instructive, The Profound

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 22:15:51 -0700

Notes and Links to Wright Thompson’s Work

Widely regarded as one of the nation’s leading sports journalists, Wright Thompson is a senior writer for ESPN, an Emmy Award-winning reporter, and the executive producer of the TV show TrueSouth. He is the author of several bestselling books including Pappyland, about the storied whiskey distillery, and, most recently, The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi, a New York Times bestseller that confronts the haunting legacy of Emmett Till’s killing.

A Mississippi native, Thompson is at heart a southern storyteller who believes that understanding the place one lives is both an obligation and an act of love. By exploring foodways, beliefs, identities, and histories—both remembered and forgotten—he seeks to reveal the truths of the region he calls home.

Buy The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi

Wright Thompson's Website

Book Review for The Barn from Washington Post

At about 1:45, Wright talks about the paperback release of The Barn and feedback on the book as “resonat[ing] with readers” in an “urgent” way

At about 4:10, Wright responds back to Pete’s questions about what connections he sees between the events of The Barn and contemporary politics and culture

At about 7:00, The two reflect on and Wright highlights the open-casket funeral of Emmett Till

At about 8:10, Wright responds to Pete’s questions about the biased/blind books that he was exposed to in his Mississippi schooling; he also highlights North Towards Home and Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom as his favorite book of all-time

At about 10:30, Wright asks Pete about books/writers that his guests have consistently hailed as the best; Pete is unsure, but thinks right away of Toni Morrison

At about 11:50, Wright shouts out Ian Toll as a favorite writer

At about 12:10, Wright speaks on the best barbecue, highlighting Scott’s-Parker in Lexington, TN

At about 14:30, Pete notes the myriad connections between Mississippi/Southern/cotton economy and so many disparate parts of the country and world; Wright expands upon international connections and the need to “go back across the ocean” to fully understand the events of the book and so much more history

At about 17:30, the two discuss the “incredible” Gloria Dickerson and her incredible work in Drew, MS, a “stripped” town ruined by economic chains

At about 19:15, Pete notes his close connection to Christopher Rufo, and Wright envisions a conversation with him and others railing against “Wokeism” about differences in Black history and CRT

At about 21:55, Wright discusses the “entry point” for The Barn, an article about the family tree for Lakers' players

At about 23:00, Wright discusses an incredible connection between Avery Bradley and Chamillionaire and highlights

At about 24:00, Wright talks of his reverence for Sam Anderson, especially his work regarding Weird Al Yankovic

At about 25:05, Wright responds to Pete’s question regarding Frank DeFord, Bill Naack, Ric Telander, Gary Smith, Tom Junod, Michael Paterniti and other inspiring and chill-inducing sportswriters

At about 26:10, Pete stans Wright’s wonderful collection, The Cost of These Dreams, an incredible anthology focusing on top-tier athletes

At about 27:05, Pete traces the book’s beginning, with Willie Reed seeing Emmett Till in his killers’ truck and Pete asks Wright about the titular barn and its standing as a living being in 2025

At about 29:50, Wright responds to Pete’s questions about the impunity with which white people terrorized Black people in Mississippi; he talks about a “moral test”

At about 33:35, Wright highlights family members who passed and failed the aforementioned “moral test” and ideas of all Mississippians being bound together

At about 35:30, Wright talks about history as being weaponized in recent years, versus something to be analyzed/examined with its “disparate datapoints”

At about 36:40, Wright points to connections between Chicago and the Mississippi Delta

At about 37:25, Wright talks about tracing the intimate last days of Emmett Till, and Keith Beauchamp’s and Jerry Mitchell’s intrepid work that inspired and lifted his own

At about 40:40, Wright responds to Pete’s question about ideas

At about 42:40, Wright discusses the “death penalty” that Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam suffered after their killing of Emmett Till

At about 43:45, Pete wonders about the short-term and long-term

At about 44:20, Wright connects “The Lost Cause” of the past and the Mississippi and MAGA movement of today;

he highlights great work by Sven Beckert

At about 46:35, Wright traces the land history of the grid and lawmaking that led to The Barn becoming the place where Emmett Till was killed

At about 49:05, Wright reflects on his attendance at a special White House commemoration

At about 50:15, Wright reflects on Emmett “Bobo” Till and how he is “not a symbol” to those eight-12 people still alive who remember him as he was

At about 51:45, Wright highlights how Mamie Till “rose to the occasion” and was such an incredible civil-rights icon and hero

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 296 with Ursula Villarreal-Moura, the author of Math for the Self-Crippling (2022), selected by Zinzi Clemmons as the Gold Line Press fiction contest winner, and Like Happiness, named a Best Book of 2024 by NPR

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 294 with Andrew Porter, Author of the Imagined Life and Creator of Beautiful Images, Unforgettable Settings, and Layered, Resonant Characters

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 20:26:08 -0700

Notes and Links to Andrew Porter’s Work

Andrew Porter is the author of four books, including the short story collection The Theory of Light and Matter (Vintage/Penguin Random House), which won the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction, the novel In Between Days (Knopf), which was a Barnes & Noble “Discover Great New Writers” selection, an IndieBound “Indie Next” selection, and the San Antonio Express News’s “Fictional Work of the Year,” the short story collection The Disappeared (Knopf), which was longlisted for The Story Prize and the Joyce Carol Oates Prize, and the novel The Imagined Life, which was published by Knopf in April 2025. Porter’s books have been published in foreign editions in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand and translated into numerous languages, including French, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Bulgarian, and Korean.

In addition to winning the Flannery O’Connor Award, his collection, The Theory of Light and Matter, received Foreword Magazine’s “Book of the Year” Award for Short Fiction, was a finalist for The Steven Turner Award, The Paterson Prize and The WLT Book Award, was shortlisted for the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing, and was selected by both The Kansas City Star and The San Antonio Express-News as one of the “Best Books of the Year.”

The recipient of a Pushcart Prize and fellowships from the James Michener-Copernicus Foundation, the W.K. Rose Foundation, and the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, Porter’s short stories have appeared in The Best American Short Stories, One Story, Ploughshares, The Southern Review, The Threepenny Review, The Missouri Review, American Short Fiction, Narrative Magazine, Epoch, Story, The Colorado Review, Electric Literature, and Texas Monthly, among others. He has had his work read on NPR’s Selected Shorts and numerous times selected as one of the Distinguished Stories of the Year by Best American Short Stories. A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Porter is currently a Professor of English and Director of the Creative Writing Program at Trinity University in San Antonio.

Buy The Imagined Life

Andrew's Website

Andrew’s Wikipedia Page

Book Review for The Imagined Life from New York Times

At about 3:30, Pete makes a clumsy but heartfelt comparison between The Imagined Life and Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea and Andrew shares feedback from readers of his novel

At about 5:10, Andrew responds to Pete’s question about the book’s seeds and talks about “tinker[ing]” with the book’s opening for years

At about 6:45, Pete remarks on the book’s first-person account, and Andrew and Pete discuss the book’s opening and ideas of naivete and fallible parents

At about 8:45, Pete asks Andrew, who expands about structuring the book and its connection to revision

At about 10:45, Pete compares the setting of the book, 1983 Fullerton, CA, to The Smashing Pumpkins’ “1979,” and Andrew discusses similarities

At about 12:30, Pete reflects on the importance of the age given to the book’s narrator and the two characterize the book’s “father” and Andrew talks about using a 70s/early 80s atmosphere through the young narrator’s lens

At about 17:30, Pete summarizes an important character introduction and Andrew talks about the importance of an embarrassing faux pas by the narrator’s father that might have "professional ramifications”

At about 19:30, Andrew responds to Pete’s question about the visits that Steven takes to speak with his father’s former colleagues in the present-day

At about 23:20, Andrew explains connections between Proust (“Proo-st”) and the father, who is obsessed in some ways with Proust’s work; Andrew notes personal parallels between the father and Proust

At about 26:10, Andrew gives background on Uncle Julian’s connection to his brother and his family

At about 27:40, Andrew responds to Pete’s questions about the importance of the book’s cabana and complicated coupling

At about 29:40, Andrew reflects on Chau’s relationship with Steven and the connection as a shared “escape from their home lives”

At about 33:00, Andrew responds to Pete’s questions about fleeting beautiful moments between father and son

At about 34:25, Pete wonders about how Andrew picks character names

At about 36:10, Andrew discusses the narrator’s son, Finn, and his acting out in school as a function of his parents’ marital shakiness

At about 37:30, Pete asks Andrew about a pivotal party and any “ruptures” in relationships that may have followed

At about 40:00, Andrew reflects on possible foreshadowing through letters and notes left behind by Steven’s father

At about 42:40, Andrew discusses his mindset in writing an important and off-the-wall culminating scene

At about 45:35, The two reflect on ideas of traumas and cycles and anger, especially with regard to Steven’s recognition of same

At about 48:30, Pete compliments the ending of the book, ideas of legacy and wonderful book timing

At about 49:30, Andrew reflects on his book’s setting as key in exploring contrasts between Steven’s life then and now, as well as with the world as a whole

At about 50:30, Swatch Watch discourse! and vague Bel Biv Devoe reference!

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 295 with Wright Thompson, a senior writer for ESPN, contributing writer to the Atlantic, and the New York Times bestselling author of Pappylandand The Cost of These Dreams. The Barn, a captivating story of the tragedy of Emmett Till’s racist murder, is out in paperback on the day the episode airs, today, September 9.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 293 with Melissa Lozada-Oliva, Author of Beyond All Reasonable Doubt, JESUS IS ALIVE!: Stories, and Creator of the Ludicrous and Resonant, the Hilarious and the Profoundly Sad

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 21:54:31 -0700

Notes and Links to Melissa Lozada-Oliva’s Work

Melissa Lozada-Oliva is a Guatemalan-Colombian-American writer. Her chapbook peluda (Button Poetry 2017) explores the intersections of Latina identity and hair removal. In her novel-in-verse Dreaming of You (2021, Astra House), a poet brings Selena back to life through a seance and deals with disastrous consequences. Candelaria (Astra House, 2023) follows a Guatemalan grandmother at the end of the world and her three lost American granddaughters who started it. Candelaria was named one of the best books of 2023 by VOGUE and USA Today. Her collection of short stories BEYOND ALL REASONABLE DOUBT, JESUS IS ALIVE! will be released on September 2 through Astra House. Her newsletter READING SUCKS tracks the books she’s read and the distractions she had while reading them, while interviewing authors about their relationship to reading. She is currently adapting Dreaming of You into a film and working on a new novel. Melissa has done brand work with Facebook, Instagram, Google, Armani, and Topo Chico Hard Seltzer. Melissa’s work balances the line between horror and humor. Her work has been featured or is forthcoming in NPR, VOGUE, REMEZCLA, PAPER, The Guardian, BreakBeat Poets, Kenyon Review, Vulture, Bustle, Glamour Magazine, The Huffington Post, Muzzle Magazine, The Adroit Journal, and BBC Mundo. She teaches fiction and poetry at the Center for Fiction and the Red Hook Public Library.

Buy Beyond All Reasonable Doubt, JESUS IS ALIVE

Melissa's Website

Review of Beyond All Reasonable Doubt, JESUS IS ALIVE from Kirkus Reviews

At about 0:55, Melissa talks about her mindset in the runup to publication and gives purchasing info and info about book events

At about 3:35, Melissa responds to Pete’s questions about formative reading and writing from her childhood

At about 5:40, Pete and Melissa talk "Usted" and "Tu" and "Vos" and writing in Spanish

At about 7:10, Melissa talks about the “real-time satisfaction” of seeing/hearing her work “resonate” with people as a catalyst for her writing career

At about 8:20, Melissa expands on what Button Poetry is and how she worked with the organization-here’s one of her viral videos

At about 9:45, Melissa talks about the difference in performing writing and then writing in a more solitary way

At about 10:50, Melissa talks about writers who have inspired and thrilled her, including Sandra Cisneros, Jhumpa Lahiri, Kelly Link, Julia Alvarez, and Octavia Butler

At about 12:50, Melissa shouts some Kelly Link writing to start with in exploring her great work

At about 13:15, Melissa responds to Pete's questions about throughlines in the story collection and any seeds for the writing

At about 14:35, The two discuss the epigraph’s importance, with another Kelly Link shoutout, and discussion of “nothingness”

At about 16:40, Pete traces the collection’s opening and asks Melissa about her usage of second-person

At about 18:20, Pete makes a Soulja Boy/Spanish joke…does it hit?

At about 18:45, Melissa replies to Pete’s questions about the idolized teacher in the first story

At about 20:45, Melissa reflects on ideas of “cancel culture” as seen in the world and in her collection

At about 22:00, Pete wonders about the inspiration for the collection’s title and the titular story

At about 26:05, “Pobrecito” is discussed as a “curdled short king story” and Melissa responds to Pete’s questions about the storyteller as trustworthy

At about 29:10, “Heads” and the story collection’s “absurd humor” and privilege are discussed, especially through ideas of admiration and connection

At about 32:15, Pete compliments Melissa flashback work

At about 33:00, Melissa talks about inspiration from Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been?” for her poolhouse story

At about 35:15, The body horror story “Tails” is discussed, with its themes of misogyny and competition among women brought on by this systemic misogyny

At about 38:40, Melissa expands on Lucas as a restricted, though incredibly nice, character

At about 39:30, Melissa responds to Pete’s questions about music’s role in “Tails” and in Melissa’s writing life

At about 40:50, Pete highlights some hilarious lines and scenes from the collection

At about 42:00, The two discuss the story “Listening” and Melissa expands on the process that is a family thing and a ritual

At about 45:30, “But I’m Still the King,” a story dealing with a family return to their Guatemalan homeland, and ideas of change and tradition and faith and authenticity

At about 51:00, “Community Hole,” the collection’s novella, is discussed, as Pete lays out the exposition, including a vague “cancellation” of the narrator

At about 53:00, Melissa recounts the beginning of narrator, Farah’s, music career

At about 56:55, Melissa responds to Pete’s questions about the novella’s all-important “hole”

At about 59:30, Melissa reflects on Pete’s quoting a writer friend about horror and noir and their shining on light on the world of 2025

At about 1:01:20, Pete references “Shawn of the Dead”

At about 1:02:00, Melissa, in response to Pete’s questions, casts for “Community Hole”

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 294 with Wright Thompson, a senior writer for ESPN, contributing writer to the Atlantic, and the New York Times bestselling author of Pappyland The Cost of These Dreams. The Barn, a captivating story of the tragedy of Emmett Till’s racist murder, is out in paperback on the day the episode airs, September 9.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 292 with Joan Silber, Author of Mercy and Award-Winning and Consistent Creator of Dynamic Characters, Realistic Dialogue, and Memorable Settings

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 08:54:51 -0700

Notes and Links to Joan Silber’s Work

Joan Silber was raised in New Jersey and received her B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College, where she studied writing with Grace Paley. She moved to New York after college and has made it her home ever since. She holds an M.A. from New York University.

She’s written ten books of fiction--most recently, Mercy, out in fall 2025. Secrets of Happiness was a Washington Post Best Book of the year and a Kirkus Reviews Best Fiction of the Year. Improvement won The National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award. She also received the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Short Story. Her other works of fiction include Fools, longlisted for the National Book Award and finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award, The Size of the World, finalist for the Los Angeles Times Prize in Fiction, and Ideas of Heaven, finalist for the National Book Award and the Story Prize. She’s also written Lucky Us, In My Other Life, and In the City (to be reissued by Hagfish in 2026), and her first book, Household Words, won the PEN/Hemingway Award.

She’s the author of The Art of Time in Fiction, which looks at how fiction is shaped and determined by time, with examples from world writers. Her short fiction has been chosen for the O. Henry Prize, Best American Short Stories, and the Pushcart Prize. Stories have appeared in The New Yorker, Tin House, The Southern Review, Ploughshares, Zyzzyva, and other magazines. She’s been the recipient of an Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York Foundation for the Arts.

For many years Joan taught fiction writing at Sarah Lawrence College and in the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers. Joan lives on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, with Jolie, her rescued street dog from Taiwan, and she travels as often as she can, with a particular interest in Asia.

Buy Mercy

Joan Silber's Website

Joan Silber’s Wikipedia Page

Boston Globe Review of Mercy

At about 2:55, Joan talks about responses about her new novel and how uncertainty is always

At about 3:45, Joan talks about places to buy her new novel and upcoming book events

At about 5:05, Joan traces her early relationship with reading and writing and talks about early inspirations like Louisa May Alcott

At about 6:55, Joan responds to Pete’s question about the catalysts for her writing career, and she references the wonderful Grace Paley and her generative teaching methods

At about 8:35, Joan talks about contemporary writers and influences like Charles Baxter, Andrea Barrett, and Margo Livesy

At about 9:50, Pete bumbles through a vague comparison in complimenting Joan on her depiction of New York in the 1970s and gives some exposition of the book, especially regarding the book’s main protagonist, Ivan

At about 11:25, Joan reflects on Ivan and Eddie as “intellectuallizing” their drug adventures

At about 12:35, Joan responds to Pete asking about Eddie and his mindset and personality

At about 14:45, the two trace the book’s inciting incident, involving Eddie and Ivan indulging in drugs to an extreme

At about 17:30, Joan expands on her initial thoughts for the book, and on the secret that Ivan keeps to himself, as well as how she views Ivan in a “complicated” way

At about 18:45, Joan responds to Pete’s question about whether or not she “sit[s] in judgment of [her] characters”

At about 20:20, Pete highlights Ivan and asks Joan’s about Eddie “hav[ing] his own kingdom” in Ivan’s life, especially with regard to his atonement for Alcoholics Anonymous

At about 21:50, Pete traces Astrid/Ginger’s career arc, as Ivan sees her rise and connects to Eddie, and Joan expands on why her film being done in Malaysia is connected to real-life regulations in China

At about 23:30, Pete asks Joan about how she gets into the mindset to write about “What if?”

At about 24:50, Chapter Two is discussed, with a new narrator in Astrid, and her tragedies and triumphs

At about 26:10, Joan talks about the movie that takes place in the book, with Astrid as a star; Joan expands upon the “circle” of heroin/opioids in the novel

At about 28:30, Joan discusses the “echo in the title” about heroin as the “drug of mercy”

At about 29:00, Joan gives background on her choice in including Cara as a character who is a “bystander” to Eddie’s abandonment

At about 30:15, Joan and Pete discuss the whys of Cara leaving and getting on the road

At about 31:40, Joan talks about Chapter Three as a previously-published chapter/standalone, and how she likes “getting her characters in trouble”

At about 32:00, Joan explains how she “follows” Nini into the next chapter, based on a previous quote, and how Joan’s own travels influenced her writing about the Iu Mien of Thailand and Laos

At about 35:00, Joan describes how Nini’s injury in Southeast Asia serves as a vessel for a description of opium’s uses/the way it’s viewed in a variety of ways around the world

At about 36:15, Pete and Joan discuss the roles of anthropologists and their roles

At about 38:30, Cara’s chapter is highlighted, with Cara’s relationship with her previously-absent father discussed

At about 41:00, Pete asks Joan to discuss the book’s title-its genesis and connections to the book’s events and characters

At about 42:30, Joan differentiates between mercy and forgiveness

At about 43:00, Pete compliments Joan’s work in tracing a long but coherent storyline and her depiction of New York

At about 44:10, Joan discusses an exciting upcoming project

At about 45:20, Pete and Joan discuss youth and innocence and aging as key parts

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 293 with Melissa Lozada-Oliva, a Guatemalan-Colombian-American writer. Her chapbook peluda explores the intersections of Latina identity and hair removal. In her novel-in-verse Dreaming of You (2021, Astra House), a poet brings Selena back to life through a seance and deals with disastrous consequences. Candelaria was named one of the best books of 2023 by VOGUE and USA Today. Her collection of short stories is BEYOND ALL REASONABLE DOUBT, JESUS IS ALIVE! The episode airs on September 2, today, Pub Day.

This episode airs today, September 2, Pub Day.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 291 with Ruben Reyes, Jr., Author of Archive of Unknown Universes, and Master Craftsman of the Sad and Ecstatic, the Historical and the Immediate

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 21:34:56 -0700

Notes and Links to Ruben Reyes, Jr.’s Work

Ruben Reyes Jr. is the son of two Salvadoran immigrants. He completed his MFA in fiction at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.

He is a graduate of Harvard College where he studied History and Literature and Latinx Studies. His writing has appeared in The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, AGNI, BOMB Magazine, Lightspeed Magazine, LitHub, and other publications.

His debut story collection, There is a Rio Grande in Heaven, was a finalist for The Story Prize, and longlisted for the the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the Carnegie Medal for Excellence, the Aspen Words Literary Prize, and the New American Voices Award. Archive of Unknown Universes is his first novel. Originally from Southern California, he lives in Queens.

Buy Archive of Unknown Universes

Ruben's Website

Book Review for Archive of Unknown Universes from Washington Post, by Bilal Qureshi

At about 1:45, Ruben describes the experience of having his first novel out in the world

At about 3:30, Ruben talks about feedback he’s received about the novel

At about 4:35, Ruben shares publishing information and shouts out “local indies” and Bookshop.org as good places to buy the book, and he shares a story about his book tour for his story collection

At about 6:10, Ruben talks about his writing timeline and how he wrote his novel and his story collection at around the same time, allowing him flexibility and variety

At about 9:00, Ruben responds to Pete’s questions about how feedback and the writing community worked during the pandemic

At about 11:00, Ruben reflects on seeds for his novel, particularly the “turning point” that was his 2018 research trip to El Salvador

At about 12:30, Ruben talks about the importance of oral histories he did on this 2018 research trip

At about 13:25, Pete asks Ruben about the book’s dedication and how he viewed the specific and universal

At about 16:15, Pete shares the book’s profound epigraphs, and shares the book’s exposition; Ruben responds to Pete’s questions about the book’s structure and his rationale in starting the book with a letter

At about 19:25, Ruben reflects on writers and their views on a “perfect novel”

At about 20:45, Ruben and Pete describe the book’s pivotal machine, The Defractor, and fun with different “Interlocutors” for the machine

At about 23:40, Pete provides background information on Ana and Luis, important characters in the books

At about 25:20, Ruben and Pete discuss the importance of Archbishop Oscar Romero and his coverage in the novel

At about 28:00, Ruben reflects on how the “What if?” question is so resonant in literature and outside

At about 28:50, Ruben and Pete talk about setting the tone for the start of the relationship between Rafael and Neto and an early scene at Havana’s Malecon

At about 30:40, Pete reflects on traumas so understatedly and profoundly rendered

At about 32:00, Ruben talks about Ana’s and Luis’ relationship

At about 33:40, Pete wonders about an important decision made by Neto, and Ruben expands on research he did that showed how youth was largely in control during the Salvadoran Civil War

At about 35:50, Ruben expands on what demands and hopes the revolutionaries/guerrillas had in the Salvadoran Civil War

At about 39:05, The two discuss the book’s parallel storyline

At about 41:55, Ruben and Pete reflect on the fiery passions of youth and what makes relationships works and connections

At about 44:15, The two discuss similarities and differences between Neto and Rafael

At about 46:10, Ruben homes in on how queerness was seen/embraced in the 70s, as shown through Rafael and Neto

At about 47:30, Pete highlights a profound quote as he and Ruben talk about “grasping the lost threads of history” and how Ruben’s book connects to ideas of silences and traumas and "reclaiming history”

At about 49:40, Ruben shouts out Leisy Abrego’s “On Silences” and its argument about silences as “intergenerational” in the Salvadoran diaspora

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he’s @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he’s @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Episode 286 guest Hannah Pittard is up on the website this week. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, his DIY podcast and his extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of noir, horror, and crime fiction, as some of the best ways to match the zeitgeist and crazy timeline that is 2025.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 292 with Joan Silber, a novelist and short story writer. She won the 2017 National Book Critics Circle Award in Fiction and the 2018 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction for her novel Improvement. Her latest novel, Mercy, is her 10th book of fiction.

This episode drops today, September 2, Pub Day for Mercy.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 290 with Adnan Virk, Author of Cinephile, Emmy-Award Winning Broadcaster for MLB Network and More, and Host of 336 Episodes of the Passionate, Fun, and Information-Packed Cinephile Podcast

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 21:37:55 -0700

Notes and Links to Adnan Virk’s Work

Adnan Virk is an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster who is

currently a host on MLB Network, NHL Network, and Amazon Prime

Canada. Virk has been on television since September 2002 and

worked almost nine years at ESPN, where he was a host primarily

on their baseball and college football coverage, while also filling

in on ESPN Radio. Virk’s podcast Cinephile ran for eight years,

totaling 336 episodes from 2016 to 2024. A graduate of Ryerson

University and a Toronto native, Adnan lives with his wife Eamon

and their four boys, Yusuf, Adeen, Shazz, and Maaz, in New Jersey.

Buy Cinephile

Adnan's Instagram

Cinephile Podcast

At about 2:30, Adnan provides background on working with Mango Publishing and the process of seeing the book to publication

At about 4:50, Adnan and Pete reminisce over their struggles and triumphs in high school and college intramurals

At about 5:50, Adnan shares exciting feedback from readers, while sharing some favorite stories of his and talking about

At about 7:00, Adnan shares how his son’s middle name is “Scorsese” and talks about an important “informal quiz” that Adnan’s future took to solidify the relationship

At about 9:00, The two reflect on the death of McCluskey in The Godfather

At about 9:30, The two fanboy over the wondrous Dekalog movie series

At about 13:20, Adnan traces the iconic night where he announced the Best Picture mixup at the 2017 Oscars

At about 16:40, Adnan discusses his interview with Monica Bellucci

At about 18:15, Pete and Adnan share their thoughts on the

At about 19:00, Adnan responds to Pete’s leading question about Scorcese’s Silence and reflects on the “special” movie and unique moviegoing experience

At about 21:50, the two reflect on Mahershala Ali’s profound quote on “experiencing” a movie

At about 22:35, Adnan responds to Pete's questions about formative moviegoing experiences

At about 25:10, the two discuss the wondrous Raging Bull

At about 26:40, Pete asks Adnan what movie he can quote at will

At about 28:00, Adnan reflects on movies he enjoyed when he first saw them and then later changed his opinion

At about 28:50, Adnan mentions Hoffa in riffing on underrated/underappreciated movies

At about 30:00, Adnan talks about his fun in writing a sort of miscellaneous last chapter of Cinephile

At about 31:15, Adnan talks about Big Night and Raging Bull as great “brother” movies

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 291 with second time guest Ruben Reyes, Jr. His debut story collection, There is a Rio Grande in Heaven, was a finalist for The Story Prize. Archive of Unknown Universes is his first novel, an inventive and original one, and it was published in July 2025.

This episode airs on August 29.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 289 with Jahmal Mayfield, Author of Smoke Kings, and Master of the Heart-Racing and Nuanced and Profound

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 22:30:50 -0700

Notes and Links to Jahmal Mayfield’s Work

Jahmal Mayfield writes gritty crime novels that touch on large social issues. He was born in Virginia but currently resides in New Jersey. In addition to writing, he serves as the director of a nonprofit program that provides employment support to people with disabilities. Mayfield is a husband and father of two young adults who are both embarrassed by his frequent forays down the rabbit holes of YouTube to view old 90s hip hop videos. SMOKE KINGS was inspired by Kimberly Jones’ passionate viral video, “How can we win?”

Buy Smoke Kings

Jahmal's Website

Book Review for Smoke Kings from Washington Post, by E.A. Aymar

At about 2:00, Pete and Jahmal fanboy over Nas and talk “classic” hip hop

At about 3:40, Jahmal talks about “three phases” of his reading and writing life

At about 4:45, Jahmal talks about being “a reader first, and a writer second,” and responds to Pete’s question about what he has gotten from his favorite writers

At about 6:00, Jahmal responds to Pete’s musings about

At about 7:40, Jahmal expands upon “lean[ing]” into a certain character to use him as a caricature and the reasoning behind the choice

At about 8:25, Jahmal and Pete discuss the wonderful crime fiction community

At about 10:25, The two reflect on Kimberly Jones’ viral video and profound speech and righteous rage

At about 12:30, The two share much about the book’s exposition and dynamic opening scene

At about 13:25, Jahmal gives background on Jackson Keeler’s wonderful editing and how the opening came about

At about 14:45, Jahmal shares how he referenced real historical racist tragedies that informed the racist crimes referenced in the book

At about 15:45, Jahmal provides background on the book’s main characters and their rationale in seeking revenge

At about 17:10, the two discuss the character of Mason, the PI and his arc and treatment

At about 19:30, Jahmal explains how he aimed to have two characters serve as “counterweights” to Mason

At about 20:55, Jahmal and Pete reflect scene

At about 23:15, Jahmal responds to Pete’s question about the book’s title, also riffing on the evolution of the title and how he tried to “honor the spirit of Kimberly Jones”

At about 25:00, The two discuss the book’s parallel storylines and Jahmal talks about how the book’s structure came late in the process

At about 27:50, Pete wonders about Mason and how he views his job

At about 29:15, The two discuss the escalating levels of violence within the Smoke Kings and the different ways they view their mission

At about 31:20, Jahmal responds to Pete’s comments on Joshua, the brother of the murdered Darius, as taking a step back; Jahmal remarks on how/why he “kinda sidelined" him

At about 33:00, Jahmal gives background on Elizabeth and her character as representative

At about 35:35, Jahmal talks about the significance of the names of the white supremacist characters and their characteristics

At about 37:55, Jahmal reflects on a tagline for the book, “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves

At about 39:45, The two reflect on Colin Kaepernick’s protests and how it connects to ideas of racial justice

At about 43:10, Jahmal responds to Pete’s questions about the systematic versus the individual, in connection to the book

At about 46:30, Jahmal gives some previews of his future writing path

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Episode 287’s Hannah Pittard is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 290 with second time guest Ruben Reyes, Jr. His debut story collection, There is a Rio Grande in Heaven, was a finalist for The Story Prize. Archive of Unknown Universes is his first novel, an inventive and original one, and it was published in July 2025.

The episode airs today, August 26.

Please demand action from your local congressperson in seeking a ceasefire in Gaza by going to https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin.

Episode 288 with Camille U. Adams, Author of How to Be Unmothered, and Master Wordsmith of the Precise and the Flowery, the Banal and the Extraordinary

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 21:55:25 -0700

Notes and Links to Camille Adams’ Work

CAMILLE U. ADAMS, Ph.D. was born and raised in beautiful Trinidad and Tobago. She is the author of the explosive memoir How To Be Unmothered: a Trinidadian memoir, finalist in the Restless Books Prize in New Immigrant Writing 2023.

Camille is a memoirist, a poet, and a nature writer. She has been awarded Best of The Net—nonfiction 2024. She has received five Pushcart Prize nominations and three Best of the Net nominations for her memoir writing. Camille’s work has also received recognition as a notable essay in Best American Essays 2022. Her writing has been long-listed in the Graywolf Creative nonfiction Prize 2022 and selected as a finalist for The 2021 Orison Anthology Award in Nonfiction.

Her other honours include an awarded fellowship as an inaugural Tin House Reading Fellow, an inaugural Granta nature writing workshop fellowship, an inaugural Anaphora Arts Italy Writing Retreat Fellowship, a McKnight Doctoral Fellowship, a Community of Writers Fellowship, A VONA scholarship, and a Roots Wounds Words Fellowship.

A Tin House Summer Workshop alum, Camille has served as a juried reader for Tin House for two consecutive years and as a moderator for two author panels. She has also received support from Kenyon Writers Workshop, Grubstreet, and others.

In addition, Camille has been an associate CNF editor at Variant Lit and an assistant memoir editor at Split Lip Magazine and at The Account. She has long taught English and creative writing, emphasising the importance of strong craft, beautiful prose, and ugly truths.

Having earned her MFA in Poetry from City College CUNY and her Ph.D. in Creative Nonfiction from FSU, Camille currently teaches creative writing and literature in New York City. She is at work on her second memoir.

Buy How to Be Unmothered: A Trinidadian Memoir

Camille U. Adams' Website

Excerpt from How to Be Unmothered

At about 2:55, Camille talks about her ideal writing environments and she and Pete bond over Pete’s

At about 5:00, Camille responds to Pete’s question about what books and stories resonate with her students-she references Javier Zamora and Derek Walcott and Jamaica Kincaid

At about 8:00, the two discuss purchasing details for How to Be Unmothered

At about 9:15, Camille shares great early feedback for the memoir

At about 11:35, Camille responds to Pete’s question about her early reading loves

At about 14:30, Pete cites Jamaica Kincaid’s masterful work and Camille shouts out George Lanning, Samuel Selvon, Paul Keyes Douglas, and other masterful Caribbean writers

At about 16:50, Camille responds to Pete’s questions about the “push-and-pull” of colonialist language and history in Trinidad

At about 21:00, Camille highlights Daniel José Older’s brilliant work as the two discuss evocative language

At about 22:25, Camille cites calypso and its performances as a keen example of the dynamic nature of language

At about 24:05, Camille and Pete discuss the book’s dedication and epigraph (eek-Pete first calls it an “epitath”), with Camille sharing an insightful story on an idea’s generative appearance in her head

At about 28:40, Camille responds to Pete’s question about the significance of her memoir’s chapter titles as different trees

At about 31:05, Pete and Camille set out the exposition for the memoir, especially the pivotal opening scene; Camille expounds on the long drive recounted and how it serves as a sort of cultural and historical tour of Trinidad

At about 35:00, Camille talks about her

At about 36:25, Camille talks about the Trinidian term “hotfoot,” as the two discuss double standards for men and women

At about 38:20, No spoilers! as Pete highlights an evocative and creative section about rum

At about 40:55, Camille reflects on an “initiation” and on ideas of dominion over nature

At about 44:00, Camille examines ideas of being a child and expectations and tropes around parent-child alienations

At about 46:50, The two discuss an evocative series of scenes and ideas of intimacy and forced burdens

At about 49:40, Camille responds to Pete’s musings about the somatic sensations depicted in the book, including introducing the wise, apt saying: “there is no past tense in the body”

At about 54:00, Camille describes traumatic experiences heaped on children in general and on herself, as she reflects on ideas of “property” and a lack of agency

At about 58:00, Camille talks about why she can’t and won’t live with “unlove”

At about 1:00:00, Camille discusses ideas of joy and resilience and vulnerability and “strip[ping] words of meaning and connections to political and psychological consciousness

At about 1:04:50, Camille highlights a meaningful song, The Journey” by Chris “Tambu” Herbert

At about 1:07:40, Camille teases her second book

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, is up at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 289 with Jahmal Mayfield, who writes gritty crime novels that touch on large social issues. His stellar SMOKE KINGS was inspired by Kimberly Jones’ passionate viral video, “How can we win?”

This episode airs on August 26.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 287 with Jordan Harper, Author of She Rides Shotgun, and Master of "Lies that Tell the Truth," Wonderfully Contradictory Characters, and The Visceral, the Gutting, and the Memorable

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 22:04:48 -0700

Notes and Links to Jordan Harper’s Work

Jordan Harper is the Edgar-Award winning author of THE LAST KING OF CALIFORNIA, 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 She Rides Shotgun

Jordan Harper's Author Page for Goodreads

She Rides Shotgun Review from Kirkus Reviews

Buy Tickets for She Rides Shotgun

At about 3:30, Jordan talks about wanting a bullet wound of a main character to be a visceral and realistic for the reader

At about 4:30, Pete shares a perhaps apocryphal story of a damning way that Sicilian Mafiosi would kill

At about 5:20, Jordan further explains a piece of the book that explains an interesting connection to gun violence

At about 6:00, Pete references Mario Puzo and his research for his Mafia writing in asking Jordan about his own research for She Rides Shotgun

At about 8:25, Jordan shares interesting insights into ways to jumpstart research through using RICO files

At about 10:50, Jordan describes his philosophy on realism, and gives credit to Chuck Palahnuik’s approach and advice

At about 13:10, Jordan specifies Slab Town in his book as an example of a possibly unrealistic place that is provided evidence of realism and describes his view on violence in his writing

At about 14:40, Jordan riffs on John Wick and the “ziplessness of the violence”

At about 16:00, Pete quotes a wise writer friend about noir and horror, etc., and how they are the venues for so much important and brilliant contemporary writing; he also means to shout out Jordan’s incredible recent short story, “My Savage Year”

At about 18:00, Jordan talks about “A Violent Masterpiece” as a title of a future book, and its genesis, as well as connections to escapism

At about 21:20, Jordan talks about a shift in subject manner in his latest work, in a more macro-/government

At about 22:55, Jordan replies to Pete asking about what it’s like to see the movie version of She Rides Shotgun in the theater; he quotes Jill Ciment in describing the wonder of having your writing adapted to the big screen

At about 24:50, Jordan provides a summary of She Rides Shotgun

At about 27:00, Jordan talks about the book’s protagonist, Polly, and the ways in which she’s been “oppressed”

At about 29:00, Jordan talks about ideas of hate, oppression, intolerance, fascism, and free speech as connected to Nazism and hate

At about 30:40, Pete compliments the “fish out of water” balance that Jordan uses with Polly, and Jordan responds to Pete’s question about the idea of “gunfighter eyes”-attributed to Polly in the novel

At about 32:40, Pete and Jordan provides a little exposition for the novel, particularly with regard to the father and daughter relationship, or lack thereof

At about 33:40, Pete connects a flashback scene into the novel to a great and intense story by William Carlos Williams, “The Use of Force”

At about 34:20, Jordan responds to Pete asking about what keeps Polly with her father, even when she is-especially at the beginning-scared of him/by him

At about 35:40, Jordan reflects on a mindset towards pain, and how this mindset manifests in the book

At about 37:40, Pete and Jordan reflect on the book’s time lapses and standout flashforward and time compression

At about 39:10, Jordan highlights both the book and the idea of The Lie that Tells the Truth, and an important bear makes a cameo

At about 41:00, Jordan talks about "complicating the machismo” by making the bear an important part of the novel’s storyline

At about 43:50, Pete reflects on the bear’s significance and connection to the high school world; Jordan reflects on seeing himself in Polly, and how readers’ comments made him reflect

At about 46:00, Jordan recounts how a change in POV in the drafts of the book changed the book’s effects

At about 48:55, Pete and Jordan reflect on the traumas in Polly’s short life

At about 52:15, Pete lauds Jordan’s epic opening to the book- he reads the part about “Crazy Craig” and Jordan responds to Pete’s questions about the deified Craig and some chill-inducing lines

At about 53:45, Jordan references great friend and great writer S.A. Cosby in talking about “Old Testament”/ “New Testament” writing

At about 56:10, Pete and Jordan reflect on Detective Park’s “buzz” from the life of an investigator; Jordan cites ridealongs with LAPD or LASD as writing fodder

At about 59:20, Jordan talks about the nuances of creating a “complex character” and dispenses some valuable writing advice

At about 1:04:25, Jordan responds to Pete’s question about what it is like to see his words acted out on the big screen in the hands of skilled actors

At about 1:06:25- Pete reminds listeners to get their tickets to see She Rides Shotgun on the big screen

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah Pittard, a recent guest, will be up in the next week or two at Chicago Review.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 288 with Camille Adams, who was born and raised in beautiful Trinidad and Tobago. Camille is a memoirist, a poet, and a nature writer, and the author of the explosive memoir How To Be Unmothered: a Trinidadian Memoir. The book was a finalist in the Restless Books Prize in New Immigrant Writing 2023, and it is out on August 19, the same day the episode drops.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

Episode 286 with Hannah Pittard, Author of If You Love It, Let It Kill You, and Master Craftswoman of Memorable, Witty, Zany, Profound Dialogue, Characters, and Storylines

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 22:53:16 -0700

Notes and Links to Hannah Pittard’s Work

Hannah Pittard is the author of six books, including the memoir WE ARE TOO MANY and the novel out as of today, IF YOU LOVE IT, LET IT KILL YOU. She is a winner of the Amanda Davis Highwire Fiction Award, a MacDowell fellow, and a professor of English at the University of Kentucky. She lives with her boyfriend and stepdaughter in Lexington. Much of her family lives nearby.

Buy If You Love It, Let It Kill You

Hannah Pittard's Website

If You Love It, Let It Kill You Excerpt with Recommendation from Maggie Smith for Electric Literature

“Two Writers Fell in Love, Married, Then Divorced. Who Gets the Story?” from The New York Times

At about 1:50, Hannah describes the evolution of her last name’s pronunciation

At about 3:00, Hannah talks about the cover for If You Love It, Let it Kill You and describes her mindset in the leadup to her book’s publication

At about 4:50, Pete shouts out Rachel Yoder’s Nightbitch, both the book and movie, and asks Hannah to cast a possible future movie for If You Love It, Let it Kill You

At about 7:20, Pete compliments the “snappy dialogue” of the book in asking Hannah about her family background and early intellectual life

At about 8:45, Hannah discusses the book as “100% fiction” while talking about her sister and family as “muses”

At about 9:55, Public urination is discussed, both within the book, and without

At about 10:50, Hannah traces her early reading life and how she “fell in love with books” and shouts out Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, and Tim O’Brien (In the Lake of Woods)

At about 14:30, Pete brings up James Frey in discussing the fine line between fiction and nonfiction, as discussed by Hannah with regard to In the Lake of the Woods’ brilliance

At about 15:30, Ann Beattie, Grace Paley, Alice Munro, are referenced as big influences on Hannah’s writing and reading in college and right after, as she traces her semi-accidental foray into MFA

At about 17:20, Hannah talks about updating her contemporary reading as she entered MFA, including her early reading of Infinite Jest!

At about 19:15, Alice Munro’s “upsetting” story is discussed as is Claire Deder’s Monsters, in the larger discussion about problematic and damaging authors

At about 22:50, Hannah discusses her current reading, including Honor Jones’ Sleep, and Lynn Stever Strong’s , and the series Storybook ND

At about 25:40, Hannah shouts out the book’s publisher and places to buy the book, including Good Neighbor Books in upstate NY and Exile in Bookville in Chicago

At about 27:40, the two discuss Margaret Atwood’s “cameo” in the book and Atwood’s epigraph

At about 28:55, Pete takes another opportunity to shout out Jess Walter, Beautiful Ruins, and Edoardo Ballerini

At about 33:00, Hannah shouts out “Dog Heaven” by Stephanie Vaughn in a beautiful audio form read by Tobias Wolff, and the two fanboy/girl about Wolff’s “Bullet in the Brain”

At about 34:40, Pete lays out the book’s opening and Hannah replies to Pete’s question about her original and full chapter titles

At about 36:35, The two discuss the book’s exposition and plotline and how “Today I am restless” sets the scene for the book’s ethos

At about 40:00, Hannah shares some funny real-life stories from which she took pieces for her book’s characters

At about 41:55, Pete playfully laments the incredible veracity of Hannah’s writing

At about 44:40, The two lay out a sort of “existential crisis” and an anxiety about contentment at the book’s beginning; Hannah notes the protagonist’s “place of privilege”

At about 47:10, Pete remarks on the book’s subtlety and Hannah on the protagonist’s “distanc[ing]” based on a past trauma

At about 49:35, Hannah responds to Pete’s asking about the vagaries of memory and its connections to the protagonist’s actions and busy thoughts

At about 52:05, The two discuss the protagonist’s ennui

At about 53:15, Hannah responds to Pete’s questions about the book’s choral/allegorical nature

At about 58:55, Hannah talks about the dynamic between the protagonist and her students, and Hannah’s own evolution in teaching more flexibly

At about 1:02:05, Hannah responds to Pete’s wonderings and musings of “The Irishman” and the character’s implications

At about 1:07:00, Hannah reflects on various iterations of scenes involving a threatening student

At about 1:09:10, Pete cites Jess Walter’s ending for Beautiful Ruins, in raving about Hannah’s wonderful last line and skill in bringing the storyline full circle

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Hannah will be up in the next week or two at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of writing projects that got away, as Pete discusses a particular writing project that had so much potential but is now unfinishable-at least he thinks so.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 287 with Jordan Harper, whose 2017 novel She Rides Shotgun is being adapted and released through Lionsgate Studios on August 1, which is also when the episode airs.

Episode 285 with The Philharmonik, Winner of 2024's NPR Tiny Desk Contest for "What's It All Mean?" and Master Arranger, Producer, and Reflective Lyricist

Fri, 16 May 2025 16:44:18 -0700

Notes and Links to The Philharmonik’s Work

The Philharmonik, who was an Episode 58 guest, is a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, lyricist, music producer and genre defining artist. Recently, he has been nationally and globally recognized after winning the 2023 American Song writer contest and NPR’s 2024 Tiny Desk Contest for his song “What’s It All Mean?”

NPR Announcement of Tiny Desk Winner: “What’s It All Mean?”

The Philharmonik's Website

NPR Tiny Desk Concert

“What’s It All Mean?” Video

The Philharmonik on Spotify

At about 1:35, Christian talks about the year since he won NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest, and his “shift[ing] perspective”

At about 2:50, Christian discusses the importance of his victory in the American Songwriters’ Contest, and the important “domino effect”

At about 5:50, Christian talks about his vision board and manifesting for his NPR victory

At about 7:30, Christian talked about the waiting period between submission for NPR and his victory, and “starting to lose faith”

At about 9:30, Christian talks about his views on competition

At about 10:30, Usher: “Watch this!”

At about 11:10, Christian shares his memories-he mentions being “in disbelief”-of getting the call

At about 13:40, Christian talks about his initial entry in Tiny Desk in 2018 and his philosophy in entering

At about 15:00, Christian responds to Pete’s questions about the logistics and vision for the video for “What’s It All Mean?”

At about 17:40, Pete asks Christian about his interest in music videos and expressing himself through the videos

At about 19:00, The two discuss Office Space, The Office, and other parallels to the working world and Christian’s video

At about 20:00, Chrsitian expands on his band/video mates as “the final piece”

At about 21:45, Christian shouts out the venue and benefactors for his video shoot-shout out the Machados and All-City Homes in Oak Park, Sacramento

At about 23:20, Christian talks about the wonderful feedback from fans

At about 24:00, Pete shares praise from NPR about the song and video

At about 24:50, Christian expands upon the truly “tiny” Tiny Desk and the logistics of the Tiny Desk Concert itself

At about 27:15, Christian discusses the post Tiny Desk Concert tour arranged by NPR

At about 29:10, Christian breaks down “in the pocket” and “dry[ing] out the mix” as he gets his music professor on

At about 30:05, Christian calls Stevie Wonder “the godfather” of “What’s It All Mean” and expands on how he likes the ways Beatles used guitars and connections to amps and reverb

At about 31:50, Christian responds to Pete’s questions about the arrangement of the winning song, especially the opening crescendo

At about 34:10, Christian answers Pete’s question about how the winning song’s meaning ahs evolved over time

At about 36:00, Pete homes in on some meaningful lines from the winning song as the two reflect on the unknowns of life

At about 38:40, Pete mentions Severance and “No Surprises” by Radiohead as reminiscent of the winning song

At about 40:20, Christian reflects on the “ups and downs of the creative process” and the (mostly) special time “in the lab”

At about 41:30, Christian talks about listener data and questioning his music career at times

At about 43:30, Christian shares the exciting news about his upcoming world tour

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. This week, his conversation with Episode 270 guest Jason De León is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 286 with Hannah Pittard, winner of the Amanda Davis Highwire Fiction Award and a MacDowell fellow. She is the author of six books, including the memoir WE ARE TOO MANY and the forthcoming novel IF YOU LOVE IT, LET IT KILL YOU, whose Pub Day is July 15, the day this episode drops.

Episode 284 with Vanessa Saunders, Author of the Flat Woman, and Creator of Fantastical and Believable Worlds Built Upon Creative and Timely Storylines

Tue, 06 May 2025 19:05:46 -0700

Notes and Links to Vanessa Saunders’ Work

Vanessa Saunders is a writer living in New Orleans. She teaches as a Professor of Practice at Loyola University New Orleans. She was the editor-in-chief of Helium Journal from 2013 to 2016.

Her writing has appeared in Writer's Digest, Writer's Chronicle, Seneca Review, Sycamore Review, Los Angeles Review, Nat. Brut, Entropy, PANK, Passages North, Stockholm Review of Literature and other journals. She is at work on a novel of magical realism about whiteness and a book-length prose poem about the ethics of authorship.

Buy The Flat Woman

Vanessa's Website

At about 1:45, Vanessa recommends places to buy her book, including Baldwin Books

At about 2:55, Vanessa responds to Pete’s question about her expectations for the Pub Day and beyond versus the realities

At about 5:20, the two discuss Kafka’s Metamorphosis and his parables and connections to Vanessa’s The Flat Woman, as well as absurdities and allegory

At about 9:30, Vanessa gives background on her early reading and writing, including her grandfather’s and Sylvia Plath’s influences, and Anne Carson’s influence on The Flat Woman

At about 13:30, Vanessa explains the unique British library system

At about 15:25, Vanessa responds to Pete’s questions about

At about 16:35, Vanessa mentions Kelly Link, Sarah Rose Etter, Aimee Bender, and Hadriana in my Dreams as contemporary writers and writing that inspires her

At about 18:20, Pete and Vanessa shout out the generosity and greatness of Aimee Bender, and Vanessa talks about meetings with inspiring writers

At about 19:20, Pete shouts out Antonya Nelson’s “In the Land of Men” for the 1,987,231 time in Chills at Will history

At about 19:55, The two discuss the book’s epigraph and seeds for the book

At about 22:40, Vanessa expands upon stewardship and community and the environment in the formulation of her book

At about 24:20, Pete wonders about Vanessa’s decision to avoid naming her characters

At about 26:40, Pete asks Vanessa

At about 29:10, the two discuss the lengthy “setups” that are chapter titles, or “headlines”

At about 32:20, “leaky boundaries” and the family dynamic, including the absent father, are discussed

At about 33:35, “Terrorism” and government cover-up in the book and its couching is discussed; Vanessa talks about birds as “indicator species,” as she learned from a group of “elite ornithologists” (!!!) with whom she lived

At about 36:40, Vanessa talks about perpetual archetypes and storylines for “female villainy”

At about 37:40, Bird grief and research and animals as stand-ins for humans as discussed in the book is explored by Vanessa

At about 41:10, Vanessa, in explaining her views of animals and things and dominion, references a wonderful Louise Gluck line

At about 42:35, Pete and Vanessa discuss Bay Area history, anthropology. and its effects on their mindsets and writing

At about 44:00, The two talk about the “patriarch[al]” POPS Cola, and the protagonist’s early life after her mother is arrested and convicted

At about 45:45, Vanessa expands on the patriarchal society and the 2024 election’s connections to the systemic misogyny on display in the book

At about 49:50, The protagonist, depicted 10 years as “The woman,” and Part II are described, as well as the “chaotic aunt” and more ugly realities that confront the woman

At about 51:45, Vanessa cites inspiration from an interview with Toni Morrison regarding family alienation

At about 53:10, Vanessa explores connections between humor and speculative fiction

At about 54:10, The woman’s earliest interactions with and attractions to the man are discussed

At about 55:10, Vanessa responds to Pete’s question about the man being drawn to Elvis, with a trip down memory lane of a San Francisco that may no longer exist

At about 59:20, Vanessa talks about setting the woman as working at the very company that has imprisoned her mother

At about 1:01:25, Vanessa responds to Pete’s question about the grisly displays of hurt and dead animals, and the two discuss ideas of entertainment and willful (or not) ignorance about the brutality in Gaza and climate change

At about 1:05:00, Pete complements Vanessa for humor on the page and asks if the man has “discovered the manosphere”

At about 1:08:35, Vanessa talks about social justice being “commodified”

At about 1:10:40, Vanessa talks about initial hesitat[ion] in depicting the man as having some assorted wisdom, along with many horrible traits

At about 1:11:40, Vanessa discusses a famous writer, who is not related to her :(

At about 1:13:00, Another Maurice Carlos Ruffin shoutout

At about 1:14:20, Movie actors for the book’s characters!

At about 1:16:10, “You are hearing me talk”-Al Gore

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. This week, his conversation with Episode 270 guest Jason De León is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 285 with The Philharmonik, Episode 58 guest, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, lyricist, music producer and genre defining artist. Recently, he has been nationally and globally recognized after winning the 2023 American Song writer contest and NPR’s 2024 Tiny Desk Contest for his song “What’s It All Mean?”

The episode marks the one-year anniversary of his NPR Tiny Desk Contest win. This will be released on May 16.

Episode 283 with Jason Bailey, Author of Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend, and a Reflective, Sympathetic Film Historian and Vault of TV and Film Knowledge

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 09:02:23 -0700

Notes and Links to Jason Bailey’s Work

Jason Bailey is a film critic, author, and podcaster. His work has appeared in The Playlist, The New York Times, Vulture, Vice, Rolling Stone, and Slate, among others. He is the editor-in-chief of Crooked Marquee, the former film editor at Flavorwire, and the author of six books-the most recent is Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend. He lives in the Bronx with his wife and two daughters.

Buy Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend

Jason's Website

NPR Interview Re: Gandolfini

At about 2:25, Jason talks about book events and good places to buy his book, included Matt Zoller Seitz’s dynamic website

At about 4:00, Jason talks about the incomparable Edoardo Ballerini as his audiobook narrator

At about 7:05, Jason talks about his cinematic and reading influences since childhood; he tells a story of seeing “At the Movies” and becoming a cinephile and movie criticism fan

At about 12:10, Jason responds to Pete’s question about career thoughts in his adolescent years revolving around moviemaking/writing about movies

At about 15:10, Jason talks about his approach in watching movies and whether or not he can watch a movie while “cleansing his mind” and not watching for “work”

At about 16:40, Pete asks Jason about him going to movie theaters often

At about 19:15, Jason responds to Pete’s question about favorite movie(s)/movies that explain his aesthetic, and the two discuss The Godfather Part I and Part II (and Part III!)

At about 23:35, Jason talks about being “sympathetic and empathetic and complex” in his depiction of James Gandolfini

At about 27:30, Jason shares feedback he received from Sopranos crew members and Drea DeMatteo in particular about James Gandolfini’s complicated legacy

At about 29:50, Jason talks about how his moviemaking history makes him more sympathetic in reviewing movies

At about 33:45, Jason explains his background as a fan of James Gandolfini in connection to his earlier roles and his Sopranos role

At about 38:50, Jason and Pete talk about post-Sopranos roles for James Gandolfini, typecasting, and delivery for iconic and moving lines

At about 40:35, Jason gives background on James Gandolfini’s view of the acting life and the importance of actors

At about 43:30, Jason responds to Pete’s questions about James Gandolfini’s Italian identity

At about 44:40, Pete and Jason discuss James Gandolfini’s real-life and lack of real-life organized crime connections and Tony Soprano-esque accent

At about 46:10, Jason tells an interesting, seemingly untold, story about James Gandolfini and dropping out of a Mafia movie

At about 47:50, Pete shares a Sammy “The Bull” Gravano story and Jason talks about James Gandolfini choosing roles to “put the last nail in that Tony Soprano coffin”

At about 50:15, The two discuss the haunting of James Gandolfini balanced with the great role of Tony Soprano

At about 53:20, Pete uses a supposed “jump the shark” moment to ask Jason about James Gandolfini being incredibly hard on himself

At about 55:25, Jason comments on the dichotomy between James Gandolfini’s incredibly selfless, and sometimes selfish, behavior

At about 58:00, The two reflect on a sense of seeming-contentment and fading health

At about 1:00:00, Jason responds to Pete’s questions about “treading lightly” regarding revelations and sympathetic coverage of such a beloved figure

At about 1:02:00, The two discuss revisiting The Sopranos dream scenes and the famous last scene after James Gandolfini’s death

At about 1:03:00, the two discuss the last scene(s) shot for The Sopranos

At about 1:04:00, Enough Said and its poignancy is discussed in terms of the potential of James Gandolfini’s acting range

At about 1:07:15, Jason describes the “gift” that is the final quote in the book, from Robert Iler

At about 1:08:00, Jason shares contact info and buying info for his book, from Abrams Books

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he’s @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 the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Episode 270 guest Jason De León is up on the website this week. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting his one-man show, his DIY podcast and his extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 284 with Vanessa Saunders, a Professor of Practice at Loyola University New Orleans. Her writing has appeared in Sycamore Review, Los Angeles Review, Stockholm Review of Literature and other journals. Her novel, The Flat Woman, won FC2's Ronald Sukenick Innovative Fiction Prize.

The episode airs on May 6.

Episode 282 with Emely Rumble, LCSW, Author of Bibliotherapy in the Bronx, and Thoughtful, Reflective, and Artistic/Scientific Reader, Writer, and Bibliotherapist

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 21:39:58 -0700

Notes and Links to Emely Rumble’s Work

Emely Rumble, LCSW, is a distinguished licensed clinical social worker, school social worker, and seasoned biblio/psychotherapist with over 14 years of professional experience. Committed to making mental health services more accessible, Emely specializes in the transformative practice of bibliotherapy.

Passionate about advocating for the integration of creative arts in psychotherapy, mental well-being, and self-improvement, Emely champions the social model of disability and embraces a neurodiversity-affirming therapeutic approach. A distinguished member of The National Association of Poetry Therapy, Emely's work has been featured in respected publications such as Parents Magazine, ‘School Library Journal’, Bold Journey Magazine, BronxNet News, and The Bronx Is Reading.

Emely shares her expertise beyond traditional avenues through @Literapy_NYC, her dedicated platform on Instagram, TikTok, and Podia, where she provides valuable educational content.

Having earned her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College and completed her social work degree at Smith College School for Social Work, Emely resides in the Bronx with her husband, two children, and her psychiatric service dog, Montana. She embodies a holistic and compassionate approach to mental health and well-being.

Buy Bibliotherapy in the Bronx

Emely's Website

At about 2:10, Emely talks about the work and process involved as the book is about to be published

At about 3:20, Emely talks about early feedback and her dynamic audiobook

At about 4:35, Emely gives a brief summary of the book and talks about where to buy the book and where to find her online

At about 10:30, Emely talks about “escapism” and “realism” and

At about 13:50, Emely responds to Pete’s question about her reading of the Bible and connections to her grandmother as a healer and a Christian

At about 17:15, Maya Angelou, Sister Souljah are among those Emely shouts out as formative and transformative writers, especially in her “adultified” youth

At about 20:30, The two fanboy/girl about Maya Angelou and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

At about 21:30, bell hooks, Audre Lorde, Alexis Gumbs are cited as some inspiring writers for Emely

At about 24:40, Emely responds to Pete’s questions about the pivotal reading from her grandmother’s funeral and seeds for the book; she also shouts out a great editor in Nirmala Nataraj

At about 29:25, Natalie Gutierrez and her foreword are discussed-books as “communal medicine”

At about 30:30, Emely responds to Pete’s questions about bibliotherapy and the intellect and the heart in concert

At about 32:35, Emely responds to Pete’s questions about what she learned from her aunt’s schizophrenia and the ways in which she was treated and ideas of community and racism

At about 38:20, Emely gives background on early days of implementing bibliotherapy with patients and more connections to her aunt

At about 44:20, Ned Ashton and Sonny Corinthos shout outs!

At about 45:15, Pete asks Emely to define/describe bibliotherapy

At about 45:50, The two discuss the great Ms. Parkins and Strega Nona and fairy tales and how “childish” books can work so well with adults

At about 50:30, Making a Godfather II reference (obvi), Pete asks about Emely’s view on fiction and nonfiction and narratives in prescribing her books; Emely cites an interesting mindset of books as “mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors,” as posited by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop

At about 57:10, Emely responds to Pete’s question about what a successful nonfiction prescription

At about 1:00:50, Emely talks about intake for bibliotherapy

At about 1:01:40, The two discuss Andrew Carnegie and problematic authors

At about 1:05:35, Mayte and her story that involves emotional resonance and intersectionality is discussed

At about 1:07:40, Emely expands on ideas of learning and empathy that happen with therapists and clients

At about 1:13:00, Dr. Sadie P. Delaney is shouted out by Emely Rumble as a hero whom she learned about in her book research-The “Godmother of Bibliotherapy”

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he’s @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he's @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Episode 270 guest Jason De León is up on the website this week. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 283 with Jason Bailey, a film critic, author, and podcaster whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Vulture, Vice, Rolling Stone, and Slate, among others. He is the editor-in-chief of Crooked Marquee, and the author of five books. The episode goes live this evening, April 29, which is also Pub Day for his exciting new book, Gandolfini, about the legendary actor, James Gandolfini.

Episode 281 with Alexander Chee, Author of How to Write an Autobiographical Novel, Wonderful Literary Citizen and Activist, and Reflective, Brilliant Thinker and Craftsman of the Nuanced and Poignant

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 05:50:49 -0700

Notes and Links to Alexander Chee’s Work

Alexander Chee is the bestselling author of the novels Edinburgh and The Queen of the Night, and the essay collection How To Write An Autobiographical Novel, all from Mariner Books. A contributing editor at The New Republic and an editor at large at VQR, his essays and stories have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, T Magazine, The Sewanee Review, and the 2016 and 2019 Best American Essays. He was guest-editor for The Best American Essays of 2022.

He is a 2021 United States Artists Fellow, a 2021 Guggenheim Fellow in Nonfiction, and the recipient of a Whiting Award, a NEA Fellowship, an MCCA Fellowship, the Randy Shilts Prize in gay nonfiction, the Paul Engle Prize, the Lambda Editor’s Choice Prize, and residency fellowships from the MacDowell Colony, the VCCA, Leidig House, Civitella Ranieri and Amtrak.

He is a full professor of English and Creative Writing at Dartmouth College and lives in Vermont.

Buy How To Write an Autobiographical Novel

Alexander's Website

Book Review for How To Write an Autobiographical Novel from The New York Times

At about 2:00, Alexander details his Amtrak residency, later written about in The New Yorker

At about 6:00, Alexander outlines some interesting characters that he met during his Amtrak residency

At about 12:00, Alexander reflects on a book project inspired by an interesting encounter with a former detective and British and American sensibilities

At about 16:30, Pete shares his own Amtrak story, possible fodder for essays and short stories, as Alexander remarks on “immediate friendship”

At about 18:50, Alexander talks about upcoming novel and short story projects and the process of picking a title; he recounts how he arrived at his essay collection’s title, through a Buzzfeed publication

At about 26:30, Alexander highlights Kirkus Review naming How to Write an Autobiographical Novel one

At about 27:35, Alexander gives background on his essay collection’s cover photo

At about 34:10, Alexander talks about the composition of the previous essay collection and his upcoming one, with regards to placement and focuses on his “rose garden”-
“The Rosary”-essay’s development

At about 39:00, Alexander responds to Pete’s questions about the order of the essays in the collections and any throughlines-Garnette Cadogan and Naomi Gibbs are shouted out

At about 43:40, Alexander talks about a manuscript that he has been working

At about 44:45, Pete is complimentary of Alexander’s “The Rosary” essay, and Alexander tells a story of an interested and poignant conversation with

At about 48:00, Pete shouts

At about 49:00, Pete and Alexander talk about the essay collection’s first piece, and Alexander talks about being “Alejandro from Oaxaca” for a short time-he references Yiyun Li’s powerful essay, “To Speak is to Blunder”

At about 55:10, Pete compliments Alexander’s powerful advocacy work and asks him about perspective and time, and how Alexander looks back at the essays from the collection so many years later (for some of the essays)

At about 1:02:00, In talking about modern protest and activist culture, mutual aid, etc., Alexander shouts out Sarah Thankam Mathews’ powerful All This Could Be Different

At about 1:04:30, Alexander discusses a dynamic class that he has mentored at Dartmouth

At about 1:05:30, Alexander responds to Pete’s questions about what fiction allows him to do with his writing

At about 1:06:30, Alexander reflects on ideas of catharsis in his writing

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Episode 270 guest Jason De León is up on the website this week. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 282 with Emely Rumble, a licensed clinical social worker, school social worker, and seasoned biblio/psychotherapist who specializes in bibliotherapy, the use of literature and expressive writing to heal. Pub Day and episode air day are April 29 for her wonderful book, Bibliotherapy in The Bronx.

Episode 280 with Désirée Zamorano, Author of Dispossessed, and Crafter of Poignancy, a Thorough Chronicler of and Student of Los Angeles History and Moral Voice for Progress and Learning from History

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 21:46:50 -0700

Notes and Links to Désirée Zamorano’s Work

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Désirée Zamorano is the previous author of novels like The Amado Women and Human Cargo. Zamorano heavily focuses on the issues of invisibility, injustice and inequity in her books while also teaching linguistic and cultural diversity at Cal State Long Beach.

Buy Dispossessed

Désirée's Website

Article about Dispossessed for Pasadena Weekly

At about 3:10, Desiree gives ordering information for The Dispossessed and her social media and contact information

At about 4:30, Desiree talks about an exciting 2026 publication

At about 5:10, Desiree gives background on her early reading and language life, and how her identity has been shaped throughout the years, influenced by family and larger societal forces

At about 8:40, Pete and Desiree discuss connections between American racism in different times and the events that inspired her own book

At about 10:00, Desiree provides feedback on seeds for her book

At about 12:30, Desiree talks about formative and informative books and writers from her childhood and adolescence

At about 13:35, Desiree shouts out Kate Atkinson and David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas and other contemporary favorites

At about 14:35, the two explore the book’s opening note, and Desiree shares stunning (or not stats) about Mexican and Mexican-American “repatriation” in the 1930s and 1940s

At about 16:00, Desiree talks about Manzanar and Japanese incarceration and coalitions who have fought to have the ugly history of the incarceration shared

At about 17:25, The two discuss the book’s opening scene at the beach and the book’s inciting incidents

At about 18:40, Desiree gives background on her reasoning for making the book’s opening so action-packed and connections to a chilling quote

At about 19:50, Pete and Desiree chart Manuel’s first years after his parents are taken, and characters and situations that govern Manuel’s life

At about 23:15, Desiree responds to Pete’s questions about Manuel’s surrogate mother, Amparo and depictions of Christianity with connections to Desiree’s own family

At about 26:00, The two discuss reasons as to why Manuel decides to leave high school

At about 28:10, Desiree gives background on sundown towns and talks about misconceptions of racism in our country’s history and all needing to “do the work” to understand

At about 31:15, Pete recounts a stunning (or not so stunning) fact about racism in CA and Rodney King

At about 31:55, Desiree responds to Pete’s questions about depictions of Latino soldiers, particularly in WWII

At about 33:25, Pete and Desiree discuss Manuel’s early work experience, and Desiree expands upon union histories, especially in LA

At about 36:00, Decade of Betrayal, Anything but Mexican and Whitewashed Adobe are discussed as thorough and key research used by Desiree for the book

At about 37:30, Pete asks Desiree about important touches in the book, and she provides important histories of whiteness in American and how birth certificates were filled out

At about 41:00, The two discuss the impending razing of Chavez Ravine in the book, and hope and hopelessness for Manuel-Desiree references another great book with great research, From Out of the Shadows by Vicki Ruiz

At about 44:30, Desiree responds to Pete’s question about crafting a emotional and good man in Manuel

At about 47:00, Pete is highly complimentary of the ways that Desiree uses light touches and writes about fatherhood and motherhood so honestly

At about 50:00, Pete asks Desiree how she knew the book was finished

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. This week, his conversation with Episode 270 guest Jason De León is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 281 with Alexander Chee, who is the bestselling author of the novels Edinburgh and The Queen of the Night, and the essay collection How To Write An Autobiographical Novel. He was the 2021 US Artists Fellow and Guggenheim Fellow in Nonfiction, and he is full professor of English and Creative Writing at Dartmouth.

The episode airs on April 22.

Episode 279 with Jon Hickey, Author of Big Chief, and Thoughtful Creator of Profound Scenes, Memorable Characters, and Resonant Connections to Yesterday and Today

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 09:48:35 -0700

Notes and Links to Jon Hickey’s Work

Jon Hickey is a writer from Minnesota. He earned an MFA from Cornell University and was a Stegner Fellow in fiction at Stanford University. His short stories have appeared in numerous journals such as Virginia Quarterly Review, Gulf Coast, and the Massachusetts Review, among other places.

He is a member of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Chippewa Indians (Anishinaabe). He lives in San Francisco with his wife and two sons.

Buy Big Chief

Jon Hickey's Website

Book Review for Big Chief in San Francisco Chronicle

At about 1:35, Jon talks about his mindset and early feedback for his novel as Pub Day approaches

At about 3:25, Jon gives out social media and contact info and talks about book events that are upcoming

At about 5:15, “Midwest/Minnesota Nice” is discussed

At about 8:45, Jon mentions exciting advance praise for Big Chief

At about 9:45, Jon gives background on language loss in his family, as his grandparents were the “boarding school generation”

At about 11:30, Jon talks about how Anishinaabe functions as a language, and how it is both in his DNA and “mysterious”

At about 13:15, John traces his childhood reading, including Stephen King as a transformative writer

At about 17:20, John chronicles inspiring and thrilling writers and works and the wonderful writing programs he was part of

At about 18:20, Jon charts the huge imprint that Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man has left on him

At about 22:00, Kyle Edwards and his Small Ceremonies, as well as Kate Folk and her Sky Daddy , are mentioned as contemporary works/writers who thrill and challenge Jon

At about 24:20, Pete lays out some of Big Chief’s exposition

At about 25:55, Jon responds to Pete asking about how Jon pictures the book’s narrator and protagonist

At about 29:00, Mack, the tribal president in the book, is described

At about 30:00, Jon responds to Pete wondering about motivations for Mitch related to bullying and feelings of being an outsider from his childhood

At about 32:15, Ideas of power in politics are discussed

At about 34:10, Ideas of authenticity and genuineness and morality are discussed, in connection to politics and voting in the book and beyond, especially regarding Joe Beck

At about 35:40, Jon riffs on what he kept in mind while writing the book, with regard to moralizing as an author

At about 39:00, Jon responds to Pete’s question about blood quantum and similar ideas and how the discourses have changed or not

At about 42:40, Jon talks about tropes and irony and “outward signs” of being indigenous, and how that is reflected in his book’s cover and in society at large

At about 43:40, The title and its inspiration is discussed

At about 45:50, Jon reads a representative excerpt that speaks of themes of belonging, and Pete and Jon further discuss ideas of childhood’s impacts on adulthood

At about 47:15, Jon discusses the significance of Mack’s protection of Mitch, and Mitch’s self-esteem and power’s connection to cynicism

At about 51:10, Mack and his bearing and his motivations are discussed

At about 52:00, a pivotal and tragic event-Mitch’s mother’s death-and the subsequent fire vigil is discussed

At about 55:45, The book’s upcoming election and sabotage and Gloria are discussed, with a tip of the cat to Harvey Keitel in calling Mitch a “fixer”

At about 1:00:20, Mitch and his cynicism and his work on the campaign are explored, with connections to current political climates

At about 1:02:15, the platforms of the two candidates and ideas of banishment from the tribe are considered

At about 1:05:50, Pete wonders if Mack is a Trump-ish figure, and Jon reflects on how he has tried to write about identity through tribal politics

At about 1:10:00, Pete and Jon ponder the “void” within Mitch and talk about the local political and larger political world collide

At about 1:12:05, Pete compliments the “beautiful” ending, and the two discuss the Sopranos ending, and Jon discusses his mindset in crafting his book’s ending

At about 1:14:40, Jon outlines changes in the book’s previous permutations

At about 1:16:40, Jon defines what is what for him a “work of art”

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he’s @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he’s @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Episode 270 guest Jason De León is up on the website this week. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 280 with Jahmal Mayfield, who writes gritty crime novels that touch on large social issues. His stellar SMOKE KINGS was inspired by Kimberly Jones’ passionate viral video, “How can we win?”

The episode airs on April 15.

Episode 278 with Kevin Nguyen, Author of My Documents and Keen Observer and Chronicler of the Old and the New, and Connections Between Historical Tragedies and Today's World

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 08:02:38 -0700

Notes and Links to Kevin Nguyen’s Work

Kevin Nguyen is the features editor at The Verge, previous senior editor at GQ; has written for New York Magazine, The New York Times, The Paris Review and elsewhere the author of New Waves and the novel Mỹ Documents, which has today, April 8, as Pub Day.

Buy My Documents

Kevin Nguyen's Website

Book Review for My Documents in Los Angeles Times

At about 1:20, Kevin talks about his mindset and feedback around My Documents as the book nears Pub Day

At about 3:00, Kevin provides info on his publishing company, places to buy his book, and book launch events, as well as social media/contact info

At about 6:15, Kevin gives background on his language and reading history

At about 9:50, Kevin charts the reading and writers who put him on the path to becoming a writer himself

At about 13:15-Tracy O’Neill and Alexander Chee shout outs!

At about 14:55, Kevin shouts out some beloved contemporary writers like Vauhini Vara, Jon Hickey, Darrell Campbell,

At about 17:25, Kevin gives a summary of the book and describes seeds for his book, with “echoes” of Japanese incarceration during WWII, among other catalysts

At about 19:05, Kevin responds to Pete's questions about John McCain’s connections to the book and its epigraph

At about 21:35, The two trace the book’s exposition and the narrator’s grandmother’s choices in emigrating from Vietnam

At about 24:20, Kevin talks about Ursula’s experiences in the book and connections to second-generations from immigrant families and passing down family stories

At about 26:05, Kevin waxes poetic on Babe: Pig in the City, and its connections to the book

At about 30:00, Kevin talks about building characters who are well-rounded

At about 31:10, the two trace Jen and Alvin and formative experiences in the book, including Alvin’s being pushed into learning more Asian-American history

At about 34:20, Kevin responds to Pete’s questions about expectations subverted

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he’s @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he’s @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Episode 265 guest Carvell Wallace is up on the website this week. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 279 with Jon Hickey, a member of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Chippewa Indians, whose short stories have appeared in numerous journals such as Virginia Quarterly Review and the Massachusetts Review, among others. His highly-anticipated novel, Big Chief, is out today, April 8.

The episode airs today, April 8.

Episode 277 with Douglas J. Weatherford, Translator of Juan Rulfo's Pedro Páramo and The Burning Plain, and Precise Wordsmith, Thorough Researcher, and Passionate Scholar of Film, Language, and Symbol

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 19:36:04 -0700

Notes and Links to Douglas J. Weatherford’s Work

Doug was born in Salt Lake City but grew up in Statesboro, Georgia, where his father taught German at Georgia Southern University. Doug loves to read, travel, and ride bicycles and motorcycles. He graduated from BYU in 1988 (BA Spanish) and the Pennsylvania State University in 1997 (PhD Latin American Literature). He has been a professor at BYU since 1995. Doug’s research and teaching emphases include Latin American literature and film, representations of the period of Discovery and Conquest, and Mexico at mid-Century (1920–1968, with particular focus on Rosario Castellanos and Juan Rulfo). His latest are new translations of Pedro Páramo and The Burning Plain.

Buy Pedro Páramo (English Translation)

Buy Pedro Páramo (En Español)

Doug's BYU Webpage

New York Times Book Review of Pedro Páramo by Valeria Luiselli

At about 2:15, Doug talks about his “journey” to becoming a professor of Latin-American Literature and Film, with regard to his early language and reading backgrounds

At about 6:00, Doug talks about his main focus in teaching over the years

At about 7:15, The two discuss linguistics classes

At about 8:30, Doug responds to Pete’s questions about texts and writers who have resonated with his students

At about 10:30, Doug reflects on Jorge Luis Borges’ work and potential for teachability

At about 11:35, The two talk about translations of Rulfo’s titles

At about 13:30, Doug gives a primer on the collection El Llano en llamas and its various translations

At about 16:40, Doug emphasizes the need to “follow in Rulfo’s footsteps” in translating the famous story “No Oyes Ladrar los Perros”

At about 20:15, Doug responds to Pete’s question about Juan Rulfo’s evolving reputation/legacy in Mexico

At about 24:15, Pete shares compliments and blurbs for Doug’s Pedro Páramo translation and Pete and Doug talk about Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s important Foreword

At about 27:20, Doug gives background on screenplays done for Rulfo’s work by Marquez and towering respect for Rulfo’s work, especially Pedro Páramo

At about 28:20, The two talk about Pedro Páramo’s movie adaptations and challenges in adapting the work with connection to older characters

At about 31:55, Pete and Doug reflect on key archetypes and connections featured in the first line of Pedro Páramo

At about 35:00, Doug gives background on his decision-making that affected his translations, including the laser-focus on the book’s first line

At about 41:00, The two discuss the book’s exposition, such as it in a chronologically-unique book, including the book’s first narrator’s role

At about 42:55, Doug discusses the connections in the book: Citizen Kane and Pedro Páramo, as well as Hernán Cortes and Pedro Páramo

At about 46:30, Doug talks about La Lllorona and Malinche and Páramo connections

At about 49:30, Doug gives background on Pedro's son, Miguel and Father Renteria and ideas of betrayal and Biblical archetypes

At about 52:35, Themes of sin and afterlife, including purgatory, are discussed, as Doug gives background on Rulfo’s “conflicted” views regarding Catholicism

At about 55:30, Doug goes into greater depth about the links between Citizen Kane and Pedro Páramo

At about 59:45, Doug responds to Pete’s question about

At about 1:02:00, Doug responds to Pete’s question about Rulfo’s treatment of Mexican “Indians”

At about 1:04:20, Hope and misogyny as a theme in the novel are discussed, and Doug discusses the 2024 Rodrigo Prieto Pedro Páramo film

At about 1:09:40, Doug “puts a spin” on the novel’s ending

At about 1:15:45, Doug gives book buying information for his translations of Rulfo’s work

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. My conversation with Episode 270 guest Jason De León is up on the website this week. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 278 with Kevin Nguyen, features editor at The Verge, previous senior editor at GQ. He has written for New York Magazine, The New York Times, The Paris Review and elsewhere, and is the author of New Waves and the novel Mỹ Documents, which has April 8, the same day the episode airs, as its Pub Day.

Episode 276 with Donna Minkowitz, Author of Donnaville and Master Worldbuilder and Detail-Oriented Painter of Vivid Scenes and Characters

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 12:00:31 -0700

Notes and Links to Donna Minkowitz’s Work

Donna Minkowitz is a writer of fiction and memoir who author Mary Gaitskill has celebrated as “original, energetic, witty, and meaty.” Andrew Solomon dubbed her “utterly entrancing… a writer with breathtakingly fluent language.” She is also the author of the fantasy-influenced memoir Growing Up Golem and the memoir Ferocious Romance, about being an openly lesbian reporter covering the Christian right undercover. Growing Up Golem was a finalist for both a Lambda Literary Award and for the Publishing Triangle’s Judy Grahn Nonfiction Award, and Ferocious Romance won a Lambda Literary Award. Donna, a former columnist for the Village Voice and The Advocate, has also written for the New York Times Book Review, The Nation, Salon, Slate, and New York magazine.

DONNAVILLE, her first novel and third book, was recently published by Indolent Books.

Buy Donnaville

Donna's Website

Book Review for Donnaville from Kirkus Reviews

At about 2:05, Donna provides background on her formative reading and writing years

At about 3:40, Pete and Donna talk about the benefits of reading works a bit too old for them

At about 5:05, Donna responds to Pete’s questions about the Torah and how its stories affected her writing

At about 6:30, Donna talks about formative and transformative writers, including poets and Greek mythology

At about 8:05, Donna responds to Pete’s questions about representation in discussing the significance of Sappho’s work

At about 10:25, Donna discusses the nuances of the word “queer” and generational usages

At about 14:00, Pete and Donna stan Honor Thy Father by Gay Talese, which receives a shout out in Donnaville

At about 17:20, Donna expands on writers who inspired her as a high school and college student; she talks about the complicated legacy and work of Tolkien

At about 21:30, Pete asks Donna and how the detail shown in Donnaville connects to her work as an esteemed journalist

At about 23:40, Donna talks about her undercover journalism work, including a memorable white nationalism conference and purported former Olympic hopeful

At about 26:40, Donna talks about the book’s opening scene and connections to her real life, with regard to therapy and therapists and ways of finding growth

At about 31:55, Pete describes the book’s exposition and compliments Donna’s

At about 34:05, Donna cites Denise Levertov’s and Delmore Schwartz’s (“Narcissus”) work as inspiration for her book featuring a city inside her mind; Pete cites another wonderful Schwartz text, “In Dreams Begin Responsibilities”

At about 36:40, Donna talks about Foucault and resistance in connection to an evocative line from her book

At about 37:20, Donna expands upon how there are two characters in the book who are not pieces of her, and she explains the significance of Harlequin in the book

At about 41:45, Donna responds to Pete’s question about the lying nature of Harlequin

At about 44:15, Donna and Pete explore ideas of connection and confusion between abusers and their young victims

At about 47:50, Donna talks about early “action” that Donna in the book is urged to take

At about 49:40, Pete highlights a beautiful quote regarding the “sacred divine” and Donna talks about expectations of hurt

At about 50:30, The two discuss the contradictions of the book’s jailer, and Donna further discusses ideas of shame

At about 53:25, Donna expands on how she sees parts of her life and family in certain characters in the book

At about 54:40, Pete shouts out a story, William Carlos Willams’ “The Use of Force,” that explores ideas of sadism in similar ways as Donnaville

At about 55:50, Donna muses over ideas of self-care, emotional regulation, and structure in our lives featured in the book

At about 57:35, Pete gives details about the book’s main focus, and Donna responds to his observations about Donnaville as “a happily queer book” as she also expands upon pleasures found in the book

At about 1:02:05, Pete cites traumas alluded to in the book and a deep quote about traumas emerging in people’s lives

At about 1:04:10, Donna ponders Pete’s question about a nurturing group of older people and connects the book to Joseph Campbell’s “Hero's Journey”

At about 1:07:30, Pete and Donna discuss a possible animated movie based on the book and possible voice actors

At about 1:09:25, Donna shouts out as bookstores to buy her book, such as The Bureau of General Services, Queer Division, Stanza Books and Binnacle Books

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. This week, his conversation with Episode 255 guest Chris Knapp is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 277 with Jahmal Mayfield, who writes gritty crime novels that touch on large social issues. His stellar SMOKE KINGS was inspired by Kimberly Jones’ passionate viral video, “How can we win?”

The episode airs on March 25.

Episode 275 with Deborah Jackson-Taffa, Author of National Book Award Finalist Whiskey Tender, and Chronicler and Reflective Craftswoman of Endearing and Enduring and Resonant Stories

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 22:06:22 -0700

Notes and Links to Deborah Taffa-Jackson’s Work

Deborah Jackson Taffa is a citizen of the (Quatzahn) Quechan (Yuma) Nation and Laguna Pueblo. She earned her MFA at the Nonfiction Writing Program at the University of Iowa and is the Director of the MFA in Creative Writing at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Named Top 10 Book of the Year by Atlantic Magazine, and Top 10 Nonfiction Book by Time Magazine.

Buy Whiskey Tender

Deborah's Website

Book Review for Whiskey Tender from Washington Post

At about 1:30, Deborah reflects on and expands on her experience in being a finalist for The National Book Award

At about 5:30, Pete shares some laudatory feedback for her memoir and Deborah shouts out Birchbark Books, Collected Works, Left Bank Books, as some great places to buy her book

At about 7:30, Deborah shares some wonderful invitations she’s received to discuss her book and her art

At about 9:05, Deborah explains how she “reverse-engineered” the book with regard to research and personal stories

At about 10:20, Deborah responds to Pete’s questions about her early reading and language life and how her formal and informal education was affected by her family’s histories

At about 15:45, Deborah gives background on her “autodidactic,” transformative learning, study, reading, and traveling that helped her

At about 19:00, Deborah traces the throughlines of colonization in seemingly-disparate groups

At about 22:20, Deborah discusses the significance of her epigraph on “ceremony”

At about 26:25, Billy Ray Belcourt is cited as Pete and Deborah talk about the speculative and aspirational writing

At about 27:55, Pete and Deborah reflect on ideas of indigenous invisibility as evidenced in a memorable scene from Whiskey Tender

At about 29:40, Deborah cites a “shocking” study n her college textbook that speaks to how many Americans view Native American women, and how it provided fodder and stimulus for her memoir

At about 31:25, the two discuss a flashback scene that begins the book and the idea of “mirages” as discussed in the opening scene

At about 35:20, Pete asks Deborah to expand upon a resonant line from her book about meaningful childhood experiences

At about 37:35, Deborah talks about historical silences in her family and in others

At about 39:40, Deborah talks about the intensive historical research done in the last year before the book was published

At about 40:55, The two discuss similarities regarding generation gaps in indigenous groups and immigrant and traditionally-marginalized groups

At about 42:40, Deborah talks about the lore of Sarah Winnemucca in her family and “her savvi[ness] and revisionist history

At about 46:25, Pete and Deborah talk about the “flattening” of American Indian stories and pivotal government treaties and reneging on deals by the American government

At about 48:00, Pete and Deborah reflect on contemporary connections to previous American policies

At about 50:20, The two discuss a representative story about “lateral violence” and belonging and ostracism that affected Deborah at a young age

At about 53:00, Counternarratives to myths about indigenous peoples and movement are discussed

At about 57:20,

At about 59:40, Pete is highly complimentary of Deborah’s writing about her grandmother’s genuine and wonderful nature, and Deborah expands on her grandmother’s cancer diagnosis and outlook and lasting influence

At about 1:02:30, Pete highlights a wonderful closing scene about time and place and home

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. This week, his conversation with Episode 255 guest Chris Knapp is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 276 with Donna Minkowitz, a writer of fantasy, memoir, and journalism lauded by Lilith Magazine for her “fierce imagination and compelling prose.” Her first book, Ferocious Romance, won a Lambda Literary Award for Best Book On Religion/Spirituality, and her most recent memoir was Growing Up Golem, a finalist for both a Lambda Literary Award and Judy Grahn Nonfiction Award. She is also the author of the novel DONNAVILLE, published in 2024.

The episode airs on March 18.

Episode 274 with Annell López, Author of the Short Story Collection, I'll Give You a Reason, and Skilled Craftswoman of Resonant, Layered Characters, Subtle Twists, and the Universal and Hyperspecific

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 20:45:04 -0800

Notes and Links to Annell Lopez’s Work

Annell López is the winner of the Louise Meriwether First Book Prize and the author of the short story collection I’LL GIVE YOU A REASON from the Feminist Press. A Peter Taylor Fellow at the Kenyon Review Writers Workshops, her work has also received support from Tin House and has appeared in Guernica, American Short Fiction, Michigan Quarterly Review, Brooklyn Rail, The Common, Refinery29 and elsewhere. López received her MFA from the University of New Orleans. She is working on a novel.

Buy I'll Give You a Reason

Annell Lopez's Instagram

For The Rumpus: “There’s Always a Little Light, a Glimmer of Hope: A Conversation with Annell López”

At about 2:05, Annell talks about her early relationship with bilingualism,

At about 4:50, Annell shouts ut the “great place” that is Newark, NJ, and recounts early memories after her immigration

At about 6:25, Annell talks about how learning English helped her develop her already burgeoning writing ability

At about 8:25, Annell highlights Garcia Marquez’s work in Spanish

At about 9:35, Annell lists books and writers that were formative and transformative for her

At about 13:25, Deesha Philyaw, Carlos Maurice Ruffin, Danielle Evans, and Chris Stuck, are referenced as inspiring contemporary writers

At about 14:40, Annell talks about seeds for her short story collection and its makeup

At about 16:10, the two discuss the collection’s first story and the title character’s anxiety around possible deportation

At about 19:05, Annell reflects on the dynamics of older sibling and young sibling and mother-daughter relationships, as evidenced in the “Dark Vader”

At about 20:30, Annell responds to Pete’s questions about colorism as shown in some of her stories

At about 22:35, from “Dark Vader,” a “problematic” Mateo is discussed, along with power dynamics, and Vanessa’s reluctance to pass her GED

At about 27:00, Annell talks about a character’s unnamed bipolar condition, and his son’s motivations in being angry towards his father

At about 30:30, Pete asks about online news madness as referenced in the story collection

At about 32:35, Pete links two stories and the two talk about gentrification and its treatment in the collection, and Pete is complimentary of Annell’s plot structure and what is “left unsaid”

At about 34:35, “Love gone stale” as a theme of the book is lauded and discussed

At about 37:00, Grief and depression and the bird and beautiful “Bear Hunting Season” are discussed

At about 41:30, Annell talks about how her teaching did and did not inform the treatment of teachers in her collection

At about 44:30, Trauma in its many forms in the collection is discussed

At about 45:45, The two explore the title story and its focus on emotional response

At about 47:50, Pete highlights a story that focuses on objectification and racism and Annell’s apt second-person usage and diction; she focuses on the story’s universality and realism

At about 50:05, “The Other Carmen” is explored, including ideas of body shaming, body positivity

At about 52:40, Annell explains some “Easter eggs” and “crossover characters” and Pete is complimentary of story endings

At about 53:40, Pete asks Annell about the importance of staged photoshoots in a story in the collection

At about 55:55, Annell talks about the importance of titles after Pete cites her prowess with same

At about 57:45, Pete fanboys about the collection’s last story

At about 59:30, Annell responds to Pete’s question about significance of the collection

At about 1:00:45, Annell gives social media and other contact info

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His latest conversation, with Episode 265 guest Carvell Wallace, is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 275 with Deborah Jackson-Taffa, whose 2024 memoir Whiskey Tender was a finalist for the 2024 National Book Award for Nonfiction; earned a MFA in nonfiction writing from the Univ of IA; director of the MFA creative writing program at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, NM

The episode airs on March 11.

Episode 273 with Raúl Pérez, Author of The Souls of White Jokes: How Racist Humor Fuels White Supremacy, and Master Connector of Racist Humor and Systems of White Supremacy in the United States

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 22:30:38 -0800

Notes and Links to Raúl Perez’s Work

Raul Pérez is an Associate Professor of Sociology at University of La Verne. He is also the author of The Souls of White Jokes: How Racist Humor Fuels White Supremacy (Stanford University Press, 2022).

Buy The Souls of White Jokes

Raul Perez's University of LaVerne Website

Book Review from Oxford Review: The Souls of White Jokes

At about 1:50, Raúl talks about his early language and reading journeys

At about 5:15, Raúl notes the greatness and importance and multi-generational pull of LAUSD’s coffee cake for the Perez family

At about 6:40, Raúl details his high school academic journey and some early inspiring reads-shout out, Mr. Taylor!

At about 9:05, Raúl talks about how college social scene readings and class discussions and formative and transformative professors changed his mindset

At about 12:45, Raúl shouts out Netflix’s Mo as a really “engaging…springboard for discussion”

At about 16:45, Raúl responds to Pete’s questions about how humor and its study made its way into his reading and scholarship

At about 23:00, Raúl talks about seeds for his writing about humor and race and graduate school goals

At about 24:45, Raúl responds to Pete’s question about being able to watch comedy without analyzing it

At about 25:50, Raúl recounts stories of his experience taking an ethnography class of humor/standup comedy, including the ways in which race and racism affects standup comedy

At about 27:50, Pete asks Raúl what he might do if he had a few minutes to do standup, and Raúl talks about racialized humor foisted upon him and others in a previous standup class

At about 32:00, Raúl reflects on comedians who successfully put in the work and “exercis[e] the funny bone” and “find the funny in everything”

At about 33:50, The two reflect on Dave Chappelle’s work and he and Bill Burr and others and how they deal with difficult/traumatic “material”

At about 38:00, Raúl and Pete talk about terminology n hs book and Raúl expands on his choice to avoid using the infamous hateful epithet

At about 40:50, Raúl talks about racism “behind-the-scenes” among police officers, sometimes with officers of color targeting Black officers

At about 42:15, Raúl talks about Latinos and Mexicans and conversations about anti-Blackness and Afro-Latinos role in these discussions

At about 44:35, Raúl talks about “cancelled” humor and skits on Saturday Night Live, including a legendary skit with Richard Pryor and Chevy Chase, and a pendulum effect with racial and racist humor

At about 49:00, Raúl segues into talking about Tom Metzger and WAR’s racist cartoons and Raúl’s book censoring racist language

At about 50:40, Pete outlines the book’s chapter titles and asks Raúl about licensing of racist cartoons used in his book; Raúl expands on Metzger’s and others usage

At about 54:40, Raúl details a controversial NY Post cartoon that depicted President Barack Obama

At about 56:15, Raúl responds to Pete’s question about connections between the racist humor towards President Obama and “whitelash” from recent years to the early years of the United States as a country, with President Trump a natural consequence

At about 1:04:25, Pete notes Raúl’s coined term of “amused contempt” and states his thesis of racist humor and its “social power”

At about 1:05:30, Raúl discusses the significance of the book’s title and connections to W.E. DuBois’ famous The Souls of White Folk

At about 1:10:10, Raúl reflects on the significance of minstrel and its racist legacy and ideas of shared humor at the “expensive of the racialized group”

At about 1:12:20, Pete recounts the book’s opening with the story of Cleon Brown and compliments Raúl’s tracing such a long history with the book

At about 1:15:00, Raúl talks about how sees Trump’s upcoming presidency and its connections to racist “humor” and how he is an avatar for those who have tired of “wokeism”

At about 1:17:00, Raúl expands on Trump 2.0 and those like Elon Musk who use meme culture and racist/”anti-PC” culture to ”weaponize humor”

At about 1:21:10, Raúl gives background on the study of “disparagement humor” and its effects, as studied by Thomas E. Ford

At about 1:24:00, Raúl talks about future writing subjects, including the “weaponization of humor in warfare,” like with the IDF in Gaza

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. This week, his conversation with Episode 265 guest Carvell Wallace is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 274 with Annell López, winner of Louise Meriwether First Book Prize and the author of the short story collection I’LL GIVE YOU A REASON. She is a Peter Taylor Fellow at Kenyon Review Writers Workshops, and her work has appeared in American Short Fiction, Michigan Quarterly Review, and Refinery29, among others.

The episode airs on March 4.

Episode 272 with Lamya H., Author of Hijab Butch Blues and Reflective, Thoughtful, and Masterful Crafter of the Universal and Ultra-Specific

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 16:09:47 -0800

Notes and Links to Lamya H’s Work

Lamya H (she/they) is a queer Muslim writer and organizer living in New York City. Their memoir HIJAB BUTCH BLUES (February, 2023 from Dial Press/Penguin Randomhouse) won the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize and a Stonewall Non-fiction Book Award, and was a finalist for Lambda Literary and Publishing Triangle Awards. Lamya’s work has appeared in Los Angeles Review of Books, Salon, Autostraddle, Vice, and others. She has received fellowships from Lambda Literary and Queer|Arts.

Lamya’s organizing work centers around creating spaces for LGBTQ+ Muslims, fighting Islamophobia, Palestine and prison abolition. In her free time, she eats lots of desserts baked by her partner, plays board games with whoever she can corral, and works on her goal of traveling to every subway stop in the city. She has never run a marathon.

Find her on Twitter and IG: @lamyaisangry

Buy Hijab Butch Blues

Lamya H's Website

Book Review for Hijab Butch Blues from NPR

At about 2:20: Lamya shouts out Dominion as a top-tier board game and talks about flickering hopes of running a marathon

At about 5:35, Lamya talks about reading and writing and speaking in multiple languages growing up, as well as reading a lot of colonial texts from the British Empire

At about 7:30, Lamya talks about beijing “flabbergasted” by the great White Teeth at age 15

At about 9:30, Lamya uses the evocative image of “fish not understanding that they’re in water” in responding to Pete’s questions about how she recognized representation and colonial tropes in lit

At about 11:10, Lamya cites formative and transformative texts and authors in her adolescent year

At about 13:55, Lamya discusses early sparks for activism through a friend’s introduction of Audre Lorde, Angela Davis, and more

At about 15:15, Lamya responds to Pete’s questions about her current reading, including her love for Huda F’s work

At about 18:45, Lamya responds to Pete’s questions about her usage of “queer” and the titular “butch”

At about 22:30, The two discuss a meaningful Quranic verse that starts off the book-Lamya explains ideas of “faith in flux”

At about 25:00, Lamya gives background on surahs and a significant part of her book discussing Maryam’s life and trials

At about 26:45, Lamya discusses boredom in the high school years and how she felt connections to Maryam

At about 29:45, Lamya responds to Pete’s questions about feeling like life “is out of your control” as a teenager/high schooler

At about 30:45, Lamya explains feelings of internalizing queerness upon experiencing a crush at age 14

At about 34:50, Lamya describes the importance of Quranic verses involving Maryam and “intentionality” and taqwa

At about 38:00, Lamya responds to Pete’s questions about the “Arab hierarchy” that she experienced as a kid, and the ways in which she and her family were targets of racism

At about 41:40, Lamya details many meanings of “jinn” and describes its usage in her memoir

At about 43:40, Lamya describes a friend “jumpstarting” a repudiation of internalized racism

At about 45:15, Lamya gives background on Allah and ideas of “transcending” gender

At about 49:00, The two discuss “rigid gender roles” as featured in the memoir, as well as connections to the Biblical Adam

At about 50:00, Lamya outlines a offbeat “outing” experience

At about 51:30, Pete describe Musa’s connections to Lamya’s “coming out slowly process” and asks Lamya to comment-she talks about “reframing the negative”

At about 53:45, Lamya cites “inviting in” as a way of reframing the “coming out” trope

At about 55:35, Pete shouts out Christina Cooke’s quote of queerness as “divine”

At about 56:25, The two discuss empathetic and sensitive friends

At about 57:10, The Prophet Muhammed and connections to fealty and openness of fath and individuality are discussed

At about 59:50, The two discuss “being “comfortable” in one's own skin and finding community

At about 1:00:45, Lamya responds to Pete’s questions about Asiya and those who encourage and perpetuate victimizers, including about ideas of citizenship in a country that has so often victimized

At about 1:03:40, Pete shouts out great “plot” in the book and a dizzying scene painted so well by Lamya

At about 1:05:30: Lamya talks about hopes that her book and story can be universal while it is quite specific

At about 1:07:00, Lamya encourages people to “buy local”

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.

I am very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. This week, my conversation with Episode 265 guest Carvell Wallace is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

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 will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

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.

Please tune in for Episode 273 with Raúl Perez. He is an Associate Professor of Sociology at University of La Verne and the author of The Souls of White Jokes: How Racist Humor Fuels White Supremacy. His work has been published in American Behavioral Scientist, Discourse and Society, Ethnicities, and Sociological Perspectives, and featured in Time, The Grio, Latino Rebels, and Zócalo Public Square.

The episode airs on February 25.

Episode 271 with Alejandro Heredia, Author of Loca, Crafter of Beautiful, Indelible Images, and Resonant Characters and Scenes

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 21:47:25 -0800

Notes and Links to Alejandro Heredia’s Work

Alejandro Heredia is a queer Afro-Dominican writer from The Bronx. His debut novel LOCA is out today (February 11) from Simon and Schuster. He has received fellowships from Lambda Literary, VONA, the Dominican Studies Institute, Kenyon Review, and Trinity College. In 2019, he was selected by Myriam Gurba as the winner of the Gold Line Press Fiction Chapbook Contest. His chapbook of short stories, You’re the Only Friend I Need (2021), explores themes of queer transnationalism, friendship, and (un)belonging in the African Diaspora. Heredia’s work has been featured in Teen Vogue, Lambda Literary Review, The Offing, and elsewhere. He received an MFA in fiction from Hunter College.

Heredia currently serves as Black Mountain Institute’s Shearing Fellow at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Buy Loca

Alejandro Heredia's Website

Book Review for Loca

At about 2:40, Alejandro shares his feelings as the book’s Pub Day approaches, as well as feedback that he hasn’t gotten on the novel

At about 4:40, Alejandro talks about his bilingualism, growing up in The Bronx and The Dominican Republic, and what led him towards writing

At about 7:10, Alejandro talks about how being bilingual helps him to become a better writer/thinker and how his Spanglish has developed

At about 9:25, Alejandro gives some background on a specific Dominican word

At about 10:25, Alejandro responds to Pete’s questions about what he was reading that served as foundational for him and he expands upon “writing across difference”

At about 13:10, Alejandro cites contemporary fiction that inspires and challenges, including Gina Chung’s work

At about 14:10, Alejandro outlines ideas of how he sees the use of the word “queer”

At about 16:00, Alejandro expands upon seeds and stimulating ideas for his book, especially wth regard to the “Author’s Note”

At about 19:10, Alejandro expands on his Author’s Note reference to fiction’s “capaciousness” and how fiction’s constructs helped him write about loss and grief in Loca

At about 21:10, Alejandro talks about the significance of his two epigraphs and ideas of “home” and friendship

At about 23:40, Pete and Alejandro talks about the book’s exposition and an early inciting incident

At about 24:30, Pete asks Alejandro about main character Charo’s domesticity and her visceral negative reaction

At about 26:05, The two discuss ideas of community and Y2K and the importance of the “queer space” at The Shade Room in a Dominican and Puerto Rican community

At about 28:20, Alejandro talks about intersectionality and his qualms about its usage in early reviews of the novel

At about 30:55, Pete and Alejandro discuss Vance and Sal’s first meeting and budding relationship and ideas of “identity politics and language”

At about 32:25, The two discuss important familial and friend characters

At about 33:55, Yadiel is discussed as a proud queer character and Aljandrro expands upon a moment in which Sal and Yadiel

At about 36:15, Alejandro responds to Pete’s questions about a “moment in time” and a “utpian moment,” and expands upon the good and bad of life “at the margins”

At about 39:35, Alejandro replies to Pete’s question about the ways in which he deals wth sexual abuse and its effects and the abuse as “foundational” and “inform[ing]” Sal’s adolescence and beyond

At about 42:45, Vance and his likability and Ren are described

At about 43:55, Anacaona and her history are discussed in connection to an important flashback in the book

At about 46:00, Alejandro expands upon ideas of “erasing Blackness” that come as unintentional (?) effects of the portrayal of the Taino peoples

At about 49:15, Robert and his sympathetic nature and his usage of a homophobic slur are discussed, as Alejandro discusses the “reclaiming” of the word in the queer Dominican community

At about 50:40, Don Julio, Sal’s roommate, and his emblematic background are discussed, along with the benefits and drawbacks of “normalizing” a reclaimed word

At about 53:00, Alejandro talks about being a “writer of images” after Pete compliments one of many resonant scenes

At about 54:55, Pete and Alejandro tiptoe around any spoilers

At about 55:50, Sal and Kiko and their minor triumphs and Sal’s success as a teacher are discussed

At about 57:00, Pete wonders about Lena, an eccentric character in the book, and Alejandro talks about some ambiguities

At about 59:00, Robert and Charo’s relationship and ideas of repression, personal choice, and guilt throughout the book are discussed

At about 1:03:25, Pete and Alejandro discuss generational differences in the ways in which Sal and Vance interact and see progressive movements

At about 1:07:40, Alejandro discusses social media contact info and points listeners towards his upcoming tour dates

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. This week, his conversation with previous guest Carvell Wallace will be up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 272 with Lamya H. Lamya is a queer Muslim writer and organizer living in New York City whose 2023 memoir HIJAB BUTCH BLUES won the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize and a Stonewall Non-fiction Book Award, and was also a finalist for Lambda Literary and Publishing Triangle Awards. Lamya’s organizing work centers around creating spaces for LGBTQ+ Muslims, fighting Islamophobia, Palestine, and prison abolition.

The episode airs on February 18.

Episode 270 with Jason De León, Author of Soldiers and Kings: 2024's National Book Award for Nonfiction, and Relentless Researcher, Attuned Listener, and Master Storyteller

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 08:50:14 -0800

Notes and Links to Jason De León’s Work

Jason De León is Director of the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, Loyd E. Cotsen Endowed Chair of Archaeology, Professor of Anthropology and Chicana/o and Central American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.

De León is Executive Director of the Undocumented Migration Project (UMP) Inc. a 501(c)(3) research, arts, and education collective that seeks to raise awareness about migration issues globally.

He is the author of two award winning books: “The Land of Open Graves: Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail” (featuring photos by Michael Wells) and “Soldiers and Kings.” Soldiers and Kings won the 2024 National Book Award for Nonfiction. De León is 2017 MacArthur Foundation Fellow.

In addition to his scholarly pursuits, Jason is an active musician who sang and played guitar with the Long Beach based hardcore-punk-reggae band Youth in Asia in the mid to late 1990’s and the Americana band The Wilcox Hotel based out of State College, PA between 2005 and 2008. He currently plays bass in The War Pigs and is involved in various musical projects including periodic reunions with The Wilcox Hotel.

Buy Jason's Books

Jason Website

Jason’s National Book Award Receipt: Video

Book Review: Soldiers and Kings New York Times Review

Jason on CBS Sunday Morning: Video

At about 2:50, Jason helps Pete get over some Lakers/Kings traumas

At about 6:15, Jason talks about the experience of winning the National Book Award

At about 8:45, Jason shouts out indie bookstores like Literati, Village Well, Powell’s as places to buy his book

At about 10:05, Jason gives background on his early relationship with language and story, and how this reading was shaped by his childhood

At about 11:10, Jason talks about ups and downs of reading and writing for joy, and how “story” has been an interest

At about 13:20, Jason talks about how multilingualism was part of his childhood and the ways in which speaking foreign languages

At about 14:50, Jason responds to Pete’s question about writers who challenge and inspire him, including Ernest Gaines, Lus Alberto Urrea, Willie Vaultin, and Jesmyn Ward

At about 17:00, Jason cites songwriters like John Prine, Jason Isbell, and Bruce Springsteen as inspirational

At about 19:20, Jason gives background on the protocol and timing and embedding done in his research for Soldiers and Kings

At about 20:30, Pete is highly complimentary of Jason’s balance of first person and third person and his skilled objectivity; Jason responds to Pete’s questions about any “vertigo” that came with intense fieldwork and academia and family life

At about 24:15, Jason speaks to the significance of the book’s epigraph from Jason Isbell

At about 27:50, Jason discusses the difference between “smuggling” and “trafficking” and their implications in the book and beyond

At about 29:15, Jason and Pete reflect on the titles for the people represented on the book, and Jason responds to Pete’s question about how he wrote to avoid generalization

At about 32:30, Jason recounts a story from his first book that is emblematic of fully-drawn characters

At about 34:30, Pete asks about ethical concerns in research for the book

At about 36:05, Jason outlines how childhood experiences and exposure to violence may have helped him connect more with the main characters of the book

At about 38:50, Jason reflects on how he proved himself trustworthy in his research and how and why the characters are “good judges of characters”

At about 41:00, The two discuss Honduras and its importance in migration in the last decade or so, as well as how its emblematic of the global and natural forces

At about 45:45, the two reflect on youth and its importance in the book and how privilege, or lack thereof, connect to ideas of redemption and traumas

At about 49:35, Pete cites a telling quote from Father Greg Boyle in reference to the high number of adverse experiences that so many migrants have had to carry; Jason discusses ideas of hope

At about 52:15, Pete highlights a resonant poem by Warsan Shire that leads Jason to talk about the “sharks” that put people on the migrant route

At about 55:25, Jason responds to Pete’s question about the infamous “La Bestia”

At about 57:20, Jason explains the term “clavo” and its implications to “stateless” people

At about 58:55, Pete notes that the book deals so successfully with

At about 1:01:00, “The Future Belongs to Those Who Dream,” a chapter title, and its implications for optimism and hope is discussed

At about 1:04:55, Pete cites the book’s wondrous last page, as well as the book’s long future “shelf life”

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. This week, his conversation with Episode 264 guest Maggie Sheffer is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the classic Gabriel Garcia Marquez short story, “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World.”

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

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.

Please tune in for Episode 271 with Alejandro Heredia, a queer Afro-Dominican writer from The Bronx and winner of the Gold Line Press Fiction Chapbook Contest. His writing has been featured in Teen Vogue, Lambda Literary Review, and elsewhere; His resonant debut novel LOCA has its Pub Day on Feb 11, the day on which the episode airs.

Episode 269 with David Ebenbach: Author of Possible Happiness, Multitalented with Genre, and Thoughtful, Generative Writer of Relatable, Flawed, and Sympathetic Characters

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 22:06:42 -0800

Notes and Links to David Ebenbach’s Work

David Ebenbach writes. He’s been writing ever since he was a kid, when he kept his whole family awake by banging away on an enormous manual typewriter, and he’s never wanted to stop.

In fact, David’s now the author of ten books of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, and his work has picked up awards along the way: the Drue Heinz Literature Prize, the Juniper Prize, the Patricia Bibby Award, and more.

Born and raised in the great city of Philadelphia, these days David does most of his writing in Washington, DC, where he lives with his family—because he uses a laptop now, he doesn’t keep them awake with his typing—and where he works at Georgetown University, promoting inclusive, student-centered teaching at the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship, and teaching creative writing and literature at the Center for Jewish Civilization and creativity through the Master’s in Learning, Design, and Technology Program.

Buy David's Books

David Ebenbach’s Website

Book Review: LitPick about Possible Happiness

At about 2:15, David talks about the cool cover design for Possible Happiness

At about 3:00, David discusses a recent reading in which his students were able to hear/see his work

At about 4:00, David highlights wonderful contributions from Carol Nehez, his inspirational high school teacher

At about 5:55, David details pivotal reading and writers from his adolescence

At about 7:30, Pete and David discuss connections between his book and West Philly’s own Will Smith

At about 8:15, David responds to Pete’s questions about Philadelphia’s deep writing tradition and pivotal events in 1980s Philadelphia; he cites John Wideman and Mat Johnson

At about 11:00, David cites Ted Chang, Charles Yu as a few contemporary writers he enjoys

At about 12:25, David explains the webs involved with his books and genre and publishing

At about 13:55, David speaks about teaching informs his writing and vice versa-featuring shouts out to Asha Thanki and Kate Brody

At about 16:15, David lists some favorite texts of his classmates, including work by Jewish writers from the Global South, like Esther David and others like Nathan Englander and Robert Levy-Samuels

At about 18:40, David gives out information about buying Possible Happiness and shares how he finds joy on social media-specifically Facebook

At about 21:00, David responds to Pete’s questions about inhabiting the persona/headspace of the teens represented in Possible Happiness

At about 23:55, David gives background on Jacob, the protagonist’s, mindset and book’s exposition

At about 27:00, Pete and David discuss Jacob’s “inertia” and how depression and how the book’s common phrase of “howling like a coyote” relate

At about 28:15, David talks about the term “depression” and both capacious and maybe “limiting”

At about 29:10, David and Pete discuss Jacob’s mother’s living with depression and

At about 30:20, David reflects on the significance of a literal collective howl in the book

At about 31:55, Pete compliments David’s usage of a “moment in time,” and David cites Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral” and Miranda July’s work as examples of authors manipulating time

At about 34:40, Pete has a bone to pick over Full House’s treatment in the novel!

At about 35:10, The two discuss the awesome (in the truest sense of the word) pacing in Tobas Wolff’s “Bullet in the Brain”

At about 36:10, the machinations of the social groups at the book’s high school are discussed, as well as the “quaint” ways of home phones pre-cell phones

At about 37:55, Pete thanks David for dropping info on Philadelphia’s metro

At about 39:00, David discusses the ways in which clubs that accepted people under 21 and the culture that brought Jacob ways to release anger/angst

At about 40:00, The two discuss the pop culture references from the late 80s/early 90s featured in the book

At about 41:30, Pete details information about Jacob’s happy days and days dealing with depression and connections to his social life

At about 42:10, The religiosity of Jacob’s family and his uncle’s family are discussed, and David reflects on the ways that Jacob’s Judaism is represented

At about 44:15, The two discuss the real-life parallels between identity and race and class in the book

At about 47:00, Jacob’s trip to Chicago to meet his father and ideas of neglecting to talk about depression are discussed

At about 49:20, David responds to Pete’s question about the source(s) of Jacob’s resentment towards his father

At about 50:30, Pete compliments the subtle and nuanced ways in which David writes about depression and teen life

At about 51:35, David cites some benefits of writing about the pre-cell phone days

At about 53:00, David gives some hints about his exciting upcoming projects

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. This week, his conversation with Episode 264 guest Maggie Sheffer is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 270 with Lamya H. Lamya is a queer Muslim writer and organizer living in New York City whose 2023 memoir HIJAB BUTCH BLUES won the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize and a Stonewall Non-fiction Book Award, and was also a finalist for Lambda Literary and Publishing Triangle Awards. Lamya’s organizing work centers around creating spaces for LGBTQ+ Muslims, fighting Islamophobia, Palestine, and prison abolition.

The episode airs on February 4.

Episode 268 with Dan Gutman: Writer of Fun, Funny, Challenging, Educational, Enriching, Page-turners in Multiple Genres and for Motivating Reluctant and Voracious Readers

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 22:09:41 -0800

Notes and Links to Dan Gutman’s Work

New York Times best-selling and award-winning author Dan Gutman has written more than 190 books for readers from kindergarten through middle school. Dan’s My Weird School series includes 100+ titles, and has sold more than 35 million copies globally over the past 20 years. Dan also is the author of the best-selling Genius Files series, the Baseball Card Adventure series, and many more.

Dan’s books have been named Junior Library Guild Selections and Bank Street College’s Best Children’s Books of the Year, and have been awarded numerous state book awards, including: The California Young Reader Medal, the Massachusetts Children’s Book Award, and the Iowa Children’s Choice Award, among others.

When he’s not writing books, Dan loves to ride his bike, play pickleball, throw Frisbees, and explore New York City where he lives with his wife Nina. To find out more, follow Dan on Facebook, BlueSky, and Instagram.

Buy Dan's Books

Dan Gutman's Website

Book Review: The Genius Files

At about 0:45, Audrey nails the biographical reading of Dan Gutman’s info

At about 2:25, Dan responds to Pete asking if “it gets old” after writing 190+ books

At about 3:15, Pete talks about the baseball bug hitting the family

At about 3:40, Audrey gives background on the family’s connection with Satchel Paige, and Chris gives backstory involving Shoeless Joe Jackson

At about 5:45, Dan expands on the legend of Shoeless Joe and talks about the popularity of baseball with young people

At about 6:40, Dan and the Riehls discuss the famous Honus Wagner baseball card and some facts about him, the star of one of Dan’s books

At about 8:50, Dan responds to Audrey’s question about his inspirations for the baseball series through giving background on his writing for kids and connecting to baseball

At about 11:10, Dan traces his journey in initially getting his work published

At about 13:20, Chris recommends a baseball player for Dan’s new book

At about 13:50, Dan reflects on why he chose the baseball players he did for his books

At about 15:15, Dan replies to Audrey’s question about his own baseball career, and shares a cool Easter egg

At about 16:15, The

At about 16:40, Chris recounts two family card collecting stories similar to The Sandlot-the second dealing with a Michael Jordan rookie card

At about 19:10, Dan discusses the research needed for his writing, and how he balances fantasy/fiction with nonfiction

At about 21:10, Pete shares his experience reading about larger cultural events and historical events through sports books like those about Jackie Robisnon

At about 22:35, Dan shares his experiences in writing about Jackie Robinson and Joe DiMaggio

At about 23:35, Dan responds to Pete’s questions about books and genres that inspired his love of reading, and how reading about baseball was a huge catalyst

At about 25:50, Dan shares wonderful feedback and compliments shared by eager readers of his work and their parents and teachers

At about 27:10, Pete and Dan discuss The Genius Files series and its ethos, and Dan gives background on the series’ genesis

At about 30:25, Dan talks about writing for different ages and in different genres, and his mindset in doing so

At about 31:55, Dan responds to Pete asking about his “beta readers” and getting reading feedback

At about 33:00, Dan shouts out some favorite writers for young people

At about 34:30, Dan talks about the ways in which visual arts and photography are balanced with his words

At about 36:50, Dan reflects on what his books have in common and ideas of the “muse” as he mentions some exciting upcoming projects

At about 41:00, Dan gives contact and social media info, as well as book ordering information

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. This week, his conversation with Episode 255 guest Chris Knapp is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 269 with David Ebenbach. He is the author of ten books of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, and his work has picked up awards along the way: the Drue Heinz Literature Prize, the Juniper Prize, the Patricia Bibby Award, and more. He works at Georgetown University, promoting inclusive, student-centered teaching at the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship, and he teaches creative writing and literature at the Center for Jewish Civilization and creativity through the Master’s in Learning, Design, and Technology Program.

The episode airs on January 14.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 267 with Keith O'Brien, Author of Charlie Hustle and Award-Winning Journalist Who Skillfully and Faithfully Shows and Tells Well-Rounded Stories

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 11:20:00 -0800

Notes and Links to Keith O’Brien’s Work

Keith O'Brien is a New York Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist. He has written four books, been a finalist for the PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sportswriting, been longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, and has contributed to multiple publications over the years.

O’Brien’s work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic, the Washington Post, and on National Public Radio. His radio stories have aired on All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition, as well as Marketplace and This American Life.

The Wall Street Journal calls his latest book, CHARLIE HUSTLE, "compulsively readable and wholly terrific." Publishers Weekly calls it "definitive and elegantly told, this is a home run," and Kirkus Reviews hails CHARLIE HUSTLE as a "masterpiece of a sports biography."

A midwesterner by birth, O'Brien grew up in Cincinnati and graduated from Northwestern University. He now lives in New Hampshire with his wife, two children, two dogs and two cats.

Buy Charlie Hustle

Keith O'Brien's Website

New York Times Review of Charlie Hustle

At about 2:00, Pete asks Keith about the medium of radio, and Keith talks about how he loves radio and how it works different “muscles”

At about 3:40, Keith traces his early reading and writing life and his love of sports stories, Sports Illustrated, and more, including David Halberstam’s stellar work

At about 5:45, Pete and Keith fanboy over great work from The Best American Sports Writing of the Century

At about 7:05, Keith shouts out Mirin Fader and Andrew Maraniss and Jonathan Eig, among others, as writing inspirations

At about 8:55, Keith talks about how work in Japan helped to ignite his love of and skill for writing

At about 10:45 (13:50), Keith discusses how he views storytelling, showing/telling, as well as objectivity in writing, as well as expectations for readers

At about 14:50, Pete quotes a meaningful excerpt from the beginning of Charlie Hustle, and Keith expands upon how “stunned” he was by the crying and emotional responses from those talking about Pete Rose’s impact in their lives

At about 17:20, Pete alludes to the Author’s Note, and asks Keith about his childhood outlook on Pete Rose and the Reds as a native Cincinnatian

At about 21:05, Pete gives some exposition from the book and summarizes the “high point” from the Introduction

At about 22:00, Keith paints a picture of Pete Rose’s childhood growing up on the Westside of Cincinnati, and talks about “Big Pete” Rose and his legendary exploits, including a

At about 26:40, Keith explains the significance of two events in the summer of 1956 and how it shaped Pete

At about 29:15, Keith recounts an emblematic story involving Pete Rose and boxing

At about 30:45, Pete picks up on the aforementioned story and asks Keith if he sees the same mindset in Pete Rose in denying his betting later in life; Keith talks about a lack of vulnerability for Pete Rose

At about 32:45, Keith charts the importance of Pete Rose’s Uncle Buddy in jumpstarting Pete’s career

At about 37:15, Keith gives background on Pete Rose’s iconic nickname and its “mythology”

At about 39:55, The two reflect on the “juxtaposition” between those who gave Pete Rose his nickname and Pete Rose

At about 41:10, Keith talks about racism and the treatment of Black players in the Major Leagues, as well as how Pete viewed/spoke about race

At about 44:35, Keith expands on the ways in which Pete was seen as a “white, working-class hero” in the media and among fans

At about 48:15, Keith reflects on the echoing importance of Pete Rose’s collision with Ray Fosse

At about 52:15, Keith responds to Pete’s questions about how Pete Rose’s upbringing may or may not have been “seeds” for his later gambling and vice

At about 56:35, Decree Rule 21(d) and its ubiquity in baseball clubhouses is discussed

At about 57:10, Pete talks about how skillfully Keith shows Pete Rose’s impending fall at the end of Part III

At about 58:35, Keith responds to Pete’s questions about Pete Rose and whether he felt remorse over the way he treated women and his children

At about 1:00:20, Keith reflects on how the same qualities that made Pete Rose great also were his downfall

At about 1:01:40, The two discuss “credible allegations that Pete Rose had had a relationship with an underage girl in the 1970s and its impact on his baseball analyst job

At about 1:03:20, Keith responds to Pete’s questions about the importance of a homecoming in 1986 to Cincinnati

At about 1:06:50, Keith expands upon the inextricable links between Bart Giamatti and Pete Rose

At about 1:09:10, The two discuss Pete Rose’s last years and prodigious autograph signing and the ways in which his fans continued to be moved by meeting him and talking to him; Keith shares his personal experiences in being amazed by the awe of the fans he witnessed in person

At about 1:11:45, Keith reflects on the “crucial” and “poigna[nt]” ending of the book, an ending that Pete is highly complimentary of

At about 1:13:30, Keith discusses how he felt upon learning of Pete’s death and the sadness associated with Pete “being defined by his greatest mistakes”

At about 1:15:00, Pete and Keith reflect on connections between Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull and Pete Rose and the “fleeting” nature of fame

At about 1:16:15, shoutout to Ellen Adar for the audiobook

At about 1:17:10, Keith shouts out places to buy the book, including Waterstreet Books in NH, and gives social media/contact info

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. This week, his conversation with Episode 255 guest Chris Knapp is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 268 with Dax-Devlon Ross, who is the author of six books. His journalism has been featured in Time, The Guardian, The New York Times, and other national publications, and he won the National Association of Black Journalists’ Investigative Reporting Award for coverage of jury exclusion in North Carolina courts. His most recent book, Letters to My White Male Friends, is a call to action and a reflection on race.

The episode airs on December 31.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 266 with Lydia Kiesling, Author of Mobility and Keen Observer and Reflection-Inducing Craftswoman of Psychological and Geopolitical Storylines with Unforgettable Characters

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 19:27:18 -0800

Notes and Links to Lydia Kiesling’s Work

Lydia Kiesling is a novelist and culture writer. Her first novel, The Golden State, was a 2018 National Book Foundation “5 under 35” honoree and a finalist for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Her second novel, Mobility, a national bestseller, was named a best book of 2023 by Vulture, Time, and NPR, among others. It was longlisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize and a finalist for the Oregon Book Award. Her essays and nonfiction have been published in outlets including The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker online, and The Cut. Contact her at lydiakiesling@gmail.com.

Buy Mobility

Lydia Kiesling's Website

Lydia’s Wikipedia Page

Alta Online Book Review for Mobility

At about 1:35, Lydia gives out contact information and social media information, as well as places

At about 4:10, “Return of the Mack” as an “eternal jam” is highlighted in the book

At about 5:40, Lydia talks about her reading life and how it connected to her “cusp generation” and her time as a “foreign service brat”

At about 9:50, Lydia talks about her experience reading Joyce Carol Oates, for whom an award is named that Lydia was longlisted for, and Pete compares the narrator, Bunny, and her situation in Mobility to iconic characters from “Where are you going, Where have you been?” and “In the Land of Men”

At about 11:30, Lydia recounts interesting parts of her life in boarding school and how it shaped her

At about 15:20, Lydia discusses the reading life fostered through memorable English classes in boarding school

At about 21:15, Lydia highlights the ways in which her life as a writer developed, including early work in the blog era and a great opportunity from The Millions

At about 26:00, Lydia shouts out contemporary writers who thrill and inspire, including Jenny Erpenbeck and Bruna Dantas Lobato

At about 30:55, Lyda responds to Pete’s questions about the ways in which Lydia’s history as a “diplomat brat” has affected her view of the US

At about 34:45, The two discuss seeds for the book and the importance of the book’s concise epigraph

At about 37:25, Lydia highlights The Oil and the Glory as inspiration for the book

At about 40:45, Pete lays out part of the book’s exposition and underscores the importance of the book’s first scene and use of oil prices to mark each year

At about 42:30, Lydia responds to Pete asking about the draw of Eddie and Charlie and the older men/boys

At about 43:55, Pete quotes Mario Puzo in relating to “men doing what they do when they’re away from home” and Lyda builds on it when talking about Baku and the things and people that came with oil drilling

At about 45:00, Lydia gives background of the soap opera referenced in the book as she and Pete further discuss important early characters

At about 47:40, Lydia explains the background and significance of a ring that Bunny covets that says “I respond to whoever touches me”

At about 51:00, Pete recounts some of the plot involving Bunny’s return to the US and Texas and asks Lydia about the intentions of her mentor, Phil

At about 53:20, Lydia expands on the “weird current” that comes with being a young woman/woman in a male-dominated world

At about 54:40, Pete and Lydia discuss the manner in which Bunny and so many in our society choose to look away when faced with the evils of capitalism, oil, war, etc.

At about 58:15, Lydia emphasizes the ways in which story and narrative govern so much of the way politics and business work

At about 59:40, The two discuss Bunny as a nominal liberal

At about 1:01:15, Lydia responds to Pete’s question about any reasons for optimism in response to climate change

At about 1:04:00, The idea of “geologic time” as a negative and positive is discussed with regards to the environment and oil and positive change

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. This week, his conversation with Episode 255 guest Chris Knapp is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 267 with Keith O’Brien. He is a New York Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist who has written four books, been longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction, and contributed to multiple publications over the years, including the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic, and NPR. Kirkus Reviews hails his latest, Charlie Hustle, as a "masterpiece of a sports biography."

The episode airs on December 24.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 265 with Carvell Wallace, Author of Another Word for Love, a Modern Classic, and Upturner of Tropes in Beautifully and Honestly Portraying Darkness and Beauty and Love's Vagaries

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 09:21:05 -0800

Notes and Links to Carvell Wallace’s Work

Carvell Wallace is a writer and podcaster who has contributed to The New Yorker, GQ, New York Times Magazine, Pitchfork, MTV News, and Al Jazeera. His debut memoir, Another Word For Love (MCD, 2024), explores his life, identity, and love through stories of family, friendship, and culture and is a 2024 Kirkus Finalist in Nonfiction. He was a 2019 Peabody Award nominee, a 2022 National Magazine Award Finalist, a 2023 winner of the Mosaic Prize in Journalism, and a 2025 UCross Fellow. He lives in Oakland.

Buy Another Word for Love

Carvell Wallace’s Website

New York Times Review of Another Word for Love

“Carvell Wallace on What Writing Taught Him About His Life” for LitHub

At about 2:25, Carvell describes his “active” reading youth during his youth, including interest in Edgar Allan Poe and fables and fairy tales, and how creative pursuits in college paused and started his writing life

At about 6:25, Carvell shouts out a teacher who exposed him to great literary works and “treated [him] like a real writer”

At about 7:45, Carvell talks about being an artist “getting off the academic train” and academic “tracking”

At about 9:20, Carvell and Pete discuss “math people” and implications around embracing the label or not

At about 10:40, Carvell lists Song of Solomon, Judy Blume, Grapes of Wrath as “formative” texts and writers, and he details how imitation works in his writing,

At about 14:00-Ayn Rand and Jordan Peterson talk!

At about 15:50, Carvell discusses his take on expectations of literary and pop culture “representation” growing up, as well as how he “goes to reading to find [himself]”

At about 19:15, Pete asks Carvell about his wide level of interest and knowledge and “muses,” and Carvell describes the “throughline” for his varied work as “people”

At about 22:50, Carvell and Pete discuss the definitive answer to the pronunciation of “gif” and highlight meaningful gifs of JR Smith and Andre Iguoadala

At about 25:15, Carvell responds to Pete’s question about writers and creators who inspire, including the film podcast You Must Remember This and Tricia Hersey’s We Will Rest

At about 28:20, Pete tiptoes into asking about Frankenstein’s monster

At about 29:05, Pete highlights stirring parts of Another Word for Love and shares gushing blurbs

At about 30:40, Pete asks about the structuring of the book and links that Catrvell envisioned and put into practice; Carvell explains his rationale for structuring around recovery

At about 33:05, Carvell connects Choose Your Own Adventure to the ways in which he tried to avoid “prescriptive” writing

At about 34:05, Carvell replies to Pete’s question about “killing [his] darlings”

At about 36:10, Carvell gives background on his June Jordan epigraph and talks about her revolutionary ways

At about 40:00, Carvell muses profoundly on the “contradiction(s)” of the United States

At about 42:05, Carvell responds to Pete’s asking about the “encroaching shadows” and loneliness that govern the book’s opening scene; Carvell also reflects on the “unreliability of memory”

At about 46:00, The two reflect on a pivotal early chapter about a literal and figurative “fog” and unorthodox lessons learned from the experience

At about 48:45, Carvell explains the importance of descriptions in the books about seeking intimacy with his mother and flipping tropes

At about 50:20, Carvell talks about writers and dishonesty and remembrance with regard to a possibly apocryphal story regarding kids forced to take care of themselves

At about 54:40, Carvell talks about nomenclature for sexual assault and reflections on ideas of culpability and masculinity

At about 58:20, Carvell reflects on healing through writing the book and his ethic in writing it

At about 1:01:05, Pete recounts important parts of Carvell’s childhood daydreaming

At about 1:02:20, Carvell points out a “theory of recovery” as seen in a metanarrative and ideas of “endless beautiful things in the world”

At about 1:03:30, Carvell muses on connections between hip hop and Shakespeare that especally

At about 1:05:20, The two discuss “The Finger” and racism shown by a white man and its larger implications

At about 1:08:40, Pete asks Carvell about links between “overwrit[ing] reality” and racist violence towards him

At about 1:10:00, The two reflect on change and the birth scene of his child; Carvell reflects on humility as illustrated in the scene

At about 1:12:45, Pete recounts important scenes that end Part I and govern Part II and asks Carvell about “re-union” and healing

At about 1:14:10, Pete gushes honestly over the book’s greatness, evocative nature, and resonant nature

At about 1:15:30, Carvell talks about the book’s end and its lack of an end

At about 1:16:20, Carvell shares contact info, social media info, and places to buy his book, including great Bay Area bookstores like Harold’s Books

Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. This week, his conversation with Episode 255 guest Chris Knapp is up on the website. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode will feature an exploration of the wonderful poetry of Khalil Gibran.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

This is a passion project of Pete’s, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please tune in for Episode 266 with Lydia Kiesling. She is a novelist and culture writer whose first novel, The Golden State, was a 2018 National Book Foundation “5 under 35” honoree and a finalist for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Her second novel, Mobility, a national bestseller, was named a best book of 2023 by Time and NPR, among others.

The episode airs on December 17.

Please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 264 with Maggie Sheffer, Author of the Award-Winning Collection, The Man in the Banana Trees, and Master of the Weird, The Offbeat, The Clever, The Poignant, and The Resonant

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 08:39:25 -0800

Notes and Links to Maggie Sheffer’s Work

Marguerite (Maggie) Sheffer is a writer who lives in New Orleans. She is a Professor of Practice at Tulane University, where she teaches courses in design thinking and speculative fiction as tools for social change. Formerly, she taught English at the East Oakland School of the Arts, Castlemont High School, Life Academy, and GW Carver High School.

Her debut short story collection, The Man in the Banana Trees, was selected by judge Jamil Jan Kochai for the Iowa Short Fiction Award, was published in Fall 2024.

Maggie is a founding member of Third Lantern Lit, a local writing collective, and the Nautilus and Wildcat Writing Groups. She received her MFA from Randolph College. She was a 2023 Veasna So Scholar in Fiction at The Adroit Journal, and was selected as a top-twenty-five finalist for Glimmer Train's Short Story Award for New Writers. Her story “Tiger on My Roof” was a finalist for the 2024 Chautauqua Janus Prize, which awards emerging writers’ short fiction with “daring formal and aesthetic innovations that upset and reorder readers’ imaginations.”

Her position on semicolons (for) is noted in an Australian grammar textbook (pg. 16).

Buy The Man in the Banana Trees

Maggie's Website

From LitHub: "Marguerite Sheffer on Crafting a Collection of Century-Spanning Speculative Fiction"

"Marguerite Sheffer: These Stories Are an Intimate Map of What Scares Me" from Writer’s Digest

At about 2:05, Maggie shares a fun story about being published with George Bernard Shaw

At about 3:35, Maggie talks about her early reading life

At about 4:40, The two reflect on the evolving reputation of Star Wars and Star Wars fans

At about 6:05, Maggie shares how wine bottles led to writing an early and pivotal short story

At about 7:10, Maggie describes a gap in “actively writing” while teaching and interacting differently with writing

At about 8:10, Maggie lists texts and writers that helped her “reorder [her] brain”

At about 10:15, Pete and Maggie stan Tillie Olsen’s “I Stand Here ironing”

At about 12:05, Pete recounts a story about how he happened upon the great story by Shirley Jackson, “The Lottery”

At about 12:50, Maggie responds to Pete asking about what drew and draws her to science and speculative fiction

At about 13:50, Maggie highlights past guest Jamil Jan Kochai, Ken Liu, E. Lily Yu, Sofia Samatar, Clare Beams, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, the book The Safekeep, and others as contemporary writers who thrill and inspire

At about 15:05, Pete asks Maggie how teaching has inspired her writing

At about 16:45, Maggie cites Octavia Butler’s and Sandra Cisneros’ work and The Things They Carried and other texts that were favorites of her students

At about 18:10, The two discuss the epigraph and seeds for the short story collection

At about 19:50, The two discuss the collection’s first story and connection to Tillie Olsen’s idea of being “imprisoned in his own difference” and students being “othered”

At about 24:00, Maggie reflects on an important truth of fiction

At about 24:40, Maggie discusses famous unicorn tapestries that inspire a story of hers

At about 26:00, Pete compliments Maggie’s “delightfully weird” stories and “soft endings” and she responds to his questions about allegory/plot and “cool stories”

At about 27:40, Maggie talks about realizing the throughlines in her collections

At about 29:10, Maggie responds to Pete’s questions about writing in Covid times

At about 29:40, Pete cites examples of misogyny in the collection and asks about Joycleyn Bell and Maggie expands upon the story “The Observer’s Cage”-its genesis and connections to Jocelyn Bell Burnell

At about 32:20, Pete notes the use of animals as stand-ins for humanity and Maggie expands on deas of resistance as seen in the collection

At about 33:20, The two discuss ideas of redress and reclaiming the past through stories in the collection, especially “The Observer’s Cage”

At about 36:00, the two discuss a story with ghosts and ideas of “unfinished business” and capturing past natural greatness

At about 38:00, Maggie talks about sadly learning that an idea that she thought was original was not, as the two discuss a few stories about commercialism, dystopia, and climate change

At about 41:40, the two discuss middens, and themes of reclaiming what has been lost

At about 43:50, Pete notes an interesting story that deals with memory and AI, and Maggie talks about writing from a interesting-placed narrator

At about 45:40, Pete draws connections between a title character, Miriam Ackerman, and Truman Capote’s wonderful “A Christmas Memory”, while Maggie discusses the relationship between the title character and the narrator

At about 48:30, The two discuss violence and parental lack of control, especially in “Tiger on the Roof” and its memorable ending and creative plot

At about 51:45, Pete highlights the poignant and resonant closing line for the above story and connects the ending to Alice Elliott Dark’s classic, “In the Gloaming”

At about 53:20, The two discuss the collection’s title story and Maggie discuses inspiration from Carmen Maria Machado

At about 54:20, The two discuss the way the above story is “gutting” in its portrayal of the “banality of loss”

At about 57:30, Maggie reminds that the book is not just a “downer!”

At about 58:10, Maggie reads from “En Plein Aire”

At about 1:01:50, Maggie gives information on places to buy her book and social media and contact information

At about 1:02:40, Maggie shares information on some exciting new projects

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on 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 to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features segments from conversations with Jeff Pearlman, Matt Bell, F. Douglas Brown, Jorge Lacera, Jean Guererro, Rachel Yoder, and more, as they reflect on chill-inducing writers who have inspired their own work.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

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.

Please tune in for Episode 265 with Carvell Wallace. He is a writer and podcaster who has contributed to GQ, New York Times Magazine, Pitchfork, MTV News, and Al Jazeera, among others. His debut memoir, Another Word For Love, is a 2024 Kirkus Finalist in Nonfiction, and one of Pete’s all-time favorite memoirs.

The episode airs on December 10.

Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 263 with Fernanda Trias, Author of Mugre Rosa/Pink Slime, and Acute and Detail-Oriented World Builder and Creator of Thought-Provoking Fiction

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 22:48:01 -0800

Notes and Links to Fernanda Trías’ Work

Fernanda Trías was born in Uruguay and is the award-winning author of three novels, two of which have been published in English. She is also the author of the short story collection No soñarás flores and the chapbook El regreso. A writer and instructor of creative writing, she holds an MFA in creative writing from New York University. She was awarded the National Uruguayan Literature Prize, The Critics’ Choice Award Bartolomé Hidalgo, and the Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz International Prize in Mexico for her novel Pink Slime. Both The Rooftop and Pink Slime were awarded the British PEN Translates Award, and Pink Slime was chosen by The New York Times in Spanish as one of the ten best books of 2020. Translation rights for her work have been sold in fifteen languages. She currently lives in Bogotá, Colombia, where she is a teacher at the creative writing MFA program of Instituto Caro y Cuervo. In 2017, she was selected as Writer-in-Residence at the Casa de Velázquez in Madrid, where she started writing her latest novel, Pink Slime.

Buy Pink Slime

Fernanda Trias' Publisher Page for Simon and Schuster

Review of Pink Slime from Reactor Mag

At about 2:00, Pete and Fernanda discuss the book’s Spanish and English titles and different subtleties of each; Fernanda details how she decided to title the book as she dd

At about 3:20, Annie McDermott, Episode 91 and Mario Levrero shout outs!

At about 4:00, Fernanda discusses her reading life growing up, the ways in which better translations slowly came to Uruguay, and reading

At about 6:45, Fernanda talks about respect for Garcia Marquez, though not being a huge fan, and cites Juan Rulfo as “perfección”

At about 8:15, Pete expands on a Rulfo favorite of his, “No Oyes Ladrar los Perros,” and Fernanda expands on her love of Rulfo’s Pedro Paramo

At about 10:05, Fernanda talks about favorite contemporary authors, like Herta Muller and Olga Tokarczuk

At about 12:00, Pete shouts out Jennifer Croft, and Fernanda responds to Pete’s questions about why there is such a affinity for Eastern European writing in Latin América, and she specifies the Río Plata region as connected

At about 14:55, Fernanda describes her familial connections to Europe-particularly Italy and Spain

At about 17:15, Fernanda responds to Pete’s question about seeds for her writing life

At about 19:05, Fernanda references The Stranger and El Lugar by Levrero as chill-inducing books

At about 21:30, Pete is complimentary of Fernanda’s worldbuilding, and she expands on what she loves about it

At about 23:00, Pete and Fernanda discuss translation in her book, especially of colloquialisms like “ni fu ni fa”

At about 26:25, Fernanda responds to Pete’s question about climate change and other stimuli for Mugre Rosa/Pink Slime

At about 28:50, Pete mentions the book’s interesting dialogues that complement the action, and Fernanda expands on the evolving dialogues

At about 30:50, Fernanda talks about the book’s opening and the “first image” in her mind of a foggy port that creates an ambience for the book

At about 33:45, Pete shares laudatory blurbs for the book, especially about the book’s “envelop[ing]” world built by Fernanda

At about 34:25, Fernanda describes the book’s opening, including a pivotal scene involving a possible last fish

At about 37:05, Pete wonders about nostalgia, and Fernanda talks about her interest and lack of interest in certain ideas of what has been lost

At about 39:40, Fernanda discusses the relationship between the narrator and Max and its significance in the novel, especially in charting changes in the narrator as the book continues

At about 44:20, Pete points out a funny saying/joke from the book and Fernanda outlines her conversations with Heather Cleary in the translating of the joke

At about 46:05, The two discuss “surrendering and letting go” and connections to the novel and specifically, the narrator and Max’s relationship

At about 47:30, Pete lays out some basics on the relationships between the narrator and her mother, as well as her work situation with Mauro; Fernanda talks about how Covid’s social dynamics have mirrored so many parts of her novel and the ways in which the rich were able to move to safety

At about 51:45, the two discuss the differing relationships between the narrator’s two mother figure-Fernanda talks about the key questions of “What is a mother?”

At about 55:50, Fernanda and Pete discuss Mauro and his health condition and his memories of the time outlined in the book

At about 58:00, Pete and Fernanda reflect on ideas of community and if there is optimism/hope that comes with the book

At about 1:01:50, The two discuss ideas of systems and individuals’ culpability

At about 1:04:00, Fernanda gives social media info, and places to buy her 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 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 to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

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.

Please tune in for Episode 264 with Maggie Sheffer. She is Professor of Practice at Tulane University, where she teaches courses in design thinking and speculative fiction as tools for social change. She is a founding member of Third Lantern Lit, a local writing collective, and her debut short story collection, The Man in the Banana Trees, was selected by judge Jamil Jan Kochai for the Iowa Short Fiction Award, and is published as of November 5.

The episode airs on December 3.

Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 262 with Rus Bradburd, Author of Big Time, His First Novel that Connects to Four Nonfiction Works Passionately and Thoroughly Exploring Intersections Between Sport, Race, and Larger Culture

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 22:02:15 -0800

Notes and Links to Rus Bradburd’s Work

Rus Bradburd’s latest book is the satirical novel, “Big Time.” Rus attended Chicago Public Schools for eleven years before graduating from North Park College. After coaching basketball for fourteen seasons at UTEP and New Mexico State University, he left the game to study with Robert Boswell and Antonya Nelson—and pursue a life in writing. His five books focus on the intersections of sport, social progress, politics, and race. Rus has remained connected to the game through his acclaimed Basketball in the Barrio summer program in El Paso, as well as serving as NMSU’s television “color analyst.” He was awarded a Fulbright fellowship to return to Ireland to work on his next book about refugees in Belfast, “Almost Like Belonging.” An accomplished fiddle player, he lives in Chicago, Belfast, and New Mexico.

Buy Big Time

Rus Bradburd's Website

At about 2:00, Rus gives background on his fiddle playing and his time as color commentator for New México State University

At about 3:40, Rus talks about Big Time as his first work of fiction, as well as its nice timing, and he details how he worked on the book for many years

At about 5:40, Rus outlines some of the book’s exposition and plot, and talks about the current Colorado Football connections

At about 6:40, Rus talks about Univ of Chicago’s 1939 dropping of football and other stimuli for the book’s genesis, including Rick Russo’s work, and Dave Meggyesy's book

At about 8:40, Rus talks about satire and fiction and ideas of how fiction often gets at truth so well

At about 10:00, Rus gives more background on committee workloads and how the proliferation of committees and on particular example worked their ways into his book

At about 12:25, Rus talks about normalization of budget imbalance in universities

At about 13:30, Pete and Rus discuss the book’s epigraph, and Ruis talks about how the book satirizes college athletics, while he’s “knee-deep” in sports still

At about 15:30, Pete details a compare and contrast lesson that he teaches

At about 17:00, Rus responds to Pete’s question about the book’s opening and main characters Mooney and Braverman, history professors, working concessions at football games

At about 18:40, Rus gives background on “pop poet” Layla, and the ways in which she and the two history professors work together; Rus connects today’s conversations around student protests and protests in the book

At about 20:30, Rus talks about the downfall of the Coors State English Department in the book

At about 22:00, Rus cites the Missouri Football protest in fodder for a similar situation in his book

At about 23:00, Rus speaks about rich owners often asking taxpayers to finance big building projects

At about 24:20, Pete asks Rus about any inspirations for Layla, and he expands upon how the character evolved in his writing

At about 27:50, Pete charts the roles and importance of some characters in the book

At about 28:35, Rus discusses the financial costs and gains of big sport universities, and argues that the sporting program is taking away from education and educators

At about 33:00, Rus talks about a flawed system that puts so much work and so little compensation for adjunct instructors and showcases much hypocrisy

At about 35:00, Pete points out links between Braverman and Mooney’s activism and civil rights movements, and Rus connects to the push and pull that governs his own thoughts with regards to activism

At about 38:00, Rus talks about how the book’s events are in many ways reminiscent of fractures on the political Left

At about 40:25, Pete and Rus talk about NlL and how it relates to topics covered n the book, and whether/how NIL affected Rus’ writing

At about 44:00, Rus cites Dagoberto Gilb as an example of a writer who is successful while not being preachy, and how through satire, one can be a “little more message-heavy”

At about 45:50, Rus responds to Pete’s questions about satire and hyperbole and highlights how his writing the book made him love his characters

At about 48:45, Pete asks Rus about doing dystopia in The Age of Trump, and Rus cites David Shields and a tantalizing book idea that is now obsolete

At about 51:10, Pete wonders about Rus’ thoughts on the frenzied rise of legalized sports gambling, and Rus talks about further normalization of formerly-”sacreligious” things like beer sales at college games

At about 53:20, Rus cites Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk as an influence on his book and talks about using a real beer company’s name

At about 54:45, Pete compliments Rus’ use of stream of consciousness

At about 56:30, Rus shares out information on readings and book events coming up, including one with Beto O’Rourke, and contact and book buying information

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 to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

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.

Please tune in for Episode 263 with Fernanda Trías, award-winning author of three novels and the short story collection No soñarás flores; awarded the National Uruguayan Literary Prize, The Critics’ Choice Award Bartolomé Hidalgo, and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz International Prize in Mexico for Pink Slime/Mugre Rosa.

The episode goes live on November 26.

Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 261 with Greg Mania, Author of Born to Be Public, and Hilarious Chronicler of the Absurd, Eccentric, and Profound

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 22:30:03 -0800

Notes and Links to Greg Mania’s Work

Greg Mania’s words have been published in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, HuffPost, Oprah Daily, PAPER, among other international online and print platforms. He is also a contributing editor to BOMB Magazine, he hosts The Rumpus’s #ShowUsYourDesk on Instagram Live, and co-hosts Empty Trash, a reading series in Los Angeles. His debut memoir, Born to Be Public, is out now from CLASH Books.

He lives in Los Angeles, where he spends his days writing and hanging out with his boyfriend, the poet and TV writer Tommy Pico, whose commitment to the bit rivals his own.

Buy Born to Be Public

Greg Mania’s Website

Lambda Literary Review of Born to Be Public

“How Born to Be Public Author Greg Mania Lived a Double Life Before Coming Out” for Oprah Daily

At about 2:10, Greg talks about growing up in Central New Jersey, and his cultural life and the ways in which New York City held a special magnetism for him

At about 5:35, Greg describes the different parts of New Jersey and its immortal malls

At about 6:45, Greg responds to Pete’s questions about growing up speaking Polish and whether his writing in English has parallels in Polish

At about 8:15, Greg explains how he’s a “word nerd” and how this and his family affects his joke creation

At about 9:40, Greg talks about how he and Ruth Madievsky vibe for me many reasons, including a shared affinity for dark humor

At about 12:30, Greg notes that Born to Be Public has been **translated into Polish**

At about 13:20, Greg gives background on Poland and its evolving conservatism and liberalism

At about 14:15, Greg shows his Beverly Cleary-related tattoo and shouts out his love of Garfield and other dark/weird humor in growing up; Phyllis Diller gets stanned

At about 16:30, n expanding upon his love for Pee Wee Herman, Greg talks about his love for and interest in persona

At about 17:40, Phyllis Diller gets stanned more as Greg notes an incredible sign from Phyllis/the universe

At about 19:25, Greg discusses the litany of publications with which he works, and being a “freelance” writer in a year of transformation

At about 21:20, Greg responds to Pete’s question about his writing routine

At about 24:50, Greg gives information on his upcoming novel project

At about 27:15, Greg answers Pete’s question about how taking his nonfiction to fiction is “freeing”

At about 30:10, Greg lists Ruth Madievsky, Samantha Irby, Emily Austin, Rufi Thorpe, Kristen Arnett, Chantal Johnson, Kimberly King Parsons as some of the writers who thrill and challenge her

At about 32:40, Greg responds to Pete’s asking about how one is funny on the page

At about 34:25, Greg makes a startling Friends’-related admission

At about 35:15, Pete and Greg discuss the interplay between the humor and heaviness in his book

At about 39:20, Sand art!

At about 40:30, Greg talks about advice from a writer about how he ended up writing a book that has resonated with so many

At about 41:30, Greg reflects on childhood fears and the ways in which he has worked through these fears and compulsions

At about 43:45, The two discuss fixations with death

At about 44:40, Greg gives background on his childhood fascination with chimneys and diesel trains, and his dad’s selflessness

At about 47:30, Greg talks about the ways in which his parents’ generosity and love was counterbalanced by homophobia and migraines and anxiety

At about 51:00, Greg details some harmful words from a childhood doctor

At about 53:15, Greg responds to Pete’s question about his mindset in retorting to bullies and he mentions the “power” that came with quips

At about 55:15, Pete connects Greg’s humor to a Tillie Olsen line and wonders about Greg’s feelings at the time

At about 57:45, Greg details how his friend Rachel brought him so much confidence and helped him build his humor

At about 1:00:00, Greg talks about the “no inhibitions” that govern his relationships with his boyfriend Tommy in the same way as with Rachel

At about 1:01:15, Greg charts how educating himself on his fears has been helpful, particularly with regards to “fight or flight”

At about 1:05:15, Pete notes a “LOL” moment that sums up a classic college trope

At about 1:07:30, Greg speaks to the idea of “identity as never neat”

At about 1:09:00, Greg talks about the links between his first friends in New York and Lady Gaga and the ways in which “Greg Mania” (MAYN-ee-uh) grew to fit him

At about 1:10:10, Greg discusses how his writing mentors in high school and college helped him on his way to professional writing

At about 1:13:20, Greg talks about the book as A memoir, and how it’s him “pars[ing] the different parts of [him]”

At about 1:15:50, Greg responds to Pete’s questions about his days at “Magic Mondays” and its connection to the worlds of publishing

At about 1:19:00, Greg talks about his “majestic” hair (Pete’s words) and the ways in which it was his calling card in his clubbing days

At about 1:20:40, Greg answers Pete’s questions about what comedy writing “satisfies” for him, and Greg expands on the “sacred[ness]” of joke writing

At about 1:23:00, Greg details the “reward” in writing jokes and talking humor with his boyfriend

At about 1:24:40, Greg talks about the difference between memoir/memoirs and how his book applies to the former

I am very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

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.

Please tune in for Episode 262 with Rus Bradburd, who teaches writing classes in New Mexico State University’s MFA program and coached basketball at UTEP and New Mexico State for fourteen seasons. His work has appeared in The Southern Review, Colorado Review, Puerto del Sol, SLAM Magazine, Bounce, Los Angeles Times, and many others. Rus is a two-time guest spoke about 2018 nonfiction book, All the Dreams We've Dreamed: A Story of Hoops and Handguns on Chicago's West Side on Chills at Will Episode 15. November 19 is Pub Day for Big Time, his fourth book and second novel. The episode airs on Pub Day.

Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 260 with Lauren Markham, Author of A Map of Future Ruins, and Sympathetic and Empathetic Chronicler of The Forgotten, The Neglected, and Those With Complex Stories Often Reduced to Tropes

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 09:44:55 -0800

Notes and Links to Lauren Markham’s Work

Lauren Markham is a writer based in northern California. She is the author of the recent A Map of Future Ruins: On Borders and Belonging (Riverhead, 2024) which The New Yorker listed as one of “The Best Books We’ve Read in 2024 So Far” and which Kirkus reviews called “a remarkable, unnerving, and cautionary portrait of a global immigration crisis.”

A fiction writer, essayist and journalist, her work most often concerns issues related to youth, migration, the environment and her home state of California. Markham’s first book, The Far Away Brothers: Two Young Migrants and the Making of an American Life (Crown, 2017) was the winner of the 2018 Ridenhour Book Prize, the Northern California Book Award, and a California Book Award Silver Prize. It was named a Barnes & Noble Discover Selection, a New York Times Book Critics' Top Book of 2017, and was shortlisted for the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize and the L.A. Times Book Award and longlisted for a Pen America Literary Award in Biography.

Markham has reported from the border regions of Greece and Mexico and Thailand and Texas; from arctic Norway; from gang-controlled regions of El Salvador; from depopulating towns in rural Sardinia and rural Guatemala, too; from home school havens in southern California; from imperiled forests in Oregon and Washington; from the offices of overwhelmed immigration attorneys in L.A. and Tijuana; from the upscale haunts of women scammed on the Upper East Side.

Her writing has appeared in outlets such as VQR (where she is a contributing editor), Harper's, The New York Times Magazine, The Guardian, The New York Review of Books, The New Republic, Guernica, Freeman's, Mother Jones, Orion, The Atlantic, Lit Hub, California Sunday, Zyzzyva, The Georgia Review, The Best American Travel Writing 2019, and on This American Life. She has been awarded fellowships from The Mesa Refuge, UC Berkeley, Middlebury College, the McGraw Center, the French American Foundation, the Society for Environmental Journalists, the Silvers Prize, the de Groot Foundation, and the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference.

In addition to writing, Markham has spent fifteen years working at the intersection of education and immigration. She regularly teaches writing in various community writing centers as well as at the Ashland University MFA in Writing Program, the University of San Francisco and St. Mary’s MFA in Writing Program. Her third book, Immemorial, will be published by Transit Books in 2025.

Buy A Map of Future Ruins

Lauren's Website

Los Angeles Review of Books’ Review of A Map of Future Ruins

At about 4:00, Lauren makes the case that not all young reading has to be high-brow as she discusses formative works as a kid and adolescent, which included Nancy Drew and Milan Kundera

At about 6:50, Lauren responds to Pete’s question about how she thinks and writes in diverse genres, and how her reading of varied writers informs her own work

At about 10:40, Lauren shouts out Vauhini Vara, Hernan Diaz, Nathan Heller, Jia Tolentino, and other treasured contemporary writers

At about 12:45, Lauren talks about how writing informs her teaching, and vice versa

At about 15:25, Pete asks Lauren about seeds for A Map of Future Ruins and how her work with many undocumented and refugee students has affected her writing

At about 19:00, Lauren and Pete discuss ideas of belonging and exclusion and pride and heritage in connection to Lauren’s Greek heritage and reporting trips there

At about 23:10, Ideas of “insiders” and “outsiders” and the challenges of immigration paperwork are discussed

At about 26:05, Pete and Lauren reflect on a powerful quote from Warsan Shire regarding people being impelled to emigrate

At about 26:55, Lauren gives background on the conditions that made Moria on the Greek slang of Lesbos a “purgatory”

At about 31:20, Demetrios, a representative Greek from the book, and his views on immigration and “speak[ing] bird” is discussed

At about 36:05, Lauren expands upon how Greece as the “starting point of democracy” has been corrupted and co-opted and points to a stellar expose on truth from Kwame Anthony Appiah

At about 41:50, The two discuss the arbitrary nature of “The West” and Greece and its ideals and ideas of a “Western lineage

At about 43:55, Lauren expands upon the ideas of “proximity to Whiteness” with particular historical relevance for Greeks, Italians, and Southern Europeans

At about 44:55, Pete and Lauren reference the horrific images of the Syrian refugee whose death galvanized support, as well as Ali Sayed’s story, traced in her book

At about 46:40, Lauren explains terminology and methods of doing business by Turkish and other smugglers

At about 48:10, Turkish and Greek relations and how they affected the lack of patrols is highlighted

At about 49:20, “The Moria Six” and Ali’s story and trials are discussed in relation to the fire referenced at the beginning of the book

At about 52:00, The impositions of maps and Empire are reflected upon

At about 53:05, “Whiteness” and its imposition on “classical form” and racist science are explored, as written about in the book

At about 54:55, The two trace the initial and later welcome for refugees to Greek islands and ideas of the original meaning of “asylum”; Lauren also highlights many incredible people helping refugees to this day, as well as ideas of “invaders” and scapegoats

At about 58:40, Discussion of Greek austerity and true issues of difficulty for are referenced

At about 59:50, The two discuss Lauren’s section in the book regarding Darien Gap and connections to Lauren’s family’s own emigration/immigration story

At about 1:02:00, The two highlight ideas of community among refugees, and Pete asks Lauren about pessimism and optimism and the book’s title

At about 1:03:25, Ali’s unfinished story is referenced

At about 1:04:05-Laser Round Questions! East Bay Booksellers, Point Reyes Books and Green Apple are shouted out as good places to buy her books

At about 1:05:05, Immemorial, Lauren’s 2025 release, is described

What a pleasure it has been to speak with Lauren. Continued good luck to her with her future writing and important work.

Thank you for listening to this episode of The Chills at Will Podcast.

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this and other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

I am very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

This month’s Patreon bonus episode features segments from conversations with Jeff Pearlman, F. Douglas Brown, Matt Bell, Rachel Yoder, Jorge Lacera, and more, as they reflect on chill-inducing writing and writers that have inspired their own work.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

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.

Please tune in for Episode 261 with Greg Mania, who is a writer, comedian, and award-winning screenwriter. He’s also author of the debut memoir, Born to Be Public, which was an NPR Best Book of 2020 and an O, Oprah Magazine Best LGBTQ Book of 2020. Greg’s work has appeared in The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Oprah Daily, PAPER, among other international online and print platforms.

This episode will air on November 12.

Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 259 with Jessica Whipple, Author of Enough Is... and I Think I Think a Lot, and Skilled Craftswoman of Nuanced, Sympathetic Works that Bring Security and Inspiration for Kids and Adults Alike

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 22:39:44 -0700

Notes and Links to Jessica Whipple’s Work

Jessica Whipple writes for adults and children from her home in Eastern PA. Her poetry has been published recently in Funicular, Door Is a Jar, and Green Ink Poetry, and online at Whale Road Review, Anti-Heroin Chic, and Pine Hills Review. Her poem "Broken Strings" has been nominated for a 2023 Pushcart Prize in poetry. She has published two children's picture books in 2023: Enough Is… (Tilbury House, illustrated by Nicole Wong) and I Think I Think a Lot (Free Spirit Publishing, illustrated by Josée Bisaillon). To read more of Jessica’s work or to learn about her books, including praise and reviews, peruse her website or follow her on Twitter/X/Instagram @JessicaWhippl17.

Buy I Think I Think a Lot

Interview with WESA/NPR, Regarding I Think I Think a Lot

Jessica Whipple's Website

At about 2:20, Jessica gives background information on places to buy her books

At about 4:40, Jessica speaks to how her reading life is and was

At about 7:00, Jessca traces where her writing life kicked in and how her writing life was “reinvigorated”

At about 10:00, Julie Fogliano and other inspiring and beloved children’s authors are given kudos

At about 12:20, Jessica reads “This is What I’m Thinking at the Container Store”

At about 15:50, Jessica expands on the universality and specificity of her poem, talking about OCD as a “spectrum”

At about 19:00, The two reflect on some stellar and vivid lines from the poem

At about 21:00, Jessica breaks down the different mechanisms of OCD and focuses on the compulsions and obsessions in their mental and outward forms

At about 23:35, Jessica introduces and reads her poem, “ Sometimes I Google You”

At about 26:25, Jessica explains how she is “speaking to the memory” depicted in the poem

At about 29:30, Jessica provides a nice way to think of haiku, thanks to Tim Green

At about 32:45, Pete highlights the beautiful security given in Jessica’s work and other standout work

At about 33:40, Pete asks about the “Enough” from the title of Enough Is… and Jessica expands upon the “sense of importance” given to the word

At about 35:20, Jessica responds to Pete’s questions about using symbolism and analogy in books for kids

At about 37:00, Pete wonders about seeds for the book, I Think I Think a Lot

At about 40:15, Pete likens the apologies in the book to a Seinfeld episode

At about 41:20, Jessica talks about how the illustrator works off her writing

At about 42:45, Pete highlights the ways in which Jessica use nuance and asks Jessica about writing to engender empathy in kids

At about 44:40, Jessica reads and discusses “To My Husband Now a Father”

At about 48:20, Pete asks Jessica about writing about personal things and catharsis

At about 50:20, Lauren details exciting upcoming projects

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on 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.

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.

Please tune in for Episode 260 with Lauren Markham, whose writing regularly appears in outlets like Harper's, Lithub, The New York Times Magazine and VQR. She is the author of The Far Away Brothers: Two Young Migrants and the Making of an American Life, the winner of the 2018 Ridenhour Book Prize and a CA Book Award Silver Prize. Her most recent book, A Map of Future Ruins: On Borders and Belonging, is out in 2024 to acclaim.

The episode airs on November 5.

Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 258 with Porochista Khakpour, Author of Tehrangeles, Savvy and Skilled Chronicler of the Essence of Modern Life, and Writer of Varied, Hilarious, and Incisive Works

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 09:40:54 -0700

Show Notes and Links to Porochista Khanpour's Work

For Episode 258, Pete welcomes Porochista Khakpour, and the two discuss, among other topics, her harrowing departure from Iran to the US at a young age, her voracious reading and writing and storytelling, amazing life experiences that have fed her writing, her love of contemporary stan culture and KPop, how her latest book’s release is different, seeds for Tehrangeles, modern wellness and conspiracy theory cultures, her experiences with the real Tehrangeles, the role of the outsider as a writer, and so much about themes and topics related to her novel, like celebrity worship, assimilation, cancel culture, and racism.

Porochista Khakpour was born in Tehran and raised in the greater Los Angeles area. She is the critically acclaimed author of two previous novels, Sons and Other Flammable Objects and The Last Illusion; a memoir, Sick; and a collection of essays, Brown Album. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bookforum, Elle, and many other publications. Her latest book is Tehrangeles. She lives in New York City.

Buy Tehrangeles

Porochista’s Official Website

Porochista’s Wikipedia Page

“Writing Iranian America…”-2020 Interview from Columbia Journal

At about 1:45: Pete gets the wrong vegetable in remembering his first exposure to Porochista’s excellent work

At about 2:45, Porochista talks about the year in publishing and the ways in which this year’s tragedies have been in juxtaposition to careful and affectionate feedback for her novel

At about 7:30, Porochista and Pete discuss some politicians’ cowardice and Porochsta’s book as a “weird distraction”

At about 10:20, Pete asks Porochista about writing satire in an increasingly off-its-hinges world

At about 13:20, Porochista talks about the 1%, richest of the richest, and how “this sort of madness of wealthy people during the beginning of the pandemic”

At about 15:10, Porochsta gives background on the acquisition of her novel

At about 17:25, The two highlight Danzy Senna’s great work

At about 18:20, Porochista cites examples of “dark humor” that at times run through Persian cultures

At about 20:10, Porochista reflects on the idea of “perpetual outsiders” and the effect on writing

At about 21:40, Porochista details her family’s fleeing Iran and the traumas and memories that came with her odyssey to arriving in the US

At about 24:30, Porochista traces the way that Iran was often viewed by Americans at the time in which her family arrived in the US

At about 25:15, Porochista responds to Pete’s questions about her early reading and writing and language life, both in English and Persian

At about 31:45,

At about 32:50, Porochista talks about she’s been described as a “maximalist” and the connection to Persian as her first language

At about 34:35, Porochista talks about representation in the texts she read growing up and her early love of particular works that allowed her to learn about the Western canon in order to enjoy it and resist it

At about 37:30, Porochista charts her reading journey from Faulkner to Morrison to Sartre to the Beat Poets and describes her self-designed silent book reading “retreat”

At about 40:20, Porochista describes her reading and writing as responses to her life experiences and her identity revolving around writing

At about 41:35, Porochista describes transformative and formative texts and mentors and her time at Sarah Lawrence College and Oxford

At about 43:50, Porochista talks about the ways in which her reading was affected by how women writers are often limited, and how this connects to her seeking out adventure and life experience in living as a writer, including her going to William Faulkner Country

At about 49:45, The two make appreciations of James Joyce’s work

At about 50:55, Porochista makes a case for contemporary writing as comprising a “golden era”

At about 52:00, Pete wonders if and how Porochsta has been influenced by Bret Easton Ellis and David Foster Wallace

At about 54:45, Porochista talks about ways in which Less than Zero and American Psycho and Donna Tartt’s work have affected the sensibility of Tehrangeles and especially its ending

At about 59:15, Porochista talks about “dream” casting in case the novel becomes a movie, including Tara Yummy

At about 1:01:00, Porochista talks about the “twisted logic” found on many of the chat rooms/forums she spent time in for book research

At about 1:04:15, Porochista talks about how Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women and Alcott’s experience informed the writing of Tehrangeles

At about 1:07:55, The two discuss how Shahs of Sunset affected the novel

At about 1:10:00, Porochista explains her rationale in making the book’s reality show producers a collective

At about 1:10:45, Porochista responds to Pete’s question about the book’s epitaphs

At about 1:13:55, Porochista talks about the book’s untranslated Persian section and “progress” in people’s understanding

At about 1:15:20, Pete cites and quotes the book’s opening litany and the exposition of Book I

At about 1:16:20, Porochista describes a raucous scene where Roxana, a main character, goes through a “zodiac reassignment”

At about 1:17:50, Porochista digs into Roxana’s “Secret”

At about 1:19:10, The two lament Kanye West’s horrible recent behavior and other misogynists and abusers, in connection with the setting of the book

At about 1:22:30, The two discuss the world of influencers and their effect on younger generations in line with the characters of the book

At about 1:24:20, Pete recounts the Milani family members and their views of the

At about 1:26:00, Porochista recounts inspiration for Violet’s sweets diet from an interview with Momofuku’s Christina Tosi and Porochista’s time at Sarah Lawrence

At about 1:28:00, The two discuss Violet’s experience with a racist and demeaning model shoot that plays on her Iranian heritage

At about 1:29:30, Porochista reflects on Tehrangeles culture and its connection to religion

At about 1:30:35, Porochista discusses KPop and “stan culture” and how Mina “found her voice” through these online forums

At about 1:34:20, Porochista talks about purposely focusing on realistic and empathetic portrayals of gender identity

At about 1:38:30, The two discuss Hailey as representative of the intersections between Covid conspiracy theories and racism and “hidden” CA racism and wellness culture

At about 1:40:00, Porochista talks about her own experiences with the “dark wu wu” of the wellness cultures during her own fragile

At about 1:44:00, The two discuss Ali (Al) and his leaving Iran behind and how he seeks Americanization and how he makes his fortune

At about 1:46:15, Porochista likens events of the book, “The World of Al” to the DJ Khaled song

At about 1:48:05, The two discuss Roxana’s desire to have a blowout early Covid-era party and how the physical “wings” of the house connect to the sisters’ different growing pains and goals and ethics

At about 1:50:40, The two riff on some beautifully absurd scenes in the book, including a pet psychic’s appearance

At about 1:51:50, Porochista gives background on deciding to do untranslated Persian in the book and about Homa and the ways she doesn't want to be part of Tehrangeles; also Editor Maria Goldberg Love

At about 1:55:10, Pete asks about the rationale and background for the book’s ending using stream of consciousness

At about 1:57:15, Porochista shouts out Golden Hour Books and City of Asylum Books, and other places to buy her book, including Shawnee, Kansas’ Seven Stories, run by 17 yr old Halley Vincent

At about 1:59:45, Porochista shouts out the stellar Deep Vellum and Verso and writers like

At about 2:01:05, Porochista talks about exciting upcoming projects

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on 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 to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

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.

Please tune in for Episode 259 with Jessica Whipple. Jessica writes for adults and children, and her poetry has been published recently in Funicular, Door Is a Jar, and many more. She has published two children's picture books in 2023: Enough Is… and I Think I Think a Lot.

The episode will air on October 29.

Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 257 with Mirin Fader, Author of Dream, and Keen and Empathetic Observer and Chronicler of Stories within Stories and Stellar Portraits of Athletes that Show Their Completeness

Fri, 18 Oct 2024 14:59:02 -0700

Notes and Links to Mirin Fader’s Work

For Episode 257, Pete welcomes Mirin Fader for her second Chills at Will visit, and the two discuss, among other topics, her love of contemporary fiction, how her second book’s release is different than that of her first, seeds for her latest book-Dream, about the great Hakeem Olajuwon-coming from her previous blockbuster about Giannis Antetokounmpo, her finding stories within stories while researching the book, and the wonders and legends of Hakeem Olajuwon, from his start in handball and soccer to the ignorant and racist ways he was often viewed, to the role that discipline, creativity, and his faith play in his daily life.

Mirin Fader is a senior staff writer for The Ringer. Her first book, Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA Champion, was a New York Times Bestseller, Los Angeles Times Bestseller, Wall Street Journal Bestseller, USA Today Bestseller, Publishers Weekly Bestseller. She has profiled some of the NBA’s biggest stars, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant, DeMar DeRozan, and LaMelo Ball, telling the backstories that have shaped some of our most complex, most dominant, heroes. Fader wrote for Bleacher Report from 2017 to 2020 and the Orange County Register from 2013 to 2017. Her work has been featured in the “Best American Sports Writing” series and honored by the Pro Basketball Writers Association, the Associated Press Sports Editors, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, the Football Writers Association of America, and the Los Angeles Press Club.

Buy Dream

Mirin Fader's Website

See Mirin on Tour!

At about 2:50, Mirin discusses her love of fiction and beloved contemporary texts, including Tommy Orange’s latest, and Sudanese writer, Rania Mamoun’s latest

At about 4:40, Mirin responds to Pete’s question about any sort of competitiveness within writers in Mirin’s cohort, and Pete and Mirin stan Wright Thompson

At about 6:30, Pete highlights Demar Derozan’s recent book and Mirin’s profile of him for The Ringer

At about 9:45, Mirin gives background on her profile of Bronny James and what “lane” she focused on for the piece

At about 12:30, Some all-time NBA rankings!

At about 14:45, Pete cites the book about Giannis and its lasting greatness

At about 15:05, Pete asks Mirin about the run-up to her second book and feedback

At about 16:10, Mirin mentions the nostalgia associated with Hakeem Olajuwon

At about 17:30, Mirin talks about the “unheralded” nature of Hakeem, as well as the emergence of international basketball players, particularly with African players, for which he was a “prequel”

At about 19:25, Mirin gives background on Ben Okri’s quote for her epigraph and its connection to Hakeem and devotion and creativity

At about 20:10, The two discuss the book’s Prologue and LeBron James famous trip to train with Hakeem in 2011

At about 22:40, Henri de Ybarrondo and his importance to Hakeem and his spiritual resurgence is referenced

At about 24:00, Mirin discusses her wonderful experiences in going to Hakeem’s mosque in Houston

At about 25:00, Pete asks Mirin to expand on Hakeem as a “hidden one,” and connections to a hadith quoted from the Koran

At about 26:30, The two discuss the book’s beginning, and Mirin talks about the bustling city of Lagos, Hakeem’s childhood (and later American media racism in describing his youth), and how his father taught him to be proud of his size

At about 29:10, Mirin talks about Hakeem's early athletic feats outside of basketball, and how he was “recruited” to finally give in and play basketball

At about 31:20, Pete and Mirin reflect on the sad fact that so many interviewees for the book have died recently and how this affects her urgency to get stories on paper

At about 32:35, Mirin responds to Pete’s wondering about how Hakeem’s 1980 Nigerian National Team appearance affected his growth

At about 34:10, The “Dream Shake” and Yomi Sangodeyi’s greatness and tutoring are explored

At about 35:00, Christopher Pond and the supposed origin story of Hakeem’s Univ. of Houston landing, as well as problematic parts of the story are probed

At about 38:50, Mirin talks about Hakeem’s time in Houston and the city’s growing Nigerian population

At about 40:10, Mirin expands upon the ignorant and racist ways in which Hakeem was written about, especially in his earlier years, and she shares the story of how him “changing his name”
Was emblematic of his humble nature

At about 42:55, Mirin highlights how Hakeem was never seen as a draft mistake, even though he was drafted over Michael Jordan, and Pete cites Frank Guidry’s book on Houston and how the Forde Center helped Hakeem improve greatly as a Rocket

At about 44:15, Pete cites Hakeem’s moving letter referenced in the book, and how Mirin charts his rediscovering his faith through some amazing and makes it clear that he never “converted” to Islam

At about 46:45, The two reflect on and express the amazement and respect for Hakeem’s Ramadan fasting during his playing days

At about 47:45, Pete and Mirin stan Hakeem’s unforgettable series against David Robinson

At about 48:45, Mirin talks about how Hakeem’s faith calls for him to not display iconography and show humility and how the book’s cover satisfied the requirements of being respectful

At about 50:45, Mirin shouts out Brazos Bookstore and Skylight Books as good places to buy her book, and shouts out her first tour

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 to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. A big thanks to Rachel León and Michael Welch at Chicago Review.

I have added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

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.

Please tune in for Episode 258 with Porochista Khakpour, the critically acclaimed author of two previous novels, Sons and Other Flammable Objects and The Last Illusion; a memoir, Sick; and a collection of essays, Brown Album. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bookforum, Elle, and many other publications. Her latest book, a chaotic and satirical stellar work, is Tehrangeles.

This episode will air on October 22.

Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 256 with Andrew Maraniss, Author of Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burke, Strong Inside, Beyond the Game Series, and Other Empathetic, Inspiring, and Enlightening Works

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 12:20:36 -0700

Notes and Links to Andrew Maraniss’ Work

For Episode 256, Pete welcomes Andrew Maraniss, and the two discuss, among other topics, carefree days of baseball card trading, formative writers and social justice activists, seeds for his latest series on inspiring contemporary athletes and their fights for justice, “writing” versus “sportswriting,” Glenn Burke and his singular fight for equality, how Andrew views writing about social issues in ways that young people can understand, and the restorative and challenging power that books hold.

Andrew Maraniss is the New York Times-bestselling author of narrative nonfiction; his first book, Strong Inside, about Perry Wallace, the first African-American basketball player in the SEC, won the 2015 Lillian Smith Book Award. He has recently launched a series of early chapter books for young readers, BEYOND THE GAME: Athletes Change the World, which highlights athletes who have done meaningful work outside of sports to help other people.

Buy Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burke

Andrew Maraniss’ Website

Buy Andrew’s Books

At about 1:30, Andrew talks about his family legacy of writing, and his early writing and reading

At about 4:40, Andrew talks about his baseball love and love of other sports

At about 5:50, the two discuss spreading baseball love in their families

At about 7:15, Andrew responds to Pete’s questions about formative sportswriters and how Andrew sees “sportswriting” versus “writing”

At about 10:25, Pete and Andrew lament missed opportunities with valuable sports memorabilia

At about 13:10, The two begin to discuss Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burke and highlight Dusty Baker’s key role

At about 14:10, Pete highlights the bold and moving way that Andrew starts th book in 1977, with Glenn struggling on the streets of San Francisco’s Tenderloin

At about 18:30, Pete asks Andrew about the “double life” he writes about with regard to Glenn’s minor league and major league careers

At about 21:50, Andrew recounts the story of the purported first high-five and Dusty Baker and Glenn Burke’s roles

At about 25:50, the two discuss Al Campanis’ offer to Glenn and Glenn’s last days as a Dodger

At about 30:50, Andrew discusses the homophobic reactions that led to the shunning by the A’s of Glenn

At about 32:45, Pete compares Glenn’s behaviors to that of a later career Jackie Robinson and Andrew talks about how Glenn had a tenuous amount of agency

At about 34:00, Andrew details Glenn’s time with Bay Area softball, and up and downs in his life, and how life in the Castro District in SF turned horrendous

At about 36:00, Andrew cites Dusty Baker as a great interview and a great guy

At about 37:05, Andrew responds to Pete’s questions about moments of joy in Glenn’s painful last years and reflects on Glenn Burke’s legacy

At about 38:50, Andrew talks about Tommy Lasorda, Jr., and connections to Glenn’s story; Pete and Andrew both cite an engrossing article by Peter Richmond

At about 41:10, Pete is highly complimentary of Andrew’s work and its progressive nature and

At about 42:00, Pete asks Andrew about seeds for his Athletes Change the World series, and Andrew cites book bans and hopes for his Glenn Burke book to be more widely-read; Andrew also details his books and connections to social issues

At about 45:20, Andrew riffs on his books on LeBron James and Maya Moore and an upcoming book on Pat Tillman

At about 47:00, Jordan Marie Brings Three White Horses Whetstone is discussed, in connection with murdered indigenous women and Andrew’s book about her

At about 48:10, Pete highlights a philosophy that Andrew uses in his books and his calls to action

At about 49:15-LeBron love! Andrew details what he learned about LBJ through his book

At about 52:40, Pete compliments the “surrounding infrastructure” of Andrew’s work and asks him about difficulty in writing fewer words and for children with serious topics

At about 56:30, Andrew details an imminent YA/adult book on the first Special Olympics

At about 58:30, Andrew shouts out contact info, places to buy his books, and social media info

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.

Please tune in for Episode 257 with Mirin Fader, a senior staff writer for The Ringer. I was honored to talk to her for Episode 76, about her first book, Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA Champion, which was a New York Times Bestseller. Her newest book Dream: The Life and Legacy of Hakeem Olajuwon is out on this day, October 15, when the episode drops.

Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 255 with Chris Knapp, Author of States of Emergency and Keen and Darkly Humorous Chronicler of Contemporary Chaos

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 09:25:19 -0700

Notes and Links to Chris Knapp’s Work

For Episode 255, Pete welcomes Chris Knapp, and the two discuss, among other topics, a fascination with Elena Ferrante, James Joyce, and other dynamic writers, the interplay between journalism and fiction writing, seeds for his debut novel, the significance of its title, the drawbacks and benefits of writing about such recent times, and salient themes and issues in his novel like colonialism, marital alienation and connection, ennui, and the creep of dystopian mores.

Christopher Knapp’s work has appeared in print in the Paris Review and the New England Review, and online at Granta and n+1, among others. He’s been a work-study scholar at the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, and earned an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Virginia. His novel, States of Emergency, was published on September 3 by Unnamed Press. He lives in Paris with my wife, and teaches in the journalism program at the Sorbonne.

Buy States of Emergency

Chris Knapp's Website

At about 2:50, Chris talks about what it’s been like in the run-up to publication

At about 4:00, Chris describes his early literary life and battles with spoilers

At about 7:10, Pete and Chris discuss and cite the greatness of Faulkner and Joyce’s work

At about 9:30, Pete highlights a wonderfully Joycean sentence (one of many) from Chris’ novel

At about 10:25, Chris shouts out inspiring and thrilling writers, including Rachel Cusk, Don DeLillo, and Sebald, and Elena Ferrante

At about 14:10, The two discuss Paris and Naples and prices and experiences

At about 16:30, Chris responds to Pete’s questions about the interplay between his journalistic background and his fiction writing

At about 19:45, Pete and Chris reflect on the interesting ways in which the book’s narrator functions in the book and connects to

At about 21:15, Chris speaks about seeds for his novel

At about 22:20, The two discuss Chris deciding to start the book with a heat wave and political and cultural

At about 24;45, Chris talks about the fertility procedures that run throughout much of the book and the way waiting relates

At about 27:00, Chris delineates between hope and optimism and how these two qualities characterize the narrator and his wife Ella

At about 29:20, The two discuss ideas of sympathy and empathy and comfort and shared pain

At about 31:50, Chris responds to Pete’s questions about the narrator’s writing and charting his and Ella’s experiences

At about 32:45, Chris reflects on the narrator’s writing and the way that Ella sees him and his writing; he references Raven Leilani and writing on grief

At about 34:45, The two discuss the ways in which French colonialism and racism is seen (or not) in the book and in the world

At about 36:40, Pete highlights the dark humor of the book, and Chris expands on some of the humor and how it flows for him

At about 39:35, The two discuss the “carnality” of a climatic scene in Ella and the narrator’s relationship

At about 42:20, Chris charts the importance of a getaway for Ella in Skopje

At about 44:20, Pete cites a period of separation between the two main characters and asks Chris about the significance of the book’s title

At about 49:00, Chris responds to Pete’s questions about the drawbacks and benefits and vagaries of perspective in the novel

At about 55:25, Chris reflects on narrative and its connections to history and to the novel

At about 57:00, Pete compliments two anecdotes/scenes from the book, compares Ella’s story of the French and Algerians to Wolff’s “In the Garden of the North American Martyrs,” and Chris expands on the views of the narrator’s family

At about 1:02:50, Chris gives contact information, book purchasing info, and social media info

At about 1:04:20, Chris talks about what he’s working on and wants to write about in the future

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.

Please tune in for Episode 256 with Andrew Maraniss, a New York Times-bestselling author of narrative nonfiction. His first book, Strong Inside, about Perry Wallace, the first African-American basketball player in the SEC, won the 2015 Lillian Smith Book Award. Andrew recently launched a series of early chapter books for young readers, BEYOND THE GAME: Athletes Change the World, which highlights athletes who have done meaningful work outside of sports to help other people.

The episode will air on October 1.

Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 254 with Jami Attenberg, Author of A Reason to See You Again, and Skilled Craftswoman of Eccentric and Sympathetic Characters and Unique Family Bonds

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 22:02:57 -0700

Notes and Links to Jami Attenberg’s Work

For Episode 254, Pete welcomes Jami Attenberg, and the two discuss, among other topics, seeds for her newest novel, the significance of its title, research and its connection to continuity, and salient themes and issues in her novel like grief and intergenerational traumas, the rapid development of digital technology and its ever-changing effects on society, conventional and unconventional family bonds, and guilt.

Jami Attenberg is 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. She is also the creator of the annual online group writing accountability project #1000wordsofsummer, which inspired the recently published USA Today bestseller 1000 Words:A Writer’s Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round. Jami has also written for The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, the Sunday Times, The Guardian, and others. Her work has been published in sixteen languages.

Her debut collection of stories, Instant Love, was published in 2006, followed by the novels The Kept Man and The Melting Season. Her fourth book, The Middlesteins, was published in October 2012. It appeared on The New York Times bestseller list, and was published in ten countries in 2013. It was also a finalist for both the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction and the St. Francis College Literary Prize. Her fifth book, Saint Mazie, was described by The New York Times Book Review as, “full of love and drink and dirty sex and nobility.” Her sixth book, All Grown Up, was a national bestseller, appearing on numerous year-end lists. Her most recent novel, All This Could Be Yours, for which Kirkus dubbed her, “poet laureate of difficult families,” also appeared on a number of year-end lists. In 2022 she published a memoir, I Came All This Way to Meet You: Writing Myself Home, which USA Today called, “a fierce memoir of personal transformation.”

In January 2024 she published the creativity book, 1000 Words:A Writer’s Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round which was praised on The Today Show, NPR, and elsewhere. In September 2024 she will also publish a new novel, A Reason to See You Again.

She lives in New Orleans, LA.

Buy A Reason to See You Again

New York Times Review of A Reason to See You Again

Excerpt of A Reason to See You Again from People Magazine

Jami Attenberg Website

At about 3:20: Jami describes her mindset as her 10th book is set to be published within the week

At about 4:40, Jami details her exciting book tour, including a cool stop in Ireland for a book festival

At about 8:00, Jami describes which books of her own and of others are “in conversation” with her latest

At about 11:10, Pete and Jami share a few interesting and complimentary and funny reviews

At about 12:10, Jami responds to Pete’s wondering about seeds for the book

At about 13:40, Pete cites the book’s first scene and its focus on a pre-Internet world; Jami expands upon her mindset in showing the changes in technology in the book’s 46 year-arc

At about 16:00, Jami remarks on the ways in which she wanted to have work and technology as background and not at the forefront, and how it is and isn’t a “work novel”

At about 17:30, The two laugh over a labeling of the book as “historical fiction”

At about 18:10, Pete highlights Jami’s trendsetting abilities involving “demure”

At about 19:15, Pete notes the interesting ways in which Jami structures her dialogue

At about 20:45, Jami responds to Pete’s questions about how she maintained continuity in writing the book chronologically or not

At about 23:25, Pete asks Jami about the background of the evocative first line of the novel

At about 25:55, The two discuss Rudy, the “hero” of the members of the Cohen family, and the ways in which Jami sees him

At about 28:15, Jami discusses Frieda and what she may have been missing in her life

At about 30:00, Jami reflects on the balance and relationship between Shelley and Nancy, the sisters

At about 33:30, Jami responds to Pete’s questions about familial connections over generations

At about 36:00, Frieda and her resignation towards her daughters and Robby and Nancy’s relationship is discussed

At about 39:10, Generational traumas and guilt are discussed

At about 42:40, Jami shouts out helpful feedback from helpful writer friends in expanding parts of the novel

At about 43:35, Pete and Jami reflect on two interesting pairs and family dynamics

At about 47:25, Jami details how her current novel title happened, and the importance of this title

At about 49:25, Jami shouts out some favorite bookstores to buy her novel

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch 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.

Please tune in for Episode 255 with Chris Knapp, whose work has appeared in print in the Paris Review and the New England Review, among other publications. His novel, States of Emergency, from Unnamed Press, has Sept 17 as its Pub Day and has been widely-acclaimed, including by the masterful Brandon Taylor.

The episode will air on September 27.

Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 253 with Akshaj Mehta, Author of Five Books, Including The Butterfly Effect, Intrepid and Curious Journalist, and Advocate for Reading and Writing Diverse Stories

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 09:48:00 -0700

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.

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.

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.

Episode 252 with Byron Graves: Author of Rez Ball and Master of the Hyperspecific and Universal Through Synpathetic and Dynamic Characters

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 16:42:57 -0700

Notes and Links to Byron Graves’ Work

For Episode 252, Pete welcomes Byron Graves, and the two discuss, among other topics, his early experiences with Ojibwe and English and bilingualism, formative and transformative writers and writing (X-Men!), both past and present, representation of multidimensional indigenous characters, Byron’s basketball career and its influence on his writing and world view, and salient themes and issues in his work like grief and traumas, personal and collective triumphs, family bonds, community, inevitable change, and biculturalism.

Byron Graves is Ojibwe and was born and raised on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota, where he played high school basketball. When he isn't writing, he can be found playing retro video games, spending time with his family, or cheering on his beloved Minnesota Timberwolves. Rez Ball is his debut novel.

Buy Rez Ball

1999 Article with Journalist Covering Byron’s High School Basketball Season

Review by Amanda MacGregor for Teen Librarian Toolbox

Byron's Website with Harper Collins

At about 1:25, Byron lays out his quandary regarding two NBA teams

At about 2:55, Byron talks about his language great grandparents and the fluency of family members in the Ojibwe language, and the ways in which language preservation has been done in his family and on his reservation

At about 5:15, Byron characterizes the Ojibwe language and shares an evocative favorite phrase

At about 6:20, Byron describes his childhood loves of comic books (particularly X-Men), video games, and more

At about 9:15, Byron expands on writers and writing that ignited his love for reading, including Lord Byron and a special family memento involving Lord Byron

At about 12:00, Byron talks about how representation has evolved and changed, particularly with regards to indigenous writers-a “beautiful renaissance”

At about 15:05, Byron responds to Pete’s questions about usage of different terminologies describing “indigenous” peoples

At about 17:05, Byron talks about the 1992 US Basketball “Dream Team” and the team sparking his interest in basketball

At about 20:00, Byron describes his game with a personal “scouting report”

At about 21:55, Byron talks about how lessons learned on the basketball have informed so much of his later life

At about 23:15, Byron talks how Frank Clancy’ 1999 news stories affected Byron’s own desire to write a book

At about 29:30, a high-tension basketball game that begins the book is discussed, as well as the staggering loss of narrator’s brother, Jaxon

At about 31:00, Byron discusses his rationale in including deep loss in the book, involving Tre’s brother Jaxon

At about 34:05, The two fanboy over “Batman: The Animated Series”

At about 34:30, Byron expands upon the “beautiful chaos” of “rez ball”

At about 38:15, Pete gives some background on main characters in the book, as well as the documentation of Tre’s season

At about 39:40, Byron traces the idea of the basketball player as celebrity, and the ways this has changed since he was playing high school basketball in the late 90s

At about 42:20, the ways in which Tre feels pressure/pride in representing his brother’s legacy are explored

At about 43:10, Khiana and Tre’s friendship as a way of allowing Tre to be himself is included

At about 45:20, the ways in which Tre’s parents and Tre’s teammates treat him after Jaxon’s death, and how peer pressure comes into play for Tre going to parties and considering drinking are discussed

At about 48:10, Pete and Byron recount some of the social and basketball-related growing pains that come in to play as Jaxon starts excelling on the basketball court, and sees his time consumed by basketball

At about 51:50, Byron describes the “amalgamations” that inform the way he wrote conflicts between small town and city basketball teams, and about racism and ugly histories

At about 55:00, Pete compliments a “heavy” and “profound scene” involving police misconduct and racism

At about 55:40, Byron responds to Pete’s question about what drew Slam Magazine to interview and follow around Tre and his team

At about 57:55, Pete “flags” (hehe) Cooper Flagg and Chet Holmgren as archetypes in the book

At about 58:30, Byron reflects on a wistful statement made by Tre’s teammate as Pete inquires about sympathies felt toward a character

At about 1:02:55, Byron talks about exciting future projects

At about 1:04:10, Byron gives out contact and social media info

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.

Please tune in for Episode 253 with Akshaj Mehta, who has been writing since he was 4 years old. He is a former student of mine, and he 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.

The episode will go live on September 10.

Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 251 with Alexandra Alessandri, Author of Grow Up, Luchy Zapata; Lupita's Hurricane Palomitas, and Other Beautiful, Affirming Books for Children and All Readers

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 22:19:02 -0700

Notes and Links to Alexandra Alessandri’s Work

For Episode 251, Pete welcomes Alexandra Alessandri, and the two discuss, among other topics, her early experiences with Spanish and English and bilingualism, formative and transformative writers and writing (Marquez! Allende! Santiago!), both past and present, representation in children’s lit and beyond, muses and the Las Musas Collective that spurs on her writing, soccer fanaticism, and salient themes and issues in her work like reassurance for children in a scary world, family bonds, community, inevitable change, and biculturalism.

Alexandra Alessandri is the author of several books for children, including Feliz New Year, Ava Gabriela! (2020), Isabel and Her Colores Go to School (2021), The Enchanted Life of Valentina Mejía (2023), Our World Colombia (2024), Lupita’s Hurricane Palomitas (2024), and Grow Up, Luchy Zapata (2024), which is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Her short story “Kaleidoscope” is forthcoming in the YA verse anthology All The Love Under the Vast Sky (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2025). Her books have gone on to receive numerous distinctions, including the Florida Book Award, International Latino Book Award, Américas Award Commendable Title, and the ILA 2022 Children’s and Young Adults’ Book Award in Primary Fiction.

The daughter of Colombian immigrants, Alexandra is a former Associate Professor of English at Broward College, where she currently teaches as an adjunct, and an instructor at UCLA Extension’s Writers’ Program. She is also a writer for Curriculum Associates and a poet, with some of her work appearing in The Acentos Review, Rio Grande Review, Atlanta Review, and Young Adult Review Network. She received her BA and MA degrees in English from Florida International University and a Certificate in Fiction Writing from UCLA Extension.

Alexandra’s experience growing up straddling both cultures often influences her children’s fiction and poetry. When not writing or teaching, Alexandra spends her time planning the next great adventure with her husband and son, with whom she lives in South Florida.

Buy Grow Up, Luchy Zapata

Review by Amanda MacGregor for Teen Librarian Toolbox

Alexandra's Website

At about 2:30, Alexandra talks about an exciting 2024

At about 3:15, Alexandra describes her multifaceted language background

At about 4:30, Alexandra outlines the memorable “atmosphere” and the reading nooks of the libraries of her childhood, as well as what series and books she was into

At about 6:10, Alexandra reflects on how she didn’t always see herself reflected in what she read growing up, and how that has informed her own writing journey

At about 7:30, Reading nook discussion!

At about 8:15, Alexandra talks about a pivotal moment in her reading and representation as she wanted to do her masters thesis

At about 9:20, Gabo fan girling and boying, as Pete again shouts out “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” and “Someone Has Been Disarranging These Roses”

At about 11:00, Alexandra talks about writers who made her want to become a writer herself-transformational writers like Isabel Allende and Esmeralda Santiago

At about 12:30, Alexandra shouts out Adriana Cuevas, Rebecca Balcárcel and other contemporaries who thrill and inspire her, including Las Musas, a collective

At about 14:20, Alexandra responds to Pete’s questions about genres and where she places herself

At about 15:30, Alexandra responds to Pete’s questions about if/how she reads differently as an author

At about 16:30, Pete cites the greatness of Ingrid Rojas Contreras

At about 16:55, Pete asks about Alexandra’s muses within her own family, and the two discuss the vagaries of middle school and its changes

At about 19:40, Pete recounts Luchy Zapata’s first line and dedication and some of the book’s exposition

At about 22:00, Cami is analyzed as “the perfect Colombian,” as is Nucita brand

At about 23:45, Alexandra discusses makeup as a “rite of passage,” in relation to Luchy’s thoughts in the book

At about 25:50, Alexandra breaks down a hurtful comment from the book

At about 26:50, Pete asks Alexandra about the character of Melissa and ideas of “reinventing” oneself

At about 27:55, Awkwardness between good friends is discussed, as is a meaningful scrapbook

At about 29:25, Luchy and his father’s relationship, especially through soccer’s importance, is explored

At about 31:55, Luchy’s short foray into being more like Cami and ideas of “being true to yourself” are discussed

At about 34:45, Alexandra discusses insecurity and confusion involving Luchy’s views on her heritage

At about 36:00, Pete highlights the book’s greatness in its hyperspecificity and also its universal issues/themes; Alexandra cites her history and her son’s history in crafting Luchy’s character

At about 38:20, Alexandra expands on the various uses of “gringita” in Colombia

At about 39:35, Mateo and his friendship and his family troubles are discussed

At about 40:45, Pete asks Alexandra about how her book was informed by the immediacy of adolescent issues

At about 43:10, The discussion of Lupita’s Hurricane Palomitas begins, as the two talk about various meanings of “palomitas”-shoutout to AC Quintero!

At about 44:15, Alexandra talks about what it’s like living in a hurricane zone

At about 45:40, Alexandra reflects on ideas of communities coming together after disasters, as plays out in her children’s book

At about 46:40, Pete cites Levar Burton’s The Rhino Who Swallowed the Storm and Lupita and books that bring comfort and reassurance to kids, and Pete discusses an early story he wrote gone wrong

At about 49:40, Alexandra shares exciting new projects, including a personal piece coming out in January

At about 51:15, Alexandra gives contact info, social media info, and places to buy her book, including the great Books and Books

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.

Please tune in for Episode 252 with Byron Graves. He is an Ojibwe writer born and raised on the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota, where he played high school basketball. When he isn't writing, he can be found playing retro video games, spending time with his family, or cheering on his beloved Minnesota Timberwolves. Rez Ball is his debut novel.

The episode will go live on September 10.

Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com/, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 250 with Ben Tanzer, Author of The Missing, a Fresh Take on Old Tropes, and Podcaster, Coach, Strategist, and More-All Creative Pursuits for The Renaissance Man

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 22:23:09 -0700

Notes and Links to Ben Tanzer’s Work

For Episode 250, Pete welcomes Ben Tanzer, and the two discuss, among other topics, his childhood love of books, formative and transformative writers and writing, bothy past and present, muses, Jim Carroll and his powerful and pivotal work, Ben’s podcast and motivations for living the creative life, and salient themes and issues in his novel like sacrifice, family bonds, parenthood, small towns, the unknown, and awe.

Ben Tanzer is an Emmy-award winning coach, creative strategist, podcaster, writer, teacher and social worker who has been helping nonprofits, publishers, authors, small business and career changers tell their stories for 20 plus years. He serves as a Lecturer (and part-time faculty) at Lake Forest College, where he teaches LOOP 202: 21st Century Development and Liberal Arts and The Workplace.

He produces and hosts This Podcast Will Change Your Life (300+ episodes and counting), which was launched in February 2010, focuses on authors and changemakers from around the country and the world, and was named by Elephant Journal as one of "The 10 Best Podcasts to Help you Change your Life.

His written work includes the short story collection UPSTATE, the science fiction novel Orphans and the essay collections Lost in Space and Be Cool. I'm a storySouth and Pushcart nominee, a finalist for the Annual National Indie Excellence and Eric Hoffer Book Awards, a winner of the Devil's Kitchen Literary Festival Nonfiction Prose Award and a Midwest Book Award.

Buy The Missing

A Conversation with Ben in The Chicago Review

Ben Tanzer’s Website

At about 2:15, Ben gives background on the “creative life” and his day-to-day and “hustle”

At about 5:30, Ben describes the importance of an “awesomely discouraging” tax person when one lives the creative life

At about 6:45, Ben shouts out Columbia College in Chicago

At about 7:45, Ben discusses his early relationship with reading and the written word

At about 10:00, Ben talks about meaningful feedback in a writing class and how he started his writing career

At about 11:10, Ben cites Jim Carroll’s Basketball Diaries, DeGrazia’s American Skin, and other formative texts, like Catcher in the Rye, Will Allison and Joe Mino,

At about 14:10, Ben reflects on the importance of cross country and wrestling in his life

At about 15:10, Ben shouts out Wendy C. Ortiz’s Excavation, Gina Frangello, Donald Quist, Joe Meno, Sara Lippman, Alice Kaltman, Gionna Cromley, Lee Matthew Goldberg, and Lisa Cross Smith as writers and writing that thrills and inspires and “crush[es]” him

At about 17:30, Pete cites the thrill of meeting standout writers, and Ben expands upon ideas of the brain being “profoundly affected” by meeting literary heroes

At about 20:10, Ben talks about his podcast and its roots and philosophy

At about 22:30, Ben responds to Pete’s question about Ben’s viewpoint on the “muse,” in both his writing and his podcasting-shout out to SpiderMeka!

At about 27:15, Pete and Ben lay out the book’s exposition and Ben discusses the book’s seeds

At about 29:45, Ben gives background on a stimulating idea provided by his agent

At about 31:45, The two discuss the aging and maturing or not of the central characters of the book

At about 36:00, The two discuss how Ben writes about “what could have been” in using “speculative flashbacks” and ideas of the sexualization of young girls, especially in missing children cases; Ben shouts out Emily Schultz’s Little Threats

At about 40:35, Ben reflects on playing with the idea of having a kid who would dare date someone with a bad haircut, etc.

At about 42:25, The two discuss unprocessed traumas and Hannah and Gabriel’s mindsets and an awe-inspiring scene involving trains

At about 47:00-Bobby Baccala and the trains-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

At about 47:45, Ben responds to Pete’s comments about Gabriel being referenced in the book as a “good father and a bad husband”

At about 51:45, Pete wonders about Krista’s reasons for leaving, and Ben talks about the unknown and his rationale in using a lot of unknown, as well as how many real-life parallels he’s seen to the book’s events

At about 55:35, A key question about living one’s best life is explored

At about 56:15, Casting choices abound! and Ben expands on his interest in Officer John

At about 57:35, Ed, father of Hannah, is explored as a victim and a great listener, and Gabriel’s mother as an “enabler” is expanded upon

At about 1:01:05, Ben gives contact info and social media information

At about 1:03:10, Pete and Ben discuss the buying domain business

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.

Please tune in for Episode 251 with Alexandra Alessandri. She is the author of several books for children, including Isabel and Her Colores Go to School (2021), and Grow Up, Luchy Zapata (2024), a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection; her books have received numerous distinctions, including the International Latino Book Award

The episode will go live on September 3.

Lastly, please go to https://ceasefiretoday.com/, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 249 with Jesse Katz, Author of The Rent Collectors, Ardent Researcher and Thorough and Thoughtful Researcher

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 22:47:54 -0700

Notes and Links to Jesse Katz’s Work

For Episode 249, Pete welcomes Jesse Katz, and the two discuss, among other topics, his childhood love of baseball, formative and transformative books and writers, lessons learned from early writing, LA and MacArthur Park lore, and salient themes and issues in the book like poverty and the punitive nature of powerful interests, grief, and various forms of violence, as well as larger narratives about the immigration system, family units, and traumas and silences.

Jesse Katz is a former Los Angeles Times and Los Angeles Magazine writer whose honors include the James Beard Foundation’s M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award, PEN Center USA’s Literary Journalism Award, a National Magazine Award nomination, and two shared Pulitzer Prizes. As a volunteer with InsideOUT Writers, he has mentored incarcerated teenagers at Central Juvenile Hall and the former California Youth Authority.

Buy The Rent Collectors

Jesse Katz's Website

New York Times Review of The Rent Collectors

At about 2:00, the two discuss Jesse’s recent book launch at Skylight Books, which Pete was lucky to attend

At about 4:10, Jesse talks about generous feedback, including from those featured in the book

At about 6:30, Jesse discusses the experience of recording the audio for his book

At about 9:45, Jesse gives background on his relationship with language growing up

At about 12:15, The two share memories of reading formative works on Jackie Robinson

At about 14:30, Jesse describes takeaways from his adolescent readings of Hemingway, Kerouac, and immersive writers, and college reading that “flipped the switch,” including Joe McGinniss and Hunter Thompson

At about 18:15, Jesse talks about his relationship with his alma mater, Bennington College, and Bret Easton Ellis and other standout alumni

At about 19:55, Jesse highlights Matthew Desmond and Susan Orlean as contemporary writers (especially Orlean with her The Library Book and Desmond with his Poverty by América, an inspiration for The Rent Collectors) who inspire and thrill

At about 22:55, Pete makes a connection between American Psycho and The Rent Collectors, especially with regards to litanies, and Jesse expands on “the cost of being poor”

At about 24:50, Pete and Jesse talk about Jesse’s book, The Opposite Field, and connections to the great Luis J. Rodriguez

At about 27:50, Jesse responds to Pete’s questions about how he sees the book now, speaking about The Opposite Field

At about 29:00, Pete highlights a generous blurb from hector Tobar, and Jesse outlines how Hector’s support propelled Jesse to get to work on realizing the book’s finish

At about 32:00, Jesse cites Giovanni’s (Macedo, the book’s protagonist) own healing and his generosity in sharing his story

At about 34:00, Pete and Jesse discuss the book’s opening, and why Jesse decided to start the book in the middle of the story with Giovanni “rising from the dead”

At about 38:50, Jesse gives background on Giovanni’s backstory, especially with regard to his father, and not knowing the reason for his father’s death

At about 42:10, Jesse expands upon the setting of MacArthur Park, the focus of the book’s Chapter Two, and its denseness and uniqueness in LA

At about 43:30, The two discuss Giovanni’s early forays into gang life and some members of the clique featured in the book

At about 45:30, Jesse speaks about Reyna, Giovanni’s mother, and how she felt powerless in keeping her son from gangs

At about 47:40, Jesse speaks to the staying power of gangs and how they “[fill] a void,” and Pete quotes Father Greg Boyle and his thoughts on hopelessness

At about 49:45, Jesse replies to Pete’s question about Francisco Clemente, who survived the targeted shooting by Giovanni and how he stood up against the rent collectors

At about 51:20, Jesse describes the “older, savvier gang members” who were sought out by Giovanni

At about 54:30, Pete and Jesse talk about how he sets the scene in the book for the horrendous events perpetuated by the gang and Giovanni; Jesse also details how he used court transcripts and written correspondence with Giovanni to piece together Giovanni’s thoughts before and after the shooting

At about 58:30, The backlash and early investigations about the homicide are discussed

At about 1:00:45, Pete charts Giovanni’s life in the immediate aftermath of the murder, and Jesse responds to a question about his a key decision

At about 1:04:10, Jesse speaks to the naivete of Giovanni’s dialogue with Holmes, the investigator

At about 1:05:40, The two discuss sentencing for Giovanni and his reflection on his crimes and aftermath

At about 1:07:00, Jesse talks about Daniela, the mother of Luis Angel, and how he tried and failed to find her to speak with for the book, and why it was maybe for the good that she didn’t have to relive the trauma

At about 1:09:45, Jesse ruminates on Giovanni’s future

At about 1:11:15, Jesse reflects on how the book may help him with his parole

At about 1:13:00, Pete and Jesse trade quotes and meditate on the book’s hopeful lessons

At about 1:14:50, Jesse gives contact info and book buying information

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.

Please tune in for Episode 249 with Ben Tanzer. He is an Emmy-award winning coach, creative strategist, podcaster, writer, teacher and social worker who has been helping nonprofits, publishers, authors, small business and career changers tell their stories for 20 plus years.

He produces and hosts This Podcast Will Change Your Life, which was launched in February 2010, focuses on authors and changemakers from around the country and the world, and was named by Elephant Journal as one of "The 10 Best Podcasts to Help you Change your Life.”

His written work includes the short story collection UPSTATE, the science fiction novel Orphans and the essay collections Lost in Space and Be Cool. His most recent novel is The Missing.

The episode will go live on August 27.

Lastly, please go to https://ceasefiretoday.com/, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 248 with Katya Apekina, Author of the Hilarious, Offbeat, Tragic, Cathartic Mother Doll, and Multiskilled and Multidimensional Writer

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 22:02:41 -0700

Notes and Links to Katya Apekina’s Work

For Episode 248, Pete welcomes Katya Apekina, and the two discuss, among other topics, her language abilities and her extensive cross-cultural readings; motherhood, the loss of loved ones, and other catalysts for Mother Doll, and salient themes and issues in her collection like intergenerational traumas, women’s agency, fatalism, guilt, and redemption.

Katya Apekina is a novelist, screenwriter and translator. Her novel, The Deeper the Water the Uglier the Fish, was named a Best Book of 2018 by Kirkus, Buzzfeed, LitHub and others, was a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize and has been translated into Spanish, Catalan, French, German and Italian. She has published stories in various literary magazines and translated poetry and prose for Night Wraps the Sky: Writings by and about Mayakovsky (FSG, 2008), short-listed for the Best Translated Book Award. She co-wrote the screenplay for the feature film New Orleans, Mon Amour, which premiered at SXSW in 2008. She is the recipient of an Elizabeth George grant, an Olin Fellowship, the Alena Wilson prize and a 3rd Year Fiction Fellowship from Washington University in St. Louis where she did her MFA. She has done residencies at VCCA, Playa, Ucross, Art Omi: Writing and Fondation Jan Michalski in Switzerland. Born in Moscow, she grew up in Boston, and currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter and dog.

Buy Mother Doll

“Katya Apekina’s ‘Mother Doll’ isn’t your ordinary ghost story” in The Los Angeles Times

Katya's Website

At about 2:40, Katya talks about her early experiences in being bilingual and how her early language learning has affected her reading and writing and ways of seeing the world

At about 6:05, Katya talks about ways in which Russian writing manifests itself

At about 8:00, Katya catalogs formative and informative writers and writing upon which she draws inspiration

At about 9:45, Katya details a Holden Caulfield-esque action she took in high school

At about 10:45, The two discuss cool craft techniques of Chekhov

At about 11:25, Katya outlines the beginnings of her formal writing life after pivoting from photography, including the power of Charles Simic and Roberto Bolaño

At about 14:45, Katya highlights contemporary writers who inspire and thrill her, including Sasha Vasilyuk and Ruth Madievsky, and Alexandra Tanner

At about 17:35, Pete shares the wonderful reviews for the book, including Lauren Groff’s

At about 18:20, Katya shares seeds for the book, especially with regards to intergenerational traumas

At about 21:45, Katya recounts some plot summary and real-life inspirations and parallels

At about 22:50, Pete quotes the book’s first line-a “banger”-and Katya gives background on the book’s sequencing

At about 25:25, Pete sets some of the book’s exposition and asks Katya about the “chorus” and her visual idea of this chorus

At about 27:20, Irina is introduced and the two discuss her wanting to relieve her burdens, and Katya describes what Zhenia might see in Anton/Ben

At about 30:10, Katya responds to Pete’s questions about why Zhenia decides to help translate for Paul, the medium, regarding her great-grandmother

At about 33:00, Katya expands upon Paul’s reasons for getting into the medium space, as well as how some people are many “permeable” to messaging from beyond

At about 35:10, Pete traces some early flashbacks from Irina and her early leanings towards revolution

At about 36:15, Katya responds to Pete’s asking about Hanna and other characters and their motivations and possible naivete

At about 39:00, Pete and Katya discuss the changing and convoluted factions and connections that characterized the Russian Revolution, and the differing visions of change

At about 41:50, Katya talks about how Zhenia thinks of her grandmother’s death and funeral

At about 43:30, Pete asks about parallels in the book, both on the micro and macro levels; Katya speaks about “iterations” of history

At about 46:30, Pete alludes to “Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros in asking Katya to speak to the significance of the book’s title

At about 48:40, The two discuss fatalism as a common theme in Russian diasporic literature in general, and this book in particular

At about 51:00, Katya talks about exciting upcoming projects

At about 52:00, Katya gives contact info and social media information

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.

Please tune in for Episode 249 with Jesse Katz, whose writing has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, Details, Texas Monthly, Food & Wine, Men's Health, and many other publications. His work has been anthologized in Best American Magazine Writing and Best American Crime Writing; his latest book is the critically-acclaimed The Rent Collectors, about the reverberations of a tragic murder in LA’s MacArthur Park area.

The episode airs later today, August 20.

Lastly, please go to https://ceasefiretoday.com/, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 247 with Christina Cooke, Author of Broughtupsy and Creator of Compelling Characters, Relatable Diasporic Plots, and Singular Yet Universal Characters

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 09:09:01 -0700

Notes and Links to Christina Cooke’s Work

For Episode 247, Pete welcomes Christina Cooke, and the two discuss, among other topics, her childhood love of books, formative and transformative books and writers, contemporaries and fellow debut writers with whom her books are in conversation, the outsized influence of Mamá Lou, and salient themes and issues in her book like diaspora, notions of “home,” queerness and divinity, brotherly and sisterly relationships, and religiosity vs. spirituality.

Christina Cooke’s writing has appeared in or is forthcoming from The Caribbean Writer, PRISM International, Prairie Schooner, Apogee, Epiphany, Michigan Quarterly Review, Lambda Literary Review, and others. A MacDowell Fellow and Journey Prize winner, she holds a Master of Arts from the University of New Brunswick and a Master of Fine Arts from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Christina was born in Jamaica and is now a Canadian citizen who lives and writes in New York City. BROUGHTUPSY is her debut novel.

Buy Broughtupsy

Christina Cooke’s Website

Article in Vogue about Broughtupsy

At about 1:40, Pete and Christina talk about a top-notch fruit mentioned in her book

At about 4:00, Pete highlights an amazing version of the book that he received

At about 5:15, Christina talks about her rich childhood reading life

At about 8:20, Christina shouts out Mrs. Dooley, an inspiring teacher

At about 11:30, Christina cites books that made a huge impact on how she writes, including Handmaid’s Tale

At about 13:20, Pete wonders which books and writers “are in conversation” with Christina and her work, and she mentions Ruben Reyes, Jr., Santiago José Sánchez, Melissa Mogollon, Emma Copley, Lisa Ko, Annie Liontas, Miss Lou, Zadie Smith, and Erna Brodber

At about 17:00, Christina talks about why she calls Jamaican patois a language, and its distinctive nature, and she tells about a fun difference between #3/#6 mango

At about 18:45, Christina dissects the meanings of the book’s title

At about 19:45, The two discuss a Jamaican original word

At about 20:40, Christina discusses seeds for the book and its iterations

At about 23:50, The two discuss the book’s epigraph and Christina describes its provenance/significance

At about 28:00, Pete lays out the book’s exposition and Christina gives background on sickle cell anemia, which is deadly to Bryson

At about 30:30, Christina discusses Bryson’s memories and wise maturity in his last days

At about 33:25, Christina remarks on the “fable” told to reassure Bryson that his sister Tamika would be visiting-she cites “the complicated ways that we love”

At about 35:10, Christina talks about a possibly-doomed relationship

At about 37:20, Christina details how the book complicates religiosity and queerness’ connections

At about 40:35, Christina describes Akua “spiraling” in making a trip back home to Jamaica

At about 42:30, Akua and her “Americanness” in Jamaica is discussed, and Christina talks about parallels in her own life

At about 45:40, An uncomfortable visit and questions between the sisters is discussed

At about 46:30, Cod liver oil and a scene involving its destruction is recounted by Christina as she discusses its connection to Jamaican parenting in a certain time period

At about 49:10, Christina responds to Pete’s question about why Akua carries her brother’s urn

At about 51:40, Christina talks about Jamaicans being “culturally Anglican” and its complexities

At about 53:20-Lady Saw and her legendaries and an early encounter with Akua and a woman in Kingston is recounted

At about 57:20, Christina talks about “lyme” and its usage in the book and in Jamaica

At about 1:00:10, Christina charts the importance of The Miss Lou “Happy Birthday Song” in the book and in Jamaica and the Jamaican diaspora

At about 1:01:45, Christina responds to Pete’s questions about the ways in which Akua’s father treats her and her homosexuality-Christina speaks to the idea of “infantilizing”

At about 1:06:00, Café con Libros, Word Up, and Bookshop.org are shouted out as good places to buy her book and she gives contact information/social media information

At about 1:06:55, Christina shares wonderful feedback from readers

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.

Please tune in for Episode 248 with Katya Apekina, a novelist, screenwriter and translator; her novel, The Deeper the Water the Uglier the Fish, was named a Best Book of 2018 by Buzzfeed, LitHub, and more and finalist for the LA Times Book Prize; Mother Doll, was named a Best Book So Far of 2024 by Vogue

The episode will go live on August 16.

Lastly, please go to https://ceasefiretoday.com/, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 245 with Shannon Sanders, Author of Company, the Winner of the LA Times Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction, and a Master Class in Creating Empathy, Sympathy, and Awe for Their Smoothness

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 22:26:23 -0700

Notes and Links to Shannon Sanders’ Work

For Episode 245, Pete welcomes Shannon Sanders, and the two discuss, among other topics, her childhood love of books, Toni Morrison and her powerful and pivotal work, Shannon’s writing for her job as a lawyer, rocking sneakers at a prize-winning, and salient themes and issues in her collection like generational differences, sacrifice, family bonds, motherhood, the title’s connection to guests and hosts(esses), and racism and sexism and the ways in which they work on the characters’ pasts and presents.

Shannon Sanders is the author of the linked short story collection Company, which won the 2024 Los Angeles Times Book Prize's Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction, was named a Publishers Weekly and Debutiful Best Book of 2023, and was shortlisted for the 2024 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Her short fiction has appeared in One Story, Sewanee Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, Electric Literature, and elsewhere, and received a PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers. She lives in Silver Spring with her husband and three sons.

Buy Company

Review of Company in Washington Post

Shannon Sanders’ Website

At about 1:35, Pete shouts out Shannon’s stellar Twitter presence

At about 3:00, Shannon charts her childhood reading journey, and how she became an active writer from high school on

At about 5:40, Shannon talks about chill-inducing writing and writers, including Toni Morrison, Octavia Butler, Stephen King, and VC Andrews, with modern writers like Lisa Taddeo, Deesha Philyaw, Danielle Evans,

At about 9:15, Shannon responds to Pete’s questions about representation in what she has read, and she shouts out Toni Morrison (including Jazz) and Octavia Butler, to whom she was introduced in Vicki Adamson’s high school class

At about 11:55, Shannon talks about the writing in her lawyerly life and how it informs her fiction

At about 13:50, Shannon details the wonderful experience of winning her prize at the LA Times Book Festival and her unique footwear

At about 16:10, Shannon talks about Company’s genre and the links between stories

At about 17:30, Shannon outlines the background and rationale for using a family tree at the beginning of the book

At about 19:15, Pete highlights a Sebastian Maniscalco skit that has to do with the shift in the last few decades in having “company” at home, and Shannon explains her collection’s stories’ connections to the idea of hosts(esses) and guests

At about 21:00, Pete gives background on “The Good, Good Men,” the collection’s first story, and alludes to Antonya Nelson’s “In the Land of Men”

At about 23:30, Birds of paradise as a story and the birds themselves are discussed as Pete asks about debts and generational expectations for all women and for Black women

At about 27:35, Shannon talks about a story where you uses second person, its inspirations in Jamaica Kincaid’s legendary “Girl” and others, and birth order and generational differences

At about 30:50, The two discuss the theme of sacrifice through a flashback story

At about 34:35, Pete highlights a story based on flashback and incredible selflessness and the ways in which the collection felt “finished”

At about 38:00, Ideas of “old money” and treasured memories and empathy are discussed

At about 39:15, Shannon talks about the story “Rioja” and traces the family’s machinations and subtleties

At about 41:35, “La Belle Hottentot” is discussed, including the sordid and tragic history, and how it is one of two stories that are different perspectives from the

At about 44:00, Opal, the family matriarch is analyzed through a pivotal story in the collection

At about 47:45, Shannon responds to Pete’s questions about maintaining continuity in her story collection

At about 50:50, Shannon answers Pete’s questions about how much she herself shows up in the collection’s characters

At about 53:00, Pete quotes Ruth Madievsky about the ways in which different writers write and edit, and Shannon discusses her own style(s)

At about 54:55, The two explore ghosts and their significance in the collection

At about 56:00, Shannon gives interesting background on the character Lucy and her childhood friend and the storyline

At about 57:30, a “literal” ghost story is probed

At about 1:01:15, Shannon talks about exciting new projects and whether characters from Company will be expanded upon

At about 1:02:50, Shannon gives contact info and info for buying her 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 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.

Please tune in for Episode 246 with Ruben Reyes, Jr. He is the son of two Salvadoran immigrants, completed his MFA in fiction at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop; and is a graduate of Harvard College. His writing has appeared in Audible Originals, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, The Acentos Review, Strange Horizons, Poynter, and other publications. His debut story collection, There is a Rio Grande in Heaven, is out as of today, August 6, along with our wonderful conversation. Happy Pub Day, Ruben!

Lastly, please go to https://ceasefiretoday.com/, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 246 with Ruben Reyes, Author of There is a Rio Grande in Heaven, and Brilliant Tactician of the Weird, the Quirky, the Joyful, the Sad, and the Resonant

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 22:09:37 -0700

Notes and Links to Ruben Reyes’ Work

For Episode 246, Pete welcomes Ruben Reyes, and the two discuss, among other topics, his childhood love of sci fi and fantasy, his family’s diverse language history, formative and transformative books and writers, lessons learned from early writing, and salient themes and issues in his collection like agency, power dynamics, notions of “home,” grief, and various forms of violence, as well as larger narratives about the immigration system, family units, and traumas and silences.

Ruben Reyes Jr. is the son of two Salvadoran immigrants. He completed his MFA in fiction at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.

He is a graduate of Harvard College where he studied History and Literature and Latinx Studies. His writing has appeared in Audible Originals, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, The Florida Review Online, Business Insider, The Acentos Review, Strange Horizons, Poynter, and other publications.

His debut story collection, There is a Rio Grande in Heaven, is forthcoming from Mariner Books. Originally from Southern California, he lives in Brooklyn.

Buy There is a Rio Grande in Heaven

Ruben Reyes’ Website

At about 1:45, Harvard and secret clubs and “annoying social clubs” are discussed

At about 3:00, Ruben details the “chaotic” and exciting leadup to the August 6 publication date of his collection

At about 3:45, Ruben shares “generous feedback” from blurbists and other early readers

At about 5:50, Ruben shouts out upcoming book events-Brooklyn with Greenlight and Bryant Park, and Libro Mobile in Santa Ana

At about 6:50, Ruben talks about growing up in Diamond Bar and how it’s emblematic or not of LA and California

At about 8:00, Ruben expands upon his language history and that of his family, and he also talks about growing up on fantasy books and Michael Crichton and other “conceptual sci-fi” works

At about 10:35, Pete and Ruben strategize on how to get JK Rowling off Twitter and her “misguided” diatribes

At about 12:30, Ruben talks about formative writers and writing from his high school and college days

At about 14:15, Ruben discusses early writing and lessons learned from the work

At about 16:30, Mad appreciation for Borges and how his work was against the “conventional craft”

At about 18:30-Ruben highlights the influence of magical realism and its limits and strengths

At about 20:00, The two discuss the evocative epigraphs for the story collection, from Roque Dalton and Ray Bradbury

At about 23:35, The two discuss the opening short from the collection and the multiple stories that feature “Alternate Histories”; Ruben highlights Jamel Brinkley’s guidance

At about 26:45, Ruben explains why he thinks the story has two starting points, and the two discuss the second story, “He Eats His Own” with its mangoes, ritual, and power dynamics and immigrant sagas

At about 29:10, Ruben responds to Pete’s questions between the balance and relationships between allegory and plot

At about 31:00, Pete wonders if Ruben “stands in judgment of [his] characters”

At about 33:50, Pete asks Ruben about the ramifications of the relationship between Steven and Tomás, a Salvadoran immigrant who has experienced a lot of grief; Ruben expands on his interest in “escape valves” for characters

At about 36:35, The two discuss “Self-Made Man” and its connection to the complexities of immigration

At about 38:40, Ruben discusses “baselines” and the ways in which he resolved to write “three-dimensional characters” and focused on systems and reasons for traumas

At about 40:30, Agency as a theme in the story is discussed through “Quiero Perrear…” and its dynamic characters

At about 42:00, Pete and Ruben delight in the opening line of “Quiero Perrear…” and its connections to Kafka’s Metamorphosis

At about 44:20, Pete is highly complimentary of “My Abuela, the Puppet,” and Ruben explains the story’s genesis and connections to real-life

At about 47:20, “Salvadoran Slice of Mars” as a way of showing inadequacies of the immigration system is discussed

At about 48:55, The themes of “do-overs” and mourning and grief and the ways in which we view those who have passed are discussed in connection with a particularly meaningful story

At about 52:20, Ruben discusses the historical fiction involving El Salvador’s 1932 Matanza of a story in the collection that is one of the “alternate histories”

At about 53:45, the two discuss the incredible work of Roberto Lovato and ideas of “unforgetting” and silences and trauma

At about 55:50, Ruben responds to Pete’s question about a story that lays out an alternate history of Selena as Ruben brings up systems and fame and the ways that celebrities are treated after their deaths

At about 58:40, Ruben details how immigrants often think of “What if” so often

At about 59:40, “Variations on Your Migrant’s Life” is explored, and Ruben talks about its inspirations

At about 1:04:15, Valeria and Oscar Ramirez Martinez (graphic picture discussed is not featured in article) and their story, fictionalized in a gutting final story, is discussed

At about 1:07:15, Ruben shouts out places to buy his book and gives his contact info/social media info

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.

Please tune in for Episode 245 with Shannon Sanders, who is a Black writer, attorney, and author of the linked story collection Company, which was winner of the 2023 LA Times Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction. Additionally, her short fiction was the recipient of a 2020 PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers.

Please tune in for Episode 247 with Christina Cooke. Her writing has appeared in/is forthcoming from The Caribbean Writer, PRISM International, Prairie Schooner, and Lambda Literary Review, among others. A MacDowell Fellow and Journey Prize winner, her critically-acclaimed Broughtupsy, her debut novel, is out as of January 2024.

The episode will go live on August 13.

Lastly, please go to https://ceasefiretoday.com/, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 244 with Annie Liontas, Dedicated Educator and Master Chronicler of the Micro, Macro, and Personal in Their Varied and Resonant Memoir, Sex with a Brain Injury: On Concussion and Recovery

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 12:58:02 -0700

Notes and Links to Annie Liontas’ Work

For Episode 244, Pete welcomes Annie Liontas, and the two discuss, among other topics, their childhood love of books after early years of learning English as a second language, their teaching life, formative and transformative books and writers, the hot literary scene in Philly, and salient themes and issues in their memoir like writing emotionally-charged material, “invisible disability,” traumatic brain injuries and their personal history, as well as larger narratives about TBI in the carceral system, NFL, and beyond.

Annie Liontas is the genderqueer author of the memoir Sex with a Brain Injury: On Concussion and Recovery, which was featured on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross and selected as SELF Magazine’s Book of the Month. Their debut novel, Let Me Explain You, was selected as New York Times Editors Choice. They co-edited the anthology A Manner of Being: Writers on their Mentors, and their work has appeared in The New York Times Book Review, Gay Magazine, NPR, Electric Literature, BOMB, Lithub, The Believer, Guernica, McSweeney’s, The Rumpus, and elsewhere. A graduate of Syracuse University’s MFA program, they are a professor of writing at George Washington University. Annie has served as a mentor for Pen City’s incarcerated writers and helped secure a Mellon Foundation grant on Disability Justice to bring storytelling to communities in the criminal justice system. They co-host the literary podcast LitFriends and live in Philadelphia.

Buy Sex with a Brain Injury

Annie's George Washington University Bio

NPR's Fresh Air Interview with Annie

Emma Copley Eisenberg Writes about Sex with a Brain Injury for Electric Lit

LitFriends Podcast with Annie and Lito Velazquez

At about 1:40, Annie talks about their experience with the legendary Terri Gross

At about 3:45, Annie talks about their upbringing and Greek family lineage

At about 5:20, Annie homes in on their early days in frustration in transmitting ideas in English

At about 6:20, Annie responds to Pete’s questions about how Greek affects their English writing and reading

At about 8:30, Annie discusses their early love of reading

At about 11:30, Annie and Pete discuss pleasurable reading and the idea of “favorite books”

At about 12:15, Annie and Pete nerd out over Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Pete recommends “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World”

At about 13:40, Annie speaks to ideas of representation in what they have read

At about 15:20, Annie talks about “wonderful” professors in their time at Syracuse

At about 16:20, Annie highlights Justin Torres, Yiyun Li, and other writers whose work is favorited by their students

At about 17:50, Annie highlights Philadelphia’s huge amount of talent-writers like Marie Helene Bertino, Emma Eisenberg, and Liz Moore

At about 20:15, Pete and Annie talks about Annie’s memoir’s exposition and opening lines; Annie expounds upon seeds for the book

At about 23:00, Pete shouts out Ingrid Rojas Contreras’ The Man Who Could Move Clouds

At about 23:50, The two discuss the ways in which Annie uses second person and tropes about concussions in the memoir

At about 26:40, Pete wonders about Annie’s decisions in summarizing three main injuries and compliments the draw of the structure; Annie talks about suspense and withholding and shares a resonant quote from George Saunders

At about 29:30, Annie discusses “the longitudinal experience” that goes into “I will have my life” that ends the second chapter

At about 31:05, Annie responds to Pete’s questions about writing emotionally-charged material about beloved people

At about 33:05, Annie talks about people doubting the severity of their injuries and a “five-year plan”

At about 36:10, Annie shares interesting history about the rail industry and its “bonkers” track record-pun intended-in connection to injuries and “faking”

At about 38:30, Pete asks Annie about effects of the brain injury

At about 41:05, Pete’s got jokes! and Annie talks about the physical effects of their brain injuries

At about 42:25, Henry VIII’s possible brain traumas are discussed, as are Harriet Tubman’s

At about 45:15, “Lying as a social act” is discussed in context of Annie’s injury and subsequent ill effects

At about 48:20, Annie discusses their mother’s life and connections between addiction and brain trauma, including Marchell Taylor’s moving fight for better care for TBI victims in the carceral system

At about 54:00, Pete highlights a resonant excerpt from the book, Page 67, revolving around queerness

At about 57:15, Pete and Annie cite examples from the sporting world and the ways in which women’s health concerns are not treated equally

At about 58:30, the NFL and concussions are discussed

At about 1:01:55, Pete and Annie discuss Q&A’s with Annie’s wife, and Pete wonders about the choice to use redacted parts

At about 1:04:30, Annie juxtaposes the different ways in which Tig Notaro and Ernest Shackleton dealt with trauma

At about 1:08:50, Annie highlights the greatness of and beautiful relationship with Ursula von Ridingsvard

At about 1:12:00, Annie shouts out their publisher and places to buy the book, as well as how to contact them and find them online; they give background information on her podcast

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this and other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

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 episode will go live on July 31.

Lastly, please go to https://ceasefiretoday.com/, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 243 with Kathleen Rooney, Author of From Dust to Stardust, Keen Chronicler of Early Hollywood, Versatile Wordsmith, and Lover of Poetry and Whimsy

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 11:53:31 -0700

Notes and Links to Kathleen Rooney’s Work

For Episode 243, Pete welcomes Kathleen Rooney, and the two discuss, among other topics, her childhood love of story and her later connections to Chicago and Chicagoland, her devotion to words and sentences and poetry, her fascination with Colleen Moore and her Fairy Castle, seeds for From Dust to Stardust, and salient themes and issues in her book like stereotyping, early Hollywood, the burdens carried by young women and all women in Hollywood, and the power of cinema.

Kathleen Rooney is a founding editor of Rose Metal Press, a nonprofit publisher of literary work in hybrid genres, and a founding member of Poems While You Wait, a team of poets and their typewriters who compose commissioned poetry on demand. She is the author of the novels Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk and Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey, and her latest poetry collection Where Are the Snows, winner of the XJ Kennedy Prize, was released in Fall of 2022 by Texas Review Press. Her latest novel, From Dust to Stardust, came out in September 2023. She lives in Chicago and teaches at DePaul.

Buy From Dust to Stardust

Kathleen's DePaul University Bio

“Checking out Historical Chicago: Kathleen Rooney’s From Dust to Stardust” From Chicago Review of Books

At about 2:00, Kathlen talks about her early years in various parts of the country and her love of cities

At about 3:35, Kathleen talks about her great love of the written word, and always wanting to “tell stories”

At about 5:30, Kathleen gives background on Chicagoland

At about 8:10, Various parts of IL and connections to David Foster Wallace are discussed

At about 9:30, Kathleen discusses formative writers, including “classic” poetry and how she is “attracted to words”

At about 14:00, Kathleen cites music influences like Bob Dylan, a “fellow word pervert” and B96 in Chicago and 90s hip hop

At about 15:50, Kathleen talks about how her Irish heritage has influenced her writing, and how her protagonist was limited by Irish tropes

At about 18:00, Kathleen gives some background on “thin places” from Gaelic yore, its connections to the book’s epigraph, and some plot summary/exposition for the book

At about 22:15, Kathleen builds on earlier discussion of the early history of Hollywood and various locations for shooting movies, after Pete and she reflect on the beautiful Cinema Paradiso and ideas of the magic of cinema

At about 24:05, Kathleen details her interest in Colleen Moore, and also gives seeds for the book

At about 26:15, Kathleen describes Chicago’s incredible Fairy Castle of Colleen Moore

At about 28:20, Pete and Kathleen talk about other vanity/aspirational projects of the 1920s and on, Hearst, etc.

At about 29:20, Pete gives background on the book’s main character’s, Eileen’s, early fascination with movies

At about 30:15, Kathleen outlines the Eileen’s family and various backstories and influences on Eileen

At about 32:50, Pete asks Kathleen about her book’s structure-flashbacks and flashforward, and how the memories are narrated/formatted

At about 36:50, Kathleen remarks on how she used flashbacks a little differently than some other popular movies

At about 37:45, Pivotal early scenes that lead Eileen to Hollywood are recounted, and Kathleen expands on the insular environment of early Holywood

At about 41:00, The two discuss the infamous D.W. Griffith and his connections to the book

At about 42:00, Kathleen discusses the ways in which casting and life affect women, especially young women, and their choices

At about 44:40, Kathleen talks about the various iterations of A Star is Born and its significance in Hollywood history

At about 46:00, Marion Davies and her unfair/incomplete reputation are explained

At about 47:30, Pete notes the ways in which Doreen is her own biggest fan and supporter and her agency and hard work

At about 48:40, Kathleen shares her connections to Edna Ferber, the real-life writer referenced in the book

At about 51:30, Kathleen responds to Pete’s questions about typecasting in early Hollywood, and what research Kathleen used for the parts of the silent film era

At about 54:30, Pete wonders about redemptive actions and motives for Eileen’s father and his help with the Fairy Castle

At about 57:20, Kathleen shouts out a few Chicagoland bookstores and other places to buy her book, and also gives social media//contact info

At about 58:25, Kathleen talks about the magic of Poems While You Wait

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.

Please tune in for Episode 244 with Alexandra Alessandri. She is the author of several books for children, including Isabel and Her Colores Go to School (2021), and Grow Up, Luchy Zapata (2024), a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection; her books have received numerous distinctions, including the International Latino Book Award

The episode will go live on July 23.

Lastly, please go to https://ceasefiretoday.com/, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 242 with Santiago Jose Sanchez, Author of Hombrecito, and Standout Writer of Multiple Points of View, Beautiful Sentences, and Resonant Visuals and Scenes

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 23:57:52 -0700

Notes and Links to Santiago José Sanchez’s Work

For Episode 242, Pete welcomes Santiago José Sanchez, and the two discuss, among other topics, their childhood in Colombia and Miami, their experiences with bilingualism, formative and transformative reading, especially in his college years, how teaching informs their writing and vice versa, the wonderful multiple points of view in Hombrecito, salient themes in his collection like masculinity, immigration, queerness, familial ties, reinvention and Americanization, and ideas of home.

Santiago José Sánchez, a Grinnell College assistant professor of English and a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, is a queer Colombian American writer. Santiago’s writing has appeared in McSweeney’s, ZYZZYVA, Subtropics, and Joyland and been distinguished in Best American Short Stories. They are the recipient of a Truman Capote Fellowship from the University of Iowa and an Emerging LGBTQ Voices Fellowship from Lambda Literary. Their debut novel is Hombrecito, out as of June 25.

Buy Hombrecito

Santiago's Website

New York Times Review of Hombrecito

At about 2:35, Santiago talks about their early relationship with the written word, and their early fascination with and exposure to storytelling

At about 4:55, Santiago expounds upon how Hombrecito is a “love letter” to their mom, and their special relationship with her

At about 6:00, Santiago speaks to the interplay between English and Spanish in their life and in their writing

At about 9:15, Santiago talks about Colombian Spanish and its uniqueness

At about 11:20, Santiago highlights books and writers (like Greenwell’s Mitko) and a class with Professor Michael Cunningham that grew their huge love of writing and literature

At about 13:25, Santiago discusses ideas of representation, including works by Justin Torres, that made them feel seen, but also gaps in representation

At about 14:40, Santiago cites Small Rain by Greenwell, Ocean Vuong’s new book, Ruben Reyes, Jr.’s There is a Rio Grande in Heaven, and Melissa Mogollon’s Oye as exciting and inspiring

At about 16:05, Santiago responds to Pete’s question about how writing informs their teaching

At about 18:30, Pete and Santiago rave about Jamil Jan Kochai’s “Playing Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” and Santiago talks about their students loving the story

At about 22:45, Santiago gives background on using different points-of-view and terminology for the narrator(s) in Hombrecito

At about 26:40, Santiago describes the book as “autofiction”

At about 28:10, “He lives between the world and his own mind,” a key quote from the beginning of the book, and the narrator’s mother, are explored through a discussion of an early pivotal scene, which also bring talk of a certain type of sexism/misogyny directed at single mothers

At about 32:15, Santiago explains the ways in which they use and views the term “queer”

At about 34:10, Pete gives a little exposition of the book, featuring a scene where the book’s title is first introduced-Santiago expands on the book’s title and its myriad significance

At about 38:10, An understated scene that ends Part I is discussed; Santiago describes their mindset in writing the scene in that way

At about 40:55, The two explore the narrator’s insistence on calling his mother “Doctora” upon their move to Miami

At about 43:10, Santiago gives an explanation of the book’s oft-referenced “portal”

At about 46:00, The last scene where the narrator is “Santiago” and an important transition, is looked at

At about 46:50, The two reflect upon ideas of Americanization, and a supposedly-perfect/”normative” family dynamic that Santiago and their mother seek out

At about 53:25, Santiago’s mother and brother and their circumstances early in their time in Miami is discussed-Santiago details the “reshaping” of the family’s situation

At about 56:05, Pete asks Santiago about the narrator’s first lover and what repelled and brought them back together so many times

At about 59:35, Santiago explains how the book is “a lot about silences” and focuses on the short and incredibly-powerful Chapter 11

At about 1:01:45, Pete cites the previously-mentioned meaningful and resonant flashback

At about 1:02:50, The book’s last section and its focus on the narrator and his father’s ever-evolving, ever-loving relationship is discussed

At about 1:06:00, Santiago shares some of the feedback they have received since the book has been released, as well as information on their upcoming tour

At about 1:10:35, Santiago reads an excerpt from the book that forces the reader to salivate and smile

At about 1:12:45, Pete tells a story about translation gone wrong for the fourth or fifth time-eek!

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch this and other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

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.

Please tune in for Episode 243 with Kathleen Rooney, who is founding editor of Rose Metal Press and a founding member of Poems While You Wait. She teaches English and creative writing at DePaul University and is the author, most recently, of the novel From Dust to Stardust, as well as the poetry collection Where Are the Snows.

The episode will go live on July 16.

Lastly, please go to https://ceasefiretoday.com/, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 241 with Antonio Lopez, Passionate Poetician, Author of the Award-Winning Gentefication, and Transmitter of Beauty and Pain Through His Creative, Heartfelt, and Wordsmithy Words

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 21:57:29 -0700

Notes and Links to Antonio Lopez’s Work

For Episode 241, Pete welcomes Antonio Lopez, and the two discuss, among other topics, his bilingual and multicultural childhood in East Palo Alto, E-40 Fonzarelli, his experiences with bilingualism, formative and transformative reading, the greatness and timelessness of James Baldwin, seeds for Gentefication in the rhythms and cultures and camaraderie of home, his life as a politician and working together with the community towards a stellar achievement, and salient themes in his collection like faith, gentrification and attendant outcomes, grief, trauma, joy, the power of art, and youthful rage and passion.

Antonio López is a poetician working at the intersection of poetry, politics and social change. He has received literary scholarships to attend the Community of Writers, Tin House, the Vermont Studio Center, and Bread Loaf. He is a proud member of the Macondo Writers Workshop and a CantoMundo Fellow. He holds degrees from Duke University, Rutgers-Newark, and the University of Oxford. He is pursuing a PhD in Modern Thought and Literature at Stanford University. His debut poetry collection, Gentefication, was selected by Gregory Pardlo as the winner of the 2019 Levis Prize in Poetry. He recently won a Pushcart Prize for his poem “Our Lady of the Westside.” As district representative for California State Senator Josh Becker, he served as the liaison for the Latinx, veteran, and Muslim communities of State District 13. Antonio has fought gentrification in his hometown as the newest and youngest council member for the City of East Palo Alto, and he is now the city’s mayor.

Buy Gentefication

Antonio's East Palo Alto Mayoral Page

KQED Interview

At about 3:00, The two discuss the diversity of the Bay Area

At about 4:20, Antonio speaks about “education as a pillar of [his] life” and his relationship with languages and the written word and nurturing schools in East Palo Alto

At about 7:15, The two sing the praises of PBS as an educational force, and Antonio recounts an amazing 3rd grade story involving the great Levar Burton

At about 11:50, Antonio details some of his favorite texts from childhood, including The Hatchet!

At about 13:20, Antonio responds to Pete’s questions about ideas of representation in what he read and how he was educated, and Antonio expounded upon the interesting ways in which he grew up in an under resourced school and in the Silicon Valley

At about 17:30, The two discuss the huge gap in wealth between Peninsula cities

At about 20:00, Pete quotes from the book’s Acknowledgements in asking Antonio about his “origin story”; Antonio talks about the personal gaze and gaze from outside East Palo Alto

At about 22:25, Antonio reminiscences on the visual and aural feasts, including the music, of his community and the ways in which English was “malleable” and formational for him

At about 26:20, The two discuss the ways in which East Palo Alto achieved a huge change, culminating in zero homicides in 2023

At about 30:30, Antonio reflects on the idea that “all art is political”

At about 32:25, Pete highlights impressive and creative verbs and language Antonio uses

At about 34:50, Pete asks about the pronunciation of the poetry collection and Antonio details the significance of the title

At about 37:10, Pete quotes from the book’s Prologue from Pardlo and asks Antonio about an early reference in the collection to James Baldwin; Antonio expounds upon the “mill”

At about 41:25, The two discuss a memorable line about school reading that didn’t feel familiar for Antonio and other resonant lines about education

At about 44:15, Antonio responds to Pete’s question about “the borderlands” referred to in the collection

At about 47:45, Antonio gives background on a powerful poem, “Las Chacharas” and its sequel, as well as ideas of relativism as seen in the writing

At about 50:40, Antonio talks about a “narrative wrapped around [him]” and his pride and ambivalence

At about 54:15, The two explore ideas of gentrification and losses and beautiful gains that come with immigration, as featured in the collection, including a true story involving Antonio’s paternal grandparents

At about 57:20, Pete compliments the poem from the collection that is a sort of tribute to his mom, and Pete wonders about the usage of “Usted” and “Tú”

At about 1:00:25, The two discuss coming-of-age themes in the collection, and Antonio expands upon ideas presented in a four-part poem

At about 1:02:15, E-40 (!) and youthful and chaotic energy are the topics of discussion-Antonio reflects on the word “hyphy”

At about 1:04:25, The two discuss religion and Catholicism/Christianity’s links to colonialism and Antonio’s beginnings with Muslim communities

At about 1:08:40, Antonio talks about the importance of hadiths and a memorable poem from the collection-a letter written to a hate crime, the murder of Nabra Hassanen

At about 1:12:45, DBQ’s are highlighted and unique grading rubrics, as rendered in Antonio’s work

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.

Please tune in for Episode 242 with Santiago José Sánchez, a professor of English and a queer Colombian American writer whose writing has appeared in McSweeney’s, ZYZZYVA, Subtropics, and Joyland and been distinguished in Best American Short Stories. They are the recipient of a Truman Capote Fellowship from the University of Iowa and an Emerging LGBTQ Voices Fellowship from Lambda Literary.

The episode will go live on July 10 or so.

Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.

Episode 240 with Marcela Fuentes, Author of Malas, and Master of Epic Family Sagas and Resonant Profundity

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 22:40:58 -0700

Notes and Links to Marcela Fuentes’ Work

For Episode 240, Pete welcomes Marcela Fuentes, and the two discuss, among other topics, her childhood in borderland Texas, her experiences with bilingualism, formative and transformative reading, the greatness and timelessness of Selena, seeds for Malas in fairy tales and the title’s multilayered meanings, working in flashback and flashforward to illuminate racism and Texas/borderland histories, and salient themes in her collection like toxic masculinity, the burdens and triumphs of motherhood, grief, trauma, addiction, and ideas of fractured and reworked families.

Marcela Fuentes is a Pushcart Prize-winning fiction writer and essayist. She is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and was the 2016-2017 James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow at the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in the Indiana Review, The Rumpus, Texas Highways Magazine, Kenyon Review, Ploughshares, and other journals. Her work has been anthologized in New Stories from the Southwest, Best of the Web, and Flash Fiction International. Her story, “The Observable World” appeared in the Pushcart Prizes XLVII : Best of the Small Presses 2023 Edition. She was born and raised in Del Rio, Texas.

Her debut novel MALAS is the Good Morning America Book Club pick for June 2024. Coming soon, the story collection MY HEART HAS MORE ROOMS THAN A WHOREHOUSE, from Viking Books.

Buy Malas

Marcela's Website

Marcela’s Appearance on Good Morning America

At about 2:00, Marcela describes her “surreal” experience being on Good Morning America

At about 4:10, Marcela discusses her early relationship with the written word and Spanish and English-speaking

At about 10:10, Sandra Cisneros, Yo Soy Joaquin, and Helena Maria Viramontes, are cited as formative and transformative writing and writers

At about 12:00, Pete recounts a surreal interaction with the wonderful Helena Maria Viramontes

At about 13:00, Marcla shouts out Vanessa Chan and Rufi Thorpe as contemporaries who thrill and inspire

At about 14:05, Marcela responds to Pete’s questions about seeds for the book-shout out Edward Carey!

At about 18:05, The two reflect on the book’s opening and a resonant first line

At about 20:55, Marcela gives background on Caimanes and the barrio where Pilar and José Alfredo, the first main characters, live, and why they like and hate it

At about 23:00, Uh, oh-the curse is discussed, as well as Pilar’s feelings at eight months pregnant

At about 24:35, Marcela talks about what she envisioned for Pilar, especially her backstory

At about 28:20, Ideas of suspicions and insecurities involving José Alfredo on Pilar’s part are discussed

At about 30:10, Pete and Marcela discuss Anglo/Mexican-American relations and the ways in which racism affected the hospital visit where Pilar is to give birth

At about 31:25, Marcela describes what it was like to write such a wrenching scene as the one in the hospital

At about 33:45, Pilar’s “dull anger” and the ways in which José Alfredo doesn’t show up for her

At about 34:40, Lulu Munoz is characterized, as she is introduced in a flashforward scene, and Marcela expands upon her character and her relationship with her “boss man” father

At about 38:10, Pete points out page 60’s use of “mala,” and Marcela expands on the word’s attendant meanings, especially with regard to the book

At about 40:00, Julio (Lulu’s father) and his bad behavior is discussed

At about 40:40, The two discuss some friends in Lulu’s friend group and the “messiness” of the night where Lulu’s beloved grandma dies and the chaos of the funeral

At about 41:55, Pete wonders about Pilar’s mindset and the ways in which Marcela envisioned her emotional state, as the book returned to 1951

At about 46:45, While discussing Lulu’s band and music likes, Marcela fangirls about Selena and talks about her personal connections to the great one

At about 49:40, The chaotic quinceañera set for Lulu and its attendant drama is discussed

At about 50:50, Pete compliments the 1970s scenes and the ways in which Marcela writes about this “adjacent history” of civil rights fights in Texas; Marcela gives background on real-life parallels and histories

At about 54:40, Marcela talks about exciting future projects, including her story collection

At about 56:50, Marcela highlights places to buy her book and gives out contact information and tour information

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.

Please tune in for Episode 241 with Antonio Lopez, who is a poetician working at the intersections of poetry and politics to fight for social change. His 2021 collection, Gentefication, was named one of the "Ten Notable Latino Books of 2021” by NBC. Antonio is a former Marshall Scholar and current Mayor of East Palo Alto. CA.

The episode will go live on July 2.

Lastly, please go to ceasefiretoday.com, which features 10+ actions to help bring about Ceasefire in Gaza.