Marrie Stone interviews L.A. Times 2008 Book Award Winner Zoe Ferraris, author of Finding Nouf: A Novel, winner of the Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction, and Dennis Palumbo, author of From Crime to Crime.

To see all L.A Times 2008 Book Award winners, click here. Congratulations Zoe!

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(Broadcast date: Aug 13, 2008)

We’re moving into fund drive time, which, unlike many public radio stations, occurs only once a year. This coming Weds., April 29, from 9 – 10 a.m., we’re asking (and praying for) you to call and make a donation to the station. There’s more and more pressure from the university to raise money, to pay the bills, the electricity, the phone, to keep the station running. My co-host Marrie Stone and I will be there, with noir/suspense writer Tom Epperson, and lots of books to give away. Your donation is tax-deductible. Please call between 9 and 10 a.m. Pacific time on Weds. 949 UCI-KUCI. We’d love to hear from you.

Marrie Stone interviews Lauren Groff, author of Delicate Edible Birds: And Other Stories.

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(Broadcast date: Feb 4, 2009)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett interviews Martha Lawrence, author of Pisces Rising (Elizabeth Chase Mysteries).

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(Broadcast date: September 28, 2000)

I heard NPR commentator Melissa Block the other day talking about photographer Helen Levitt who just died at 95 years old. One of the few times I managed to write down an URL as I was driving and today I saw it in my book. You can listen, or read, here. And of course look at the photos. I love that one of the white girl and black boy dancing in a New York street.

First, thanks to all who attended the Marty Smith event a week ago Monday night at the Newport Beach Tennis Club. Everyone I talked with said they enjoyed the night–meeting and chatting with writers–and loved hearing Marty discuss the writing process, writing for Orange Coast magazine, and writing essays.

Our next event on April 14 will be quite fun, and the night before Tax Day don’t we all need a good laugh? Merrill Markoe will be our guest author. She’s an Emmy winning former producer and writer from the David Letterman show, and now writes novels–funny novels that I love. She and I will be in conversation, she’ll read from her work, and answer questions. And we’ll hang out a bit, have a sip and chat.

The setting will be a bit more casual than the tennis club. The event will take place at a friend’s spacious home in Corona del Mar, with easy free parking and view of the water. Seating is a bit more limited than it was at the Tennis Club, so don’t wait too long to register. Once you register, the address will be sent to you.

Time: 7 – 9 (but can hang out a bit longer)
Cost: $15, include snacks, libation and cake of course. Feel free to forward this email to your literary friends. ($16 via PayPal.)

Looking forward to seeing you again…