Wendy Lawless, author of Heart of Glass, and Rob Roberge, author of Liar, join Barbara DeMarco-Barrett to discuss the art and craft of writing memoir. Both will be featured authors, along with Kevin Hazzard, author of A Thousand Naked Strangers, at the Pen on Fire Speaker Series on May 17, 2016. More here.
(Broadcast date: May 4, 2016)
Israeli author Ayelet Tsabari joins Marrie Stone to talk about her short story collection, The Best Place on Earth. She talks about writing in her second language, creating a compelling setting, the unique Israeli perspective on the world and how it impacts her writing, and much more.
In the second half, international bestselling author Markus Zusak talks about the re-release of his highly acclaimed novel, The Book Thief. He shares many insights into his writing process, his writing notebooks, how he arrived at the novel’s unique point of view, his favorite characters, and more.
(Broadcast date: April 13, 2016)
Jarett Kobek, author of I Hate the Internet, joins Nicole Nelson to talk about developing a POV that was influenced by Kurt Vonnegut’s Breakfast of Champions, his attempt to try to mirror the jagged way information comes at you on the internet, and his advice to writers: learn to enjoy suffering.
Then John D’Agata, editor of The Making of the American Essay talks about his twenty years working on this three-volume series of anthologies on essays that concludes with this work. He also shares thoughts on what makes an essay a challenging form to write, but one that when done right has the potential to capture and share a piece of humanity.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: April 20, 2016)
Dawn Tripp, author of Georgia, a novel about Georgia O’Keeffe, and Christopher Sorrentino, author of The Fugitives join Barbara DeMarco-Barrett to talk about their new novels, author photos, writing about real people and real situations, the publishing industry, and more.
(Broadcast date: April 6, 2016)
Pulitzer Prize winning novelist and short story writer Elizabeth Strout joins Marrie Stone to talk about her latest novel, My Name is Lucy Barton. She discusses recurring themes in her work, her intense interest in character over plot, how she constructs novels through scenes, and more.
In the second half, Dawn MacKeen joins to share her grandfather’s story of surviving the Armenian genocide. The Hundred-Year Walk: An Armenian Odyssey is part memoir, part reportage, and part historical research. Dawn discusses why this book is more relevant today than ever, what it took to uncover the story, and the power of perseverance.
(Broadcast date: March 30, 2016)
Maya Lang, author of The Sixteenth of June, talks with co-host Nicole Nelson about the challenges of writing a story that takes place all in one day, her experience searching for an agent, and basing her novel on Ulysses.
In the second half, Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, author of The Nest, talks about how the story came to her beginning with a scene that captured her imagination, how voice for the book came naturally (but structure presented a challenge), and how time pressures can work to one’s advantage.
(Broadcast date: March 23, 2016)
Palm Springs Noir, an anthology published by Akashic Books, edited by Barbara, also features her short story “The Water Holds You Still.” Order anywhere you buy books.
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