The Chills at Will Podcast

https://feed.podbean.com/chillsatwillpodcast6/feed.xml

32.3K

Downloads

363

Episodes

The Chills at Will Podcast is a celebration of the visceral beauty of literature. This beauty will be examined through close reads of phrases and lines and passages from fiction and nonfiction that thrills the reader, so much so that he wants to read again and again to replicate that thrill. Each episode will focus on a different theme, such as "The Power of Flashback," "Understatement," "Cats in the Cradle," and "Chills at Will: Origin Story."

Episodes

4 days ago

Episode 344 with Rachel León, Author of How We See the Gray and Woman of All Trades-Compassionate Social Worker, Writer, and Editor Extraordinaire

4 days ago

Notes and Links to Rachel León’s Work

Rachel León (she/they) is a writer, editor, and social worker, who has worked in child welfare for nearly two decades. She serves as Managing Director for Chicago Review of Books. Their debut novel, How We See the Gray, is out from Curbstone Books as of May 15, 2026.

Buy How We See the Gray

Rachel León Website

Review of How We See the Gray from Kirkus Reviews

At about 1:45, Rachel gives a summary of How We See the Gray and information about book events and purchasing

At about 4:15, Rachel talks about her writing and reading background, as well as how visual art figured in to her early publications

At about 6:30, Rachel highlights Gwendolyn Brooks’ work as formative and transformative for her

At about 7:50, Rachel cites Sarah Lippman and Justin Torres as contemporary writers who inspire her, including Torres’ approach and “We” usage

At about 10:10, Rachel responds to Pete asking about her reading life as an editor

At about 16:10, Pete asks Rachel about seeds for How We See the Gray and the myriad ways in which her work in child welfare has informed her writing of the book

At about 20:55, Rachel homes in on the time in the field that led her to write How We See the Gray and her current work

At about 22:00, Rachel talks about her love for the band La Historia, and getting permission to use the band’s lyrics in the book

At about 24:00, Pete riffs on the book’s collective voice and asks Rachel to talk about the usage of “We” in the book

At about 26:30, Rachel responds to Pete’s questions about case workers and their motivations, as well as ideas of “vocations” and working “in the trenches”

At about 29:55, Pete lays out some of the book’s exposition, and asks Rachel about ideas of Meredith, a main character, being too trusting/savior-ish in her work

At about 33:25, The two discuss Meredith and her coparenting

At about 34:50, Rachel talks about the youth of her characters and their relationship with idealism

At about 36:50, Rachel expands on the ways in which main character Ebony has learned to “not let her guard down”

At about 38:20, Rachel reflects on race and privilege and patronizing attitudes in the foster system, both outside the book and inside

At about 42:30, Rachel talks about “mapping out” storylines and “microstories” and chronologies for her book

At about 43:50, The two discuss double-standards regarding lack of responsibility for

At about 44:55, Rachel expands on Rockford, Illinois, and her rationale in including slightly-adapted headlines from the local papers

At about 47:15, Pete talks about foster parents in the book bucks expectations

At about 48:00, Rachel responds to Pete asking about the “trauma-bonding” among coworkers and the benefits and disadvantages

At about 52:00, Jamal and his versatile work is discussed

At about 53:10, Meredith’s drinking and the root causes are discussed

At about 56:00, “Found families” through the foster system are discussed

At about 56:50, Pete cites some of the book’s vast profundity

At about 58:00, Rachel talks about the treatment of LGBTQ+ young people in the system

At about 1:01:23-AXE Body Spray profundity!

At about 1:02, Medreith and being part of the system as a mother are discussed, and Pete asks Rachel about her views on the state of the “system”

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 345 with Devin Thomas O'Shea is the author of The Veiled Prophet, publishing with Haymarket Books in June 2026. His writing appears in The Nation, The Iowa Review, Slate, Jacobin, Boulevard, and elsewhere.

The episode airs on June 23, Pub Day for The Veiled Prophet.

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.

4 days ago

Episode 343 with Dr. Steven Thrasher, Author of The Viral Underclass, and Stalwart Activist, Journalist, and Educator in Solidarity with Truth and His Students

4 days ago

Notes and Links to Steven Thrasher’s Work

Dr. Steven Thrasher is an American journalist and academic. In 2019, he became the inaugural Daniel H. Renberg Chair of social justice in reporting and an assistant professor of journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. In 2012, he won the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Journalist of the Year award.

Buy The Overseer Class: A Manifesto

Stephen Thrasher's Website

Review of The Overseer Class from Publisher’s Weekly

At about 1:15, Steven talks about book events and the book’s May 19 publication

At about 2:40, Steven shares interesting and “clarifying” feedback from readers on The Overseer Class

At about 4:00, Steven details his childhood reading and writing and creative pursuits

At about 7:40, Steven and Pete discuss the horrible news about the attacks on book choice, a high number of higher education institutions and their “capitulation,” but also the wonderful ways in which Oxnard, CA, and other “low ed” institutions have helped foster community and safety

At about 11:45, Steven responds to Pete’s asking about the three quotes that start the book by sharing his gratitude to the three writers/estates who allowed him to use the words; he talks about the quotes setting up “tension” in his book

At about 18:00, The two discuss the way the book starts and reflect on dynamics of the repression of Gaza as both singular and as representative of all “imperial force,” such as Tyre Nichols’ killing in early 2023

At about 22:00, the two discuss Martin Luther King and Malcolm X’s legacies and the stories told about them, and their work to make connections with international struggles

At about 24:35, Steven expands on cases in which Black men have been killed by the police, and the changing dynamics and populations around US police forces

At about 26:00, Steven notes the “rehabilition” of the Black cop in media in recent years, and the ways in which Black chiefs

At about 27:10, Pete references a possible thesis for Steven’s book and asks Steven to talk about distinguishing (or not) between the overseer class and individuals outside the system

At about 30:40, Steven recounts the history of Denmark Vecsey in furthering his point of the overseer class and its role

At about 33:10, Steven discusses his short-lived plans to become a police officer and its connection to employment

At about 34:30, Steven cites Black in Blue as a pivotal book in his research

At about 36:00, Steven reflects on needs for jobs and connections to jobs that people may be ideologically opposed to police work or similar work

At about 37:00, Steven responds to Pete asking about the idea of “changing the institution (policing) from within”

At about 40:00, Steven talks about power dynamics, levels of power, and historical links to the “overseer” trope

At about 42:40, Steven breaks down terms coined to show the engineering of Black cops and female cops as tools of “freedom”

At about 44:20, The two discuss the overseer trope in the military, including “feel good stories” involving Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell

At about 46:45, Pete and Steven reflect on the power of a “No” for those resisting overseer status

At about 48:10, Steven gives background on being in solidarity with his students and how he has stood up for his ideals; he also talks about the wonderful work by protestors on various college campuses

At about 51:45, Steven reflects on his unforgettable five days on campus at Northwestern and evolving campus protests

At about 56:10, Steven talks about the importance of “being a Toni”

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

Please tune in for Episode 344 with Rachel León, a writer, editor, and social worker, who has worked in child welfare for nearly two decades. She serves as Managing Director for Chicago Review of Books.

The episode airs on May 15, Pub Day for How We See the Gray, their first 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.

6 days ago

Episode 342 with Isaac Fitzgerald, Author of American Rambler: Walking the Trail of Johnny Appleseed, and Master of the Sacred and the Profane, the Quotidian and Spectacular, and the Softly Resonant

6 days ago

Notes and Links to Isaac Fitzgerald’s Work

Isaac Fitzgerald is the New York Times bestselling author of Dirtbag, Massachusetts (winner of a New England Book Award and the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association Book of the Year Award). He appears frequently on The Today Show and is also the author of the bestselling children’s book How to Be a Pirate as well as the co-author of Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them and Knives & Ink: Chefs and the Stories Behind Their Tattoos (winner of an IACP Award). His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Esquire, GQ, The Guardian, The Best American Nonrequired Reading, and numerous other publications. He lives with his wife, Kelly Farber, and their two dogs on the North Fork of Long Island. His next book, American Rambler, is forthcoming from Knopf.

Buy American Rambler: Walking the Trail of Johnny Appleseed

Isaac Fitzgerald's Website

Review for American Rambler in The Boston Globe

At about 3:20, Isaac talks about the book as “braided” and positive feedback he’s gotten from independent booksellers

At about 4:40, Isaac gives background on his rich reading and writing life from childhood

At about 7:00, Isaac talks about a few catalysts for American Rambler, including Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods… Another Bullshit Night in Suck City by Nick Flynn, and An American Story by Howard Means

At about 8:55, Pete shouts out Matt Bell’s Appleseed, and Isaac reflects on the “mythification” of Johnny Appleseed

At about 13:20, Pete cites a beautiful quote on the connection between parents and storytelling and expands on how his parents and their travels and their storytelling thrilled him

At about 17:00, Pete tells about his own experience with childhood stories, and Isaac shares his thoughts on oral storytelling and its connection to real-life experiences for children winning out over continued screen time

At about 19:10, Isaac responds to Pete’s asking about his mother and father as opposites in many ways

At about 23:00, Pete compliments the book’s first line and asks Isaac about the book’s first hike: Isaac refers to the book as a “coming-of-middle-age”

At about 28:10, Isaac responds to Pete’s questions about Swedenborgism and its influence on Johnny Appleseed

At about 33:10, The two discuss the balance between the social and the solitary

At about 35:50-John Freeman shoutouts! Isaac talks about important advice/editing from John Freeman with AA Knopf

At about 38:20, The two discuss reading as a collaborative pursuit-a “two-person technology”

At about 39:00, Pete and Isaac talk about Old Man and the Sea and the idea of a “comfort read”

At about 40:15, Pete cites two examples of Isaac’s work in connection to David Foster Wallace’s work in complimenting Isaac’s work in opposition to the “flyover country” ethos; Isaac cites Rabin’s Old Glory: An American Voyage

At about 45:40, Pete and Isaac highlight a particularly charismatic person who was featured in the book

At about 48:25, Isaac talks about his great experience with the Fort Wayne Tin Caps in the book

At about 50:50, Isaac responds to Pete asking about the passages from the book where he shared profundity with Ashley C. Ford and Saeed Jones

At about 51:25, It gets defecatory!

At about 52:15, Isaac expands on how his time staying with writer friends is in a Kerouac-ian tradition

At about 55:40, Isaac talks about his process that allowed him to “writing conversationally” and the importance of reading his work aloud

At about 57:20, Pete and Isaac reflect on the idea of the public intellectual and the balance between social media communities and authentically celebrating exploration and wonderful art

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

Please tune in for Episode 343 with Steven Thrasher, whose writing has been widely published by Scientific American, The New York Times, Nation, The Journal of American History, BuzzFeed News, Esquire and New York magazine. In 2019, Out Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential and impactful people of the year and in 2020, the Ford Foundation awarded him a grant for Creativity and Free Expression. The Viral Underclass, his first book, was widely-awarded and acclaimed, and his second book, The Overseer Class: A Manifesto, will be the focus of the podcast conversation.

The episode airs on May 14, and the book has a May 19 Pub Date.

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.

6 days ago

Episode 341 with Kerri Schlottman, Author of Daytime Moon, and Master of Wonderful, Flowing Sentences, Real Pathos, and Unforgettable Characters and Storylines

6 days ago

Notes and Links to Kerri Schlottman’s Work

Kerri Schlottman is a writer of literary fiction novels, most recently Daytime Moon, out with Unnamed Press as of May 12, 2026. Her novel Tell Me One Thing was named a 2025 Storytrade Literary Fiction Finalist, a two-time 2024 PenCraft Fiction Award Winner, a 2023 American Book Fest Best Literary Fiction Book Finalist, and a Shelf Awareness Best Book This Week.

She works to support artists, performers, and writers in creating new projects and is a part-time graduate professor at NYU in arts administration. Previously, she was a massage therapist, a factory worker, a copy editor, and briefly enrolled in law school.

Buy Daytime Moon

Kerri Schlottman’s Website

At about 2:00, Kerri talks about early feedback for Daytime Moon

At about 3:00, Kerri outlines her arts administration university job

At about 5:00, Kerri gives background on her early reading and writing

At about 6:20, Kerri talks about transformational and formational works and writers

At about 7:20, Kerri expands on the particular greatness of Vonnegut

At about 8:30, Kerri responds to Pete asking about Detroit and Michigan and any connections to “Midwest Nice”

At about 9:30, Kerri cites contemporary writers who push her own work forward, include Charlotte McConaghy and Christie Hodgen

At about 11:20, Kerri shoots out publisher Unnamed Press and places to buy her book, as well as book events, one with Meagan Woods

At about 13:35, Kerri talks about seeds for the book and gives interesting background on the history of the Salton Sea

At about 16:30, Kerri details a New Yorker article about Hannah Upp and its influence on her work

At about 18:45, Pete shouts out Tod Goldberg’s stellar Salton Sea writing, and Kerri expands on the “fascinating” life in the Salton Sea “plots”/flat and Slab City and “off the grid” living

At about 21:50, Pete outlines the book’s exposition, and Kerri responds to Pete’s questions about the symbolism of this part and its setting up later plot

At about 25:50, Pete outlines more of the book’s opening and main characters, and Kerri speaks to the combination of the “artsy, countercultural" Isa and the business-oriented Merce

At about 30:00, Kerri expounds on connections between Isa and her brother

At about 32:30, Kerri responds to Pete’s questions about Ella, Isa’s sister, and the reason for Isa’s fleeing the Salton Sea

At about 34:45, Kerri talks about Isa’s “culture shock” in NYC, and talks about Dane’s sending them on a quest with letters left behind

At about 36:00, Pete highlights the later age for the coming-of-age in the book-a resounding success

At about 36:55, Kerri responds to Pete’s question about different expectations for men and women and their treatment and/or neglect of their children

At about 41:10, Isa’s Lizzie and her cancer diagnosis are discussed, as Kerri discusses her last days and promises

At about 45:00, Pete asks Kerri about ideas of tarot and the future and belief in some or all of the process/precepts; Kerri talks about “escapism” in its many forms

At about 48:00, The two discuss Isa’s sadness after her friend’s death and Isa’s interactions with her father

At about 49:00, Kerri gives background on a tarot reading scene that Pete highlights as so well-drawn

At about 49:50, Pete stumbles into a classic Faulkner quote and the two discuss the past’s impact on the characters’ present

At about 52:15, Pete references a great Alice Elliott Dark line when talking about the book as a moving “elegy”

At about 53:40, Kerri discusses the “cascading effect” as Isa and Cole begin to meet new/undiscovered family members

At about 55:10, Pete mentions the book as a great “road trip book” in response to Kerri’s reflection on “found families”

At about 57:45, Pete remarks on how masterfully Kerri deals with time span, and she reflects on her mindset in writing about this as she did

At about 1:00:00, Kerri talks about “allusion[s]” in the book to environmental dangers happening in real time

At about 1:02:45, Pete gives kudos to Kerri for the book’s pathos and overall greatness

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and please 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.

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 342 with Isaac Fitzgerald, the New York Times bestselling author of Dirtbag, Massachusetts (winner of a New England Book Award and the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association Book of the Year Award). He appears frequently on The Today Show and is also the author of the bestselling children’s book How to Be a Pirate as well as the co-author of Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them and Knives & Ink: Chefs and the Stories Behind Their Tattoos (winner of an IACP Award). His next book, American Rambler, is out now.

The episode airs on May 12, Pub Day for American Rambler.

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.

7 days ago

Episode 340 with Donna Minkowitz, Author of Growing Up Golem, and Master Craftswoman of the Conceit, The Juxtaposition, The Universal, and The Ultraspecific

7 days ago

Notes and Links to Donna Minkowitz’s Work

Donna Minkowitz is a writer of fantasy, memoir, and journalism lauded by Lilith Magazine for her “fierce imagination and compelling prose.” Science fiction great Terry Bisson called her writing “rich and wild, dark and funny, as fearless as her legendary journalism and as scary as a fairy tale.” And she’s proud that Kirkus has praised the “defiant and playful energy” of her work.

Her memoir Growing Up Golem, a finalist for both a Lambda Literary Award and the Judy Grahn Nonfiction Award, is being republished by Indolent Books after 13 years!

Buy Growing Up Golem

Donna Minkowitz's Website

Review of Growing Up Golem from Kirkus Reviews

At about 1:30, Donna and Pete highlight the pending reissue of Growing Up Golem

At about 2:30, Pete asks Donna about how she sees Growing Up Golem 13 years later, and she gives a summary of the book

At about 4:10, Donna expands on the idea set forth in the Writer’s Note that the book is “88% true”

At about 7:15, Donna talks about the general idea of the “golem” and the providence of the book’s conceit

At about 9:00, Donna reflects on the idea of “memory” and the science behind it, as well as the memoir as a “work of art”

At about 10:10, Donna responds to Pete’s asking about the book’s opening referencing Donna’s mom and her creating a “Donna Doll”

At about 12:40, Donna expands on ideas of guilt and selfishness and psychosomatic pain that came with her Repetitive Strain Injury

At about 14:40, Donna responds to Pete asking about her mother’s health struggles and ideas of impending death

At about 17:00, The two talk about Donna’s mother’s artistic prowess and Donna’s feelings of “twoness”

At about 19:45, Donna examines the idea of her mother that lying could be correct, and what the philosophy said about her mother and her morality

At about 22:40, Donna expands on feelings of “twoness” in connection to W.E.B. DuBois

At about 24:10, Donna reflects on her early writing with The Village Voice and her motivations and mindset in writing for the publication

At about 27:00, Donna outlines her mother’s health problems and connections to her sexuality and sensuality

At about 29:00, Pete asks Donna how she balances the fact that her mother was a victim of sexual violence

At about 32:05, Donna expands on The Village Voice and her reporting around ACT Up and its advocacy and activism, as well as Queer Nation

At about 34:35, Donna tells Julio Rivera’s story, as she did for the publication

At about 36:20, Donna talks about her father’s death and his “scari[ness]” before his death and the “strange dynamic" of him as a “scapegoat” and her mother’s behavior after his death

At about 39:20, Pete wonders about a sort of "competition" between Donna and her mother, particularly with regard to a 1991 Thanksgiving interaction

At about 41:45, Donna responds to Pete asking about her mother’s often making fun of her mother's body

At about 44:25, Donna speaks about the “competing therapists”

At about 48:15, Donna speaks on the idea of the golem as being built and possibly destroyed by the same person, as well as the classic legend of the golem

At about 51:30, Donna talks about a familial way of acting when threatened and confronting that reaction

At about 52:25, Pete cites some “beautiful moments” from her therapist and mother, and Donna reflects

At about 53:20, The two reflect on ideas of control and freedom in Donna’s personal life and connections to therapy and her mother’s influence

At about 55:25, Donna talks about connections between early and later relationships and the ways she was treated

At about 58:20, Pete and Donna discuss the book’s juxtapositions and her concerns and struggles with her chronic pain

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

Please tune in for Episode 341 with Kerri Schlottman, whose novel Tell Me One Thing was named a 2025 Storytrade Literary Fiction Finalist, a two-time 2024 PenCraft Fiction Award Winner, and a 2023 American Book Fest Best Literary Fiction Book Finalist. She is a part-time graduate professor at NYU in arts administration.

The episode airs today, Pub Day for her latest gem, Daytime Moon, May 12.

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.

Wednesday Apr 22, 2026

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

Wednesday Apr 22, 2026

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

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

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.

Tuesday Apr 21, 2026

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

Tuesday Apr 21, 2026

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.

Tuesday Apr 14, 2026

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

Tuesday Apr 14, 2026

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.

Tuesday Apr 07, 2026

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

Tuesday Apr 07, 2026

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.

Tuesday Apr 07, 2026

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

Tuesday Apr 07, 2026

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.

Tuesday Mar 31, 2026

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

Tuesday Mar 31, 2026

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.

Saturday Mar 28, 2026

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

Saturday Mar 28, 2026

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.

Saturday Mar 28, 2026

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

Saturday Mar 28, 2026

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.

Tuesday Mar 24, 2026

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

Tuesday Mar 24, 2026

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.

Thursday Mar 19, 2026

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"

Thursday Mar 19, 2026

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.