Episode 139 with Felicia Taylor E., Renaissance Woman, Creator, Storymaker, Raconteur, Poet, and Writer of Southern Spiced: A Brown Girl’s Tale

Episode 139 Notes and Links to Felicia Taylor’s Work 

 

    On Episode 139 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Felicia Taylor, and the two discuss, among other topics, the ways in which memory and her childhood and her family histories have informed her work, her creative process, living a creative life as poet, playwright, actor, etc., and themes and thought processes manifested in her standout poetry collection.

    Felicia Taylor E is a writer, poet, storyteller, performer and arts educator, along with being a "gently nudging" wife to her hubby and a fun "trying to stick to a schedule" mom for her son. She has been writing since elementary school and has kept a diary or a journal since the 5th grade. Southern Spiced: A Brown Girl's Tale is her first book. 

 

 

Felicia Taylor's Website

 

Buy Southern Spiced: A Brown Girl's Tale

 

Felicia performs “Echoes in my Spirit”

 

 

 

At about 1:45, Felicia describes her childhood, mainly spent in Denton, Texas, and her relationship with language, reading, and “oral preservation of history”

 

At about 4:30, Felicia details some of her favorite books and writers growing up, including the great Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes

 

At about 6:25, Pete and Felicia meditate on the beauty and strength of Maya Angelou’s work, including her piece from Bill Clinton’s inauguration; thanks to Professor Winston for her contribution to Felicia’s reading!

 

At about 8:00, Felicia discusses the reading of varied genres that she read in college and beyond, including Stephen King (Pete shares a favorite piece of his from King) and Alice Walker 

 

At about 11:30, the two discuss Langston Hughes’ impact on them 

 

At about 12:45, Felicia discusses her creative history and impulses including her mindset in creating her short film and then elaborates on films’ advantages versus books’ advantages 

 

At about 17:35, Felicia responds to Pete’s questions about “muses” and how she accentuates her creativity, especially the power of memory (19:05)

 

At about 19:50, Felicia answers Pete’s questions about what it is like to write about intimate relationships in her life

 

At about 22:00, Felicia expands upon some real-life and profound connections to particular poems in her collection, including to the staggeringly-upsetting case of Timothy Cole 

 

At about 24:50, Pete and Felicia cite the four distinct parts of the novel and discuss the reasoning behind her many “dedications” in the book; she cites “Freedom Tree” as an especially powerful example of work “echoing in her head”

 

At about 26:40, Pete and Felicia ruminate on the importance of Sesame Street as they discuss the collection’s first poem

 

At about 27:45, Pete wonders about Felicia’s mindset in writing about racism and hate in conjunction with the beauty of innocence 

 

At about 29:45, Pete highlights the carefree, breezy language that is childlike yet profound

 

At about 33:20, Felicia speaks to the disparate experiences expressed in back-to-back poems that involve her hair

 

At about 38:20, Felicia details the event and the feelings and fears associated with a childhood encounter with the KKK that compelled Felicia to write about it 

 

At about 43:20, Pete and Felicia reflect on Part II and its highlighting of Soul Train and beautiful times with family

 

At about 46:20, Part III and its historical connections are highlighted, in addition to a “heart wrenching” quote from Timothy Cole

 

At about 49:10, the two explore “White Lies, Part I” and its focus on dementia and a reversal of roles 

 

At about 51:35, Ideas of absurdist and dark humor are discussed in connection to “A Dignified Death, Please”

 

At about 54:10, Pete makes a Sopranos’ reference (evergreen statement??)

 

At about 54:45, Felicia reads “Red Lips”

 

At about 56:10, ---silence---as Pete makes a 112 reference

 

At about 56:40, Felicia outlines some contact info and provides contact/social media info

 

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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 140 with Oscar Hokeah, who is a regionalist Native American writer of literary fiction, interested in capturing intertribal, transnational, and multicultural aspects within two tribally specific communities: Tahlequah and Lawton, Oklahoma. In addition, author of the recent standout novel, Calling for a Blanket Dance.

    The episode will air on August 30.