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

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

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      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.

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    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.