The Chills at Will Podcast

Episode 150 with Elizabeth Williamson, The Reflective, Dogged, Balanced, and Well-Researched Journalist for The New York Times and Author of Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth

Episode 150 Notes and Links to Elizabeth’s Work 

 

    On Episode 150 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Elizabeth Williamson, and the two discuss, among other topics, her research into the Sandy Hook murders and the earliest conspiracy theories that have continued to morph to this day, the ways in which both victimizers and victimized have reacted to the tragedy, the “throughlines” between historical conspiracy theories and conspiracists and events like 9/11, January 6, and other mass shootings, Alex Jones as the catalyst for and follower of the propaganda, as well as possible remedies for limiting hate speech and online abuse.

    Elizabeth Williamson is a feature writer in the Washington bureau, and a former member of the New York Times editorial board. She has worked at the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post, and spent a decade as a foreign correspondent in Eastern Europe. She is the author of Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth, published by Dutton.

 

 

March 2022 Review of Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth in The New York Times by Robert Kolker

 

Elizabeth Williamson's New York Times Profile

 

Buy Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth

 

 

 

At about 7:00, Elizabeth gives a summary of the book and shouts out Dutton Books, her publisher

 

At about 7:55, Elizabeth describes the genesis of the book and cites Lenny Pozner and other important people featured in the book 

 

At about 10:30, Elizabeth cites throughlines between previous conspiracy theories and their connections to the Sandy Hook conspiracies

 

At about 11:50, Elizabeth responds to Pete’s questions about maintaining objectivity in the wake of overt lies about such a tragedy  

 

At about 16:20, Elizabeth references James Fetzer and his history of conspiracy theories

 

At about 17:30, Elizabeth lays the background of understandable reticence to believe government stories and the leap to believing genuine conspiracy theories

 

At about 18:35, Elizabeth details her first and only conversation with Alex Jones and responds to Pete’s questions about what compels/allows him to denigrate and abuse victims and survivors like he does

 

At about 20:30, Pete cites a profound quote from Veronique DelaRosa regarding dehumanization that comes with social media and “the remove that it creates”

 

At about 23:00, Elizabeth discusses Scarlett Lewis’  “compelling” and “cathartic” testimony in front of Alex Jones

 

At about 24:40, Elizabeth draws parallels between Alex Jones and Donald Trump

 

At about 25:25, Pete talks about the power of the beginning of the book and asks Elizabeth what she discovered about the victims’ families and finding a balance between public exposure and activism/privacy and grieving 

 

At about 28:40, The two talk about Robbie Parker and others who were seized upon as supposed players in a conspiracy 

 

At about 30:00, Pete wonders about the psychology that propels obsessives, and Elizabeth gives evidence from her research to address the issues that have made conspiracists pursue their theories 

 

At about 33:35, Pete asks Elizabeth about Alex Jones and his ideology versus his desire to get fame and make money

 

At about 36:20, Pete talks about the Prologue and cites the pathos involved and asks Elizabeth about any “remedies” she might see for combatting conspiracy theories, as well as what the latest judgments mean for the Sandy Hook families and for Alex Jones 

 

At about 40:40, Elizabeth talks about discussions in government circles about regulation around social media abuse and conspiracy theory-mongering

    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 me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

    Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

    Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

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 151 with Allison Hedge Coke. Her Dog Road Woman won the American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation. She is a King-Chavez-Parks awardee, an IPPY Medalist, a Pen Southwest Book Award winner, and she was also awarded an NWCA’s Lifetime Achievement Award

The episode will air on November 8.

 

Episode 149 with Erika T. Wurth: Author of White Horse and Expert Student of, Teacher of, and Practitioner of Horror, Suspense, Psychological Thrillers, and More

Episode 149 Notes and Links to Erika T. Wurth’s Work 

 

   On Episode 149 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Erika T. Wurth, and the two discuss, among other topics, her upbringing in Idaho Springs, CO, her family background and the multilingual environment in which she grew up, writers who have made her feel represented and inspired her, contemporary writers whose subject matter and craft propel her own work forward and thrill her as a reader, Stephen King and Dave Mustaine and their impacts on her, the importance (or lack thereof) of genre, research for White Horse, and key themes that permeate her exciting new book. 

 

  Erika T. Wurth’s literary-horror novel, White Horse, is with Flatiron/Macmillan. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in numerous journals including Buzzfeed, Boulevard, Lithub, The Writer’s Chronicle, and The Kenyon Review. She is a Kenyon and Sewanee fellow, and a narrative artist for the Meow Wolf Denver installation. She is represented by Rebecca Friedman (books) and Dana Spector, CAA (film). She is an urban Native of Apache/Chickasaw/Cherokee descent and was raised outside of Denver, where she lives with her partner, her two stepchildren, and her extremely fluffy dogs.

Buy White Horse

 

Erika Wurth's Website

 

October 31, 2022: Crime Reads-Erika on "Writing Native Horror During a Horror Renaissance"

 

From Oct., 2022: M.M. Kaufman Talks to Erika for Micro Podcast through LitHub

 

 

At about 7:15, Pete shouts out great writers who have spoken highly of Erika

 

At about 8:40, Erika explains her love of and connection with Dave Mustaine, highly featured in White Horse, and how he was a big part of her childhood

 

At about 10:10-The two shout out “Hangar 18”-check it out!

 

At about 12:00, Erika relates the story of trying to get a copy of her book to Dave Mustaine 

 

At about 12:45, Erika talks about growing up in Idaho Springs and her family background, as well as her relationships with language and reading growing up

 

At about 19:00, Erika outlines muses and inspirations for her writing-including artists and writers like Of Feather and Bone, Jhumpa Lahiri, Holly Goddard Jones, and Sandra Cisneros

 

At about 20:40, Erika speaks of ideas of representation regarding where she grew up and what she read growing up

 

At about 23:50, Erika shouts out contemporary influences and inspirations like Brandon Hobson, Morgan Talty, Kelli Jo Ford, David Heska Wanbli Weiden, Silvia Moreno Garcia, Grady Hendrix, Stephen Graham Jones, P. Djèlí Clark, and Rebecca Roanhorse

 

At about 26:10, Erika describes her process and path to becoming a writer

 

At about 28:50, Erika recounts Stephen King’s influence on her and her work 

 

At about 31:55, The two discuss Stephen King’s “On Writing” and Pete provides Silvia Moreno Garcia’s book cover blurb as Erika responds to Pete’s question about the importance-or lack thereof, of genre-she cites S. A Barnes book

 

At about 35:40, Pete cites a conversation with Tod Goldberg about his and Steph Cha’s work being so good that genre is irrelevant; Erika cites Jane Cleland as a master 

 

At about 37:40, Pete wonders about the balance in the book between allegory and more logistical/plot concerns; Erika cites Cynthia Pelayo as a writer who finds a great balance 

 

At about 41:30, Pete lists some of the scariest scenes from his memory and why he has trouble sometimes with horror/fantasy/sci-fi and their underlying themes 

 

At about 43:15, Erika “pitches”/gives a summary of White Horse

 

At about 44:10, Pete references the book’s dedication and the two discuss ideas of “nerdom”

 

At about 44:40, For those watching at home, Erika gives background on the bracelet that was the inspiration for an important object in the book

 

At about 45:35, Erika responds to Pete’s question about research done for the book-Erika especially highlights her investigating The Shining and its history and the inspirational hotel

 

At about 47:30, Erika describes her crafting a coherent work and talks about structure and books that helped her organize her head

 

At about 49:50, Pete lays out some of the book’s key plot points and background, as well as homing in on key themes of traumatization and guilt

 

At about 52:15, Erika gives background on the real-life White Horse and keys in on themes revolving around her main character’s challenges 

 

At about 54:40, Pete and Erika discuss cycles of violence and trauma and what the book has to say about the idea of “hurt people hurt[ing] people”

 

At about 58:10, Stephen Graham Jones is highlighted for his contributions to her book and for his all-around magnanimity 

 

At about 1:00:10, Ideas of the visceral/rational as mindsets and how they affects the book’s main characters (Keri, especially) are discussed 

 

At about 1:01:35, Pete compliments Erika for her using place as a veritable character, and Erika expands upon the ways in which Keri shows her intelligence and respects Old Denver 

 

At about 1:04:30, Pete compliments the psychological thriller aspects 

 

At about 1:05:45, Erika shouts out places to buy the book and great support from Flatiron Books, as well as giving out social media info and exciting developments involving book

 

At about 1:08:05, Erika describes her feelings as the book is published November 1 and shouts out a future project involving “New Denver”

 

 

 

    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 me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

   Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

   Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episode. Thanks in advance for supporting my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

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 150 with Elizabeth Williamson, a feature writer at The New York Times and a reporter for The Wall Street Journal; her work has appeared in The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, and Slate. Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth, was published in 2022

The episode will air on November 4.

 

Episode 148 with Chen Chen, Writer of Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency and Brilliant Thinker, Craftsman, and Highly-Awarded and Esteemed Poet and Educator

Episode 148 Notes and Links to Chen Chen’s Work 

 

   On Episode 148 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Chen Chen, and the two discuss, among other topics, his experience as a teacher, his early relationships with reading, writing, and multilingualism, those writers and writing communities who continue to inspire and encourage him, muses in various arenas, etymology, and themes like family dynamics, racism, beauty, and anger that anchor his work.

 

   Chen Chen is an author, teacher, & editor His second book of poetry, Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency, is out now from BOA Editions. The UK edition will be published by Bloodaxe Books (UK) in October. His debut, When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities (BOA, 2017; Bloodaxe, 2019), was longlisted for the National Book Award and won the Thom Gunn Award, among other honors. Chen is also the author of five chapbooks, including the forthcoming Explodingly Yours (Ghost City Press, 2023), and the forthcoming book of craft essays, In Cahoots with the Rabbit God (Noemi Press, 2024). His work appears in many publications, including Poetry, Poem-a-Day, and three editions of The Best American Poetry (2015, 2019, & 2021). He has received two Pushcart Prizes and fellowships from Kundiman, the National Endowment for the Arts, and United States Artists.

   He holds an MFA from Syracuse University and a PhD from Texas Tech University. He has taught in UMass Boston’s MFA program and at Brandeis University as the 2018-2022 Jacob Ziskind Poet-in-Residence. Currently he is core poetry faculty for the low-residency MFA programs at New England College and Stonecoast. With a brilliant team, he edits the journal Underblong; with Gudetama the lazy egg, he edits the lickety~split. He lives in frequently snowy Rochester, NY with his partner, Jeff Gilbert and their pug, Mr. Rupert Giles.

Buy Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency

 

Chen Chen’s Website

 

Interview with Chen Chen: “Chinatown Presents: Finding Home with Chen Chen” 

 

Interview with Poetry LA from 2017

 

By Andrew Sargus Klein for Kenyon Review-"On Chen Chen’s When I Grow Up, I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At about 9:15, Chen responds to Pete asking about how he stays so prolific and creative by describing his processes and the idea of any muses or inspirations 

 

At about 11:00, Chen describes “shed[ding] expectations” is or isn’t “worthy” of poetry

 

At about 13:10, The two discuss books on craft and Chen gives more background on his upcoming book of craft essays

 

At about 16:10, Chen gives background on the Taiwanese Rabbit God and how his upcoming book was influenced by the idea, especially as presented in Andrew Thomas Huang’s Kiss of the Rabbit God

 

At about 18:25, Chen explains his interest in the epistolary form, and how his upcoming work is influenced by Victoria Chang’s Dear Memory and Jennifer S. Chang “Dear Blank Space,” 

 

At about 22:30, Chen gives background and history in a macro and micro way for the use of the word “queer” and his usage and knowledge of Mandarin 

 

At about 26:50, Chen describes the sizable influence of Justin Chin on Chen’s own work

 

At about 28:25, Chen describes his early relationship with languages and explores how Mandarin and his parents’ Hokkien may influence his writing 

 

At about 34:55, Chen outlines what he read and wrote as a kid, including K.A. Applegate and The Animorphs and Phillip Pullman

 

At about 37:50, Chen responds to questions about motivations in reading fantasy and other works

 

At about 38:55, Chen highlights “chill-inducing” works and writers, such as Cunningham’s The Hours 

 

At about 41:30, Chen shouts Mrs. Kish and other formative writing teachers and talks about his early writing and the importance of “the interior voice”

 

At about 42:45, Pete wonders about how Chen’s teaching informs his writing and vice versa

 

At about 45:20, Chen cites Marie Howe’s “What the Living Do” and Rick Barot’s During the Pandemic as some of his go-to’s for teaching in his college classes

 

At about 48:20, Chen responds to Pete’s question about teaching his own work

 

At about 49:50, Pete and Chen discuss the idea of muses and the writing community energizing-the two cite Bhanu Kapil and Mary Ruefle and the ways in which their philosophies are centered on mutual communication/conversation

 

At about 55:30, Chen highlights Muriel Leung and an enriching conversation and her unique perspective that led to “I Invite My Parents…”

 

At about 57:45, The two begin discussing Chen’s Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency and its seeds

 

At about 1:00:40, Pete cites grackles as a motif, and Chen recounts memories of his time at Texas Tech and the Trump Presidency 

 

At about 1:02:45, The two discuss the powerful poem “The School of Fury” and the themes of rage and powerlessness and racism; Pete cites a profound insight from Neema Avashia

 

At about 1:06:45, Pete cites some powerful lines from Chen’s work and Chen makes connections

 

At about 1:08:20, Pete rattles off one of the longest titles known to man, “After My White Friends Say…” and Chen discusses ideas of identity and his rationale for the poem’s title and structure

 

At about 1:11:30, Chen talks about exercises he does in class with Mary Jean Chan’s Flèche 

 

At about 1:12:10, The two discuss craft and structure tools used in the collection

 

At about 1:14:25, The two talk about family dynamics and the speaker’s mother and her relationship with the speaker’s boyfriend  

 

At about 1:18:50, Pete cites lines that were powerful for “leaving things unsaid” and Chen expands on ideas of innocence and willful ignorance in his work

 

At about 1:22:30, The two discuss ideas of mortality, including the Pulse tragedy, familial connections, and the series of poems titled “A Small Book of Questions”

 

At about 1:24:10, Ideas of beauty of discussed from Chen’s work

 

At about 1:25:15, Chen reads “The School of Fury” and the two discuss it afterwards

 

At about 1:29:40, Chen gives contact info and recommends Boa Editions as a place to buy his book and support independent publishers, and another good organization in Writers and Books, featuring Ampersand Bookstore 

   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 me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

 Please check out my Patreon page at www.patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl to read about benefits offered to members and to sign up to help me continue to produce high-quality content, and a lot of it. The coming months are bringing standout writers like Justin Tinsley, Jose Antonio Vargas, Robert Jones, Jr., Allegra Hyde, Laura Warrell, and Elizabeth Williamson. Thanks for your support!

   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 149 with Erika T. Wurth. Erika’s highly-awaited literary-horror novel, White Horse, is forthcoming on November 1; she is a Kenyon and Sewanee fellow and an urban Native of Apache/Chickasaw/Cherokee descent.

The episode will air on November 1, the publication date for White Horse.

 

Episode 147 with Jonathan Escoffery, Master Builder of Suspense, Empathy, Aversion, and Keen Chronicler of Survival, Identity, and More in The Masterful Collection, If I Survive You

Episode 147 Notes and Links to Jonathan Escoffery’s Work 

 

    On Episode 147 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Jonathan Escoffery, and the two discuss, among other topics, Jonathan’s early relationship with language and literature, his initial interest in literature and viewing those works now as stereotypical and/or racist, his writing process and thoughts on varying points-of-view, the wild ride that has been recent weeks and months with the book receiving so many accolades, and themes of identity, race and racism, home, and of course, survival, in his linked story collection. 

 

    Jonathan Escoffery is the author of the linked story collection, If I Survive You, a National Book Award Nominee, a New York Times Editor’s Choice, and an Indie National Bestseller. If I Survive You has been named a ‘best’ or ‘most anticipated’ book by Entertainment Weekly, Oprah Daily, Good Morning America online, Goodreads, BuzzFeed, Vulture, L.A. Times, Shondaland, TIME, The Root, Vanity Fair, Kirkus, The Millions, BET, O Quarterly Magazine, Real Simple, and elsewhere.

His stories have appeared in The Paris Review, Oprah Daily, Electric Literature, Zyzzyva, AGNI, Pleiades, American Short Fiction, Prairie Schooner, Passages North, and elsewhere.

    Jonathan has taught creative writing and seminars on the writer’s life at Stanford University, the University of Minnesota, the Center for Fiction, Tin House, Writers in Progress, and at GrubStreet in Boston, where, as former staff, he founded the Boston Writers of Color Group, which currently has more than 2,000 members. He is a 2021-2023 Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University.

Buy If I Survive You

 

Jonathan Escoffery's Website

 

“Jonathan Escoffery Has a Reality He’d Like to Share,” from The New York Times,” by Kate Dwyer, from Sept. 4, 2022, about If I Survive You

 

 

 

At about 5:15, Jonathan discusses what it has been like to be in the middle of so much praise and recognition for his linked short-story collection 

 

At about 7:00, Jonathan talks about “lots of love” coming from Miami, including from Books and Books

 

At about 7:50, Jonathan responds to Pete asking about his early relationship with language and literature

 

At about 10:10, Jonathan describes his parents’ influence on him and Jamaica’s influence on him

 

At about 12:00, Jonathan talks about Miami’s incredible richness of languages and English usages

 

At about 15:30, Jonathan highlights reading favorites from his childhood, as well as ideas of representation 

 

At about 19:20, Jonathan cites an example of limited representation and stereotypical and racist depictions of people of color in his childhood reading of “classics”

 

At about 22:40, Jonathan talks about How to Leave Hialeah and other works by Latinx writers and fellow second-generation writers for inspiration 

 

At about 24:30, Jonathan responds to Pete’s question about his preference for Baldwin’s fiction/nonfiction

 

At about 25:55, The two discuss ideas of revisionist and ignorant history and narratives

 

At about 26:30, Pete wonders about any “lightbulb moments” for Jonathan in his writing career 

 

At about 28:55, Jonathan reflects on the aftermath of some encouragement and “chas[ing] the good feeling” that came with accolades for his writing at Florida International University

 

At about 33:30, Jonathan shouts out John Dufresne and other formative and inspirational teachers

 

At about 34:30, Jonathan discusses how teaching has informed his writing and vice versa

 

At about 38:20, Jonathan homes in on his story collection’s eponymous story and talks about strategies 

 

At about 39:35, Jonathan talks about the contemporary writing that inspires and challenges him and that excites his students, including “Who Will Greet You at Home?,” Gabriela Garcia’s Women of Salt and Morgan Talty’s Night of the Living Rez, and Laura Warrell’s Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm 

 

At about 46:10, Jonathan discusses the rationale for and background of the format of his book, including a wide range of POVs

 

At about 48:50, Jonathan elaborates on the history and background of the story collection, including his thoughts on story order and the auction process for his book

 

At about 53:45, The two discuss the story “Flux” that begins the collection, focusing on its POV, its narrator, and ideas of identity 

 

At about 55:30, Jonathan expands on ideas of juxtaposition between brothers Trelawny and Delano, including in the ways in which their father sees them

 

At about 1:01:30, The two discuss the collection’s second story, and Jonathan responds to Pete’s question about getting into the father’s mindset

 

At about 1:07:50, Ideas of class presented in the book are discussed, and WATCH OUT FOR A PLOT SPOILER FROM THE SECOND STORY

 

At about 1:09:30, The two highlight themes of father-son relationships 

 

At about 1:10:40, Pete asks Jonathan about what he had to say in his book about survival, commercialism, and bureaucracies, as well as (un)ethical business practices

 

At about 1:16:00, Race and racism are highlighted, with a particular focus on the collection’s last story 

 

At about 1:22:00, The two reflect on a profound excerpt from the book that brings up ideas of perspective and family dynamics 

 

At about 1:25:00, Jonathan addresses the story collection’s title and the multiple meanings and how POV informs the writing 

 

At about 1:30:10, Jonathan talks about future projects and Pete compliments Jonathan’s website as Jonathan gives contact info

    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 me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

    This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

    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 148 with Chen Chen, who is the author of the forthcoming poetry collection, Your Emergency Contact Has Experienced an Emergency, and the forthcoming book of essays, In Cahoots with the Rabbit God. His debut book of poems, When I Grow Up I Want to Be a List of Further Possibilities, was longlisted for the National Book Award and won the Thom Gunn Award, among other honors. He teaches for the low-residency MFA programs at New England College and Stonecoast. 

    The episode will air on October 21.

Episode 146 with Sandy Ho, Discussing the Work and New Book (Year of the Tiger) of Alice Wong, Partner in Meaningful and Change-Inducing Work in Disability Circles and Beyond

Episode 146 with Sandy Ho:

A Discussion of the Work and New Book (Year of the Tiger) of Alice Wong, Sandy’s Partner in Meaningful and Change-Inducing Work in Disability Circles and Beyond

Sandy Ho is guided by the light of the closest disco ball. Born in the year of the tiger, her boldness has shown up in her community organizing and activism as the founder of the Disability & Intersectionality Summit. She is also one-third of the team behind the “Access is Love” campaign in partnership with Alice Wong and Mia Mingus. Her essay “Canfei to Canji: The Freedom of Being Loud” is included in Disability Visibility: FirstPerson Stories from the Twenty-First Century edited by Alice Wong. She produced the discussion guide for Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life by Alice Wong (September 2022). In 2022 Sandy received the Disability Futures Fellowship. Currently she is the director of the Disability Inclusion Fund at Borealis Philanthropy. Sandy spends her time reading, cheering for the Red Sox, and daydreaming while drinking tea. She identifies as a queer disabled Asian American woman. 

 

Donate to Alice Wong's Recovery Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/alice-wong-stay-in-community

Alice Wong is the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, an online community that fosters and amplifies disability media and culture. A Chinese-American activist and writer, Wong fights for access and representation for people with disabilities from all backgrounds.

Wong launched the Disability Visibility Project in 2014. It began as a partnership with StoryCorps to offer opportunities for people with disabilities to record their own oral histories. It grew into an online community that documents and amplifies disability media and culture. Wong, who never felt represented in popular culture while growing up as an Asian-American girl with a disability, wanted to help people tell their stories without the filter of the media, an act she hoped they would find empowering.   

Wong’s writing on disability issues has been published in numerous media outlets across the country. She has edited two anthologies that feature essays written by people with disabilities, and she published her memoir, Year of the Tiger, in 2022.

In 2020, Time recognized Wong as one of 16 notable people fighting for equality in America. 

Wong continues her intersectional advocacy for the disability community and the Asian American community through her efforts as an activist and writer. In her own words, “I want to create a world that is reflective of all of us. This is my life’s work.”

At about 10:50, Pete and Sandy discuss a recent Teen Vogue article, “ 'Year of the Tiger' By Alice Wong Is a Letter to Asian American Disabled Women and Girls,” excerpted from the book

 

At about 11:30, Sandy responds to Pete asking about what Alice means to the disabled communities and beyond and how she functions as an “oracle”

 

At about 15:10, Pete and Sandy reflect on how relatively short the post-Americans with Disabilities Act history is and about Alice and her contemporaries as “OGs”

 

At about 17:05, Sandy gives background on her meeting Alice and “community organizing” and how “Letters to Thrive” served as a catalyst 

 

At about 20:50, Pete and Sandy talk about interdependence and community, including the symbolism of the peaches brought from Masumuto Farms

 

At about 26:55, Sandy tells of a recent birthday party that Alice threw for her; this serves as a shining example of Alice’s copious generosity, selflessness, and care for others

 

At about 29:00, the two discuss Alice’s emphasis in her book and in her life on rest and relaxation and recharging 

 

At about 31:40, Sandy and Pete examine the word “ally” and Sandy discusses what we as a collective can do to be more than just “performative” allies

 

At about 34:00, Sandy gives out bookstores and libraries of note, including Green Apple Books

 

Alice Wong's Twitter Page

 

Disability Visibility Twitter Page

 

Buy Year of the Tiger: Activist's Life

 

From Eater Magazine, October 2022: "Constant Cravings"

 

Episode 145 with Vanessa A. Bee, Reflective, Creative, and Multitalented Writer of Home Bound: An Uprooted Daughter’s Reflections on Belonging

Episode 145 Notes and Links to Vanessa Bee’s Work 

 

   On Episode 145 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Vanessa Bee, and the two discuss, among other topics, Vanessa’s adoption, her hunger for books and ideas of representation (or lack thereof) in her literary world, family dynamics and different forms of love, her various experiences living in three countries and two continents, the exquisite crafting and structuring of her book to center “home” in myriad ways, her multilingualism and its effects on her writing, evangelicalism and her coming-of-age in a changing and sometimes-chaotic world.

 

 

   Vanessa A. Bee is a consumer protection lawyer and essayist. Born in Cameroon, she grew up in France, England, and the United States. Vanessa holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Nevada and a law degree from Harvard.

Vanessa Bee's Website

 

Buy Homebound

 

Book Excerpt: “You Have to Suffer” from Guernica, 2020

 

Excerpt from Home Bound-From The Cut, October 2022-"Easy Target"

 

October 21 Online Event-Vanessa in Conversation with Sanae Lemoine for Books are Magic: 7pm EST

 

 

At about 7:10, Vanessa discusses the excitement and hubbub surrounding the release of her book on October 11, including tour stops

 

At about 9:55, Pete asks Vanessa about her history with languages and her relationship with the written word in her childhood

 

At about 14:10, the two discuss ideas of the reimagination of gendered words in French 

 

At about 15:00, Vanessa outlines formative and important reading from her childhood 

 

At about 17:30, Vanessa discusses ideas of representation (or lack thereof) in her childhood reading, and the all-too-rare occasions in which she found that representation, including the power Americanah by Adichie

 

At about 22:00, Vanessa details her college and postgraduate reading, both for business (law school!) and pleasure, and Pete follows up by asking about contemporary reading 

 

At about 25:50, Pete wonders about “seeds” for Vanessa’s book and she responds to Pete’s question about “ ‘Eureka’ moments” 

 

At about 30:45, Pete favorably compares Vanessa’s book to Jean Guerrero’s Crux and Nadia Owusu’s 

 

At about 31:25, Vanessa explains meanings for her book’s title

 

At about 32:40, The two detail the book’s structure and its use of definitions of “home” as well as the book’s first chapter and connections to “home”; Vanessa gives an idea of her mindset during the book’s opening scenes

 

At about 34:30, Vanessa explains the significance of empathy and sympathy in her book and their connections to a Page Six quote from Ishiguro

 

At about 37:00, Vanessa discusses the meaning of her names and gives background on her adoption 

 

At about 42:35, Pete compliments Vanessa for her multidimensional portrayals of her fathers, adopted and biological 

 

At about 43:25, Vanessa details her childhood homes and moves and Pete notes her multifaceted coverage of the neighborhood in rational ways and more visceral ones 

 

At about 45:20, Vanessa remarks that her two years at Internat in France were some of her “favorite childhood years” and explains why

 

At about 46:25, Vanessa gives background on her family’s move to Reno

 

At about 47:50, Pete wonders how much of joining churches, especially in London and Reno, was based on ideas of home and community and/or faith

 

At about 49:40, Pete highlights Lucky Lane in Reno, and Vanessa explains its significance  

 

At about 52:35, The two discuss a fateful phone call with Vanessa’s biological father, and she addresses the immediate and long-term effects of her father’s death

 

At about 56:15, The two discuss Harvest Fellowship and its importance in her life, including her boyfriend and future husband and his treatment in the book, and the pivotal 2008 election 

 

At about 1:00:00, Vanessa details a lack of communication between father and daughter 

 

At about 1:01:00, Vanessa responds to Pete’s questions about exposure to a liberal group of friends at Harvard

 

At about 1:03:00, The two discuss a “growing apart” of husband and wife 

 

At about 1:05:30, Pete cites a profound excerpt that sums up her time in evangelical circles

 

At about 1:06:10, Vanessa explicates the importance of her first condo that she owned and talks about the “complex topic” of gentrification 

 

At about 1:09:40, the two discuss different meanings of “home” as laid out in chapters in the book-home in the body, etc.-including ideas of colorism, racism, and the importance of Alek Wek in Vanessa’s life and so many others’ lives

 

At about 1:13:40, the two discuss “home as a safe space” and stories of sexual harassment and abuse, and Pete asks about catharsis for Vanessa

 

At about 1:18:20, Vanessa gives out social media info and thanks publisher Astra House

 

   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 me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

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.

The Chills at Will Podcast is joining Patreon in October! Pete will be spreading the word-sharing links and discussing the perks that come with Patreon membership during next week’s episode with Gustavo Barahona-Lopez. Keep your ears and eyes out as we unveil Chills at Will merch like refrigerator magnets and t shirts and unlock bonus episodes. 

Please tune in for Episode 146 with Jonathan Escoffery, the author of the linked story collection, If I Survive You, a National Book Award Nominee, a New York Times Editor’s Choice, and an Indie National Bestseller. If I Survive You has been named a ‘best’ or ‘most anticipated’ book by Entertainment Weekly, Oprah Daily, and elsewhere.

The episode will air on October 18.

 

Episode 144 with Gustavo Barahona-López, Master Crafter and Chronicler of Grief, Masculinity, and Beauty in his Poetry Collection, Loss and Other Rivers that Devour

Episode 144 Notes and Links to Gustavo Barahona’s Work 

 

    On Episode 144 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Gustavo Barahona, and the two discuss, among other topics, ideas of Chicanismo, Nepantla, and how these affected his early reading and writing, as well as salient themes of grief, loss, masculinity, and borders, real and imagined. Pete is so thankful to Gustavo for opening up about grief in his poetry collection and in this conversation.

Gustavo Barahona-López is a writer and educator from Richmond, California. He is the author of the poetry chapbook, "Loss and Other Rivers That Devour,” and in 2023 his debut full-length collection will be published by FlowerSong Press. 

 

Buy Loss and Other Rivers That Devour

 

Gustavo Barahona on Twitter

 

From Luna Luna Magazine: “gustavo barahona-lopez: on poetry, masculinity, and heritage, an interview with gustavo barahona-lopez” by Lisa Marie Basile

 

 

 

 

At about 7:50, Gustavo talks about language and reading and writing and storytelling and its impact and iterations in his childhood

 

At about 10:50, Gustavo recounts his father’s skill in and love for storytelling, and how Gustavo was shaped by this

 

At about 11:40, Gustavo describes his love for science fiction as a kid

 

At about 12:30, Gustavo talks about important his high school “Latino Literature” class was, and about meeting/hearing from Martin Espada and Jane Hirschfield  

 

At about 13:20, Gustavo responds to Pete’s question about the type of stories that his father would tell; Gustavo describes them as “epic”

 

At about 14:30, Gustavo plays arm-chair psychologist in explaining what drew him to fantasy/science fiction

 

At about 16:05, Pete asks Gustavo about ideas of representation in what he read growing up

 

At about 17:50, Gustavo cites work and writers that have given him “chills at will” throughout the years, including Aldurista’s “Yo Soy Joaquin,” Gloria Andaluza, and Tomás Rivera, whose title inspired   

 

At about 22:55, Pete asks Gustavo about contemporary writers who have inspired and shaped his work; Gustavo cites, among others, Eduardo Corral, Vanessa Angelica Villarreal, Alan Chazaro, Raina León, and Marcelo Hernández Castillo

 

At about 26:15, Pete and Gustavo discuss evolution as used in Gustavo’s collection, and Gustavo responds to Pete’s questions about the evolution of the meanings of “Chicano” in literature 

 

At about 31:30, Pete references lines from Gustavo collections and ideas of Nepantla and biculturalism/bilingualism and Gustavo discusses his own writing and history with the ideas

 

At about 34:40, Gustavo points out a poem that he believes best worked (only worked?) in Spanish 

 

At about 36:20, The two discuss ideas of masculinity and father-son relationships as themes while analyzing aspects of “Mi Padre: El Más Fuerte del Mundo” and Gustavo talks about being the son of such a big personality like his father and what has been and should be passed down to future generations 

 

At about 40:20, the two discuss ideas of awe in relation to the “indomitable” father 

 

At about 42:15, the two discuss ideas of grief as seen in Gustavo’s work 

 

At about 43:55, The two talk about masculinity as a repeated theme and how it comes out in various poem 

 

At about 44:30, Pete looks to make a connection between Gustavo’s poem “How to Make a Man” and Johnny Cash’s “A Boy Named Sue”; Gustavo describes the writing process of “Mi Padre, El Más Fuerte del Mundo,” and how it was written after his father’s cancer diagnosis

 

At about 45:30, Gustavo traces the evolution of his examination of his own childhood and its marking his views on masculinity 

 

At about 51:15, Pete is enthralled by a line about apologizing from Gustavo’s poem and asks him to describe its background

 

At about 54:15, Pete lays out the outline of Gustavo’s collection 

 

At about 56:00, Gustavo responds to Pete’s questions about the meanings of “rivers” from the title of the collection 

 

At about 57:15, Pete cites the “contradictions” and “in-betweens” of the poem’s collections and reads from a poem about 

 

At about 58:30, Pete points out an incredibly moving and apt line about those who feel grief and asks Gustavo if writing about grief was cathartic 

 

At about 1:01:15, Gustavo discusses exciting upcoming projects

 

At about 1:02:25, Gustavo reads from and discusses his poem “Mi Padre, El Más Fuerte del Mundo”

 

At about 1:06:25, Gustavo reads from and discusses his poem “Foundation”

    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 me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

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 145 with Vanessa Bee, who is “a consumer protection lawyer with a freelancing habit.” She is “primarily interested in inequality, corporate power, the American Left, and Washington D.C.,” and she “also love[s] a good meandering essay.” Her experimental memoir, HOME BOUND: An Uprooted Daughter’s Reflections on Belonging, will publish on October 11.

The episode will air on October 11.

 

Episode 143 with Neema Avashia, Dedicated Educator, Mentor and Chronicler of Moving, Heartbreaking, and Reflective Stories in Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place

Episode 143 Notes and Links to Neema Avashia’s Work 

 

   On Episode 143 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Neema Avashia, and the two discuss, among other topics, her lifelong love of words, books as sources of comfort and disappointment, formative writers like Abraham Verghese and Salman Rushdie, her own writing and its strengthening through workshops and writers’ groups and through her work as an educator and activist, her book as a direct response to uneven and often wrong depictions of South Asians and more diverse Appalachian communities, the ways in which the book’s diverse chapters coalesce, and salient ideas of home and belonging. 

 

   Neema Avashia was born and raised in southern West Virginia to Indian immigrant parents, and she has been a civics and history teacher in the Boston Public Schools since 2003. She is the author of Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, published in March 2022.

Neema Avashia's Website

 

Buy Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place

 

Neema is Profiled for CNN by Harmeet Kaur-“What it was like to grow up in Appalachia for a child of Indian immigrants” from July 14, 2022

 

Neema’s Article for Lithub from Jan. 2021- “The Deep Connection of West Virginia’s Indian Community”

 

 

 

 

 

At about 1:55, Neema sets Pete straight on the correct pronunciation of 

 

At about 2:15, Neema discusses her childhood relationship with words-with Gujarati and English, her favorite books, etc.-and she 

 

At about 6:10, Neema discusses reading as a way of exploring life outside of her small town, and highlights a seminal moment recently with hometown librarians 

 

At about 8:05-10:20, Neema responds to Pete’s question about representation; she cites racist and factually-wrong references to South Asian people in pop culture 

 

At about 10:20, Neema describes moments in which writing became a love and a possible profession for her

 

At about 11:15, Neema talks about writers and writing that gave (and gives) her “chills at will,” including the formative Salman Rushdie

 

At about 13:05, Neema is asked how teaching informs her writing, and vice versa, and she gives background on how her writing career has had stops and recent starts 

 

At about 14:35, Neema explains how a lot of her inspiration for her book, Another Appalachia, is in direct response to the book and hoopla from JD Vance’s 

 

At about 16:35, Neema further expands on how she has learned “clarity” through teaching 

 

At about 18:45, Neema responds to Pete’s question about Neema’s school community’s reactions to her book publication

 

At about 20:15, Neema answers Pete’s questions about books that have resonated with her students over the years-she highlights Jason Reynolds and Elizabeth Azevedo’s work

 

At about 21:20, Pete and Neema discuss contextualizing works that resonate with young readers when 

 

At about 23:55, Neema explains how her essays were found to have a “throughline” and how Grub Street Writers and Kenyon Writer’s Workshop (and mentors like Geeta Kothari) help the book crystallize 

 

At about 26:20, Pete compliments the book’s opening and asks about Neema’s rationale for its second person usage

 

At about 28:30, The two discuss a pivotal early passage about patriotism and “returning home”

 

At about 30:30, Neema discusses Appalachian tropes and how she balanced what people previously thought they knew about the region with counter examples 

 

At about 34:30, Neema discusses the wonderful CNN documentary done by W. Kamau Bell and how she was profiled for the CNN website

 

At about 36:10, The two discuss the book’s second chapter/essay and her parents’ move to the United States and the two discuss connections to the great Abraham Verghese’s work

 

At about 38:10, Neema speaks glowingly of the “masterpiece of a book,” Cutting for Stone, as well as Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See

 

At about 38:40, Pete references Chaya Bhuvaneswar’s fictional account of the 1984 Bhopal explosion in discussing with Neema the horrific tragedy and her father’s working for Union Carbide 

 

At about 42:30, Pete highlights the juxtapositions and comparisons between mother and daughter and mother and father that make the book stellar

 

At about 43:50, Pete and Neema discuss the “moment-in-time” essence of the profile of Neema’s Indian “aunties” in the third chapter

 

At about 45:15, Pete and Neema discuss the salient chapter regarding Neema’s connections to Wilt Chamberlain (and underhanded free throws) and the importance of supportive mentorship

 

At about 49:20, Pete asks Neema about how she sees any distinctions between “less than” and “different”

 

At about 50:10, The two discuss the painful chapter that deals with the wonderful relationship with “Mr. B.” and his family and the implications of the ensuing and ongoing hateful narratives that have coupled with the growing influence of social media

 

At about 55:30, The two discuss ideas of “coming home” in the essay that deals with Neema’s bringing her partner Laura to Neema’s various homes; also, the two talk about a cool connection and memories attached to Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton’s “Islands in the Stream” 

 

At about 57:30, Neema gives background on her ritual enacted to remember her beloved cousin after his death 

 

At about 1:00:25, Neema explains hireath and its connection to a chapter in the book; the conversation moves to saudade, the Portuguese concept that informs much of the book

 

At about 1:02:20, Neema delves into the ideas connected to sharam and links between her writing and her cousin’s social media livelihood

 

At about 1:05:00, Pete and Neema discuss ideas of shame on Sept 12, 2001 from Hasan Minhaj’s Homecoming King

 

At about 1:07:05, The two discuss the book’s last chapter with the quote, “ ‘I am from here, but no of here’ ” as a launch pad

 

At about 1:10:30, Neems talks about upcoming projects-(“Be Like Wilt” as a children’s book? Yes, please!)

 

At about 1:13:30, Neema gives out her contact info and social media info while shouting out independent bookstores

   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 me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

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.

   The Chills at Will Podcast is joining Patreon in October! Pete will be spreading the word-sharing links and discussing the perks that come with Patreon membership during next week’s episode with Gustavo Barahona-Lopez. Keep your ears and eyes out as we unveil Chills at Will merch like refrigerator magnets and t shirts and unlock bonus episodes. 

   Please tune in for Episode 144 with Gustavo Barahona-Lopez. He is a writer and educator from Richmond, California. In his writing, Barahona-López draws from his experience growing up as the son of Mexican immigrants. His poetry chapbook, "Loss and Other Rivers That Devour," was published by Nomadic Press in February 2022. 

   The episode will air on October 4.

Episode 142 with Sadie Shorr-Parks, Lifelong Poet and Creator, Aesthete, and Educator, as Well as Author of the Wonderful Collection, Honey Month

Episode 142 Notes and Links to Sadie Shorr-Parks’ Work 

 

    On Episode 142 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Sadie Shorr-Parks, and the two discuss, among other topics, her lifelong love of poetry, formational writers and poems, art’s role in her writing life, themes of her poetry revolving around love and loss and so many more themes, and the amazing circumstances that inspired her poetry collection’s title and ethos.

 

    Sadie Shorr-Parks teaches writing at Shepherd University, where she is the Director for the Society for Creative Writing. She is the author of HONEY MONTH (Main Street Rag). Her writing has previously appeared or is forthcoming in Appalachian Heritage, Aquifer: The Florida Review, Blueline, Cimmaron Review, The Hongkong Review, Lines+Stars, Painted Bride Quarterly, Sierra Nevada Review, Southwest Review, Utne Reader, and Witness, among others. Her book reviews can be found in Los Angeles Review of Books and Southern Literary Review.  She edited Becoming International: Musings on Studying Abroad in America (Parlor Press).

Sadie Shorr-Parks' Website

 

Buy Honey Month

 

Read Samples from Honey Month

 

“Making Light of It”-Gabby Bates Interviews Sadie for Southwest Review, Aug 2022

 

At about 2:00, Sadie discusses her loves in teaching, and the two discuss the power of personal narratives

 

At about 4:20, The two begin to explore ideas of perspective in writing

 

At about 4:45, Sadie lists some of the artistic works-visual, literature, etc.-that have thrilled her and inspired her

 

At about 8:00, Pete cites a profound quote from Sadie’s work that dovetails with questions for her about art and muses; Sadie analyzes the exact quote with regard to her mother’s life and her own

 

At about 11:50, Sadie responds to Pete’s questions about works/writers that have given her “chills at will,” including Warsan Shire, “For Women Who are Difficult to Love,” Marianne Boruch, Louise Gluck (“her desert island poem”), and Ada Limón 

 

At about 14:25, the two fanboy/girl as they discuss Andrea Cohen’s legendary, chill-inducing “The Committee Weighs In”

 

At about 15:20, Sadie gives some Ada Limón recs

 

At about 16:10, Pete (again) recommends “The Gospel According to Mark” as a stunner

 

At about 18:00, Pete wonders about “ ‘Eureka’ moments” for Sadie, and she talks about the “dreamy” feeling associated with grad school and creating

 

At about 21:30, Sadie delves into the significance of the title and inspirations for Honey Month

 

At about 23:55, The two discuss the “loving review” done by Gabby Bates for Sadie’s collection

 

At about 24:55, the two use a quote from Bates to discuss 

 

At about 27:20, Pete cites a quote from Honey Month’s Goodreads page and the conversation moves to Pete’s description of the collection as “quiet” and Sadie reacts to this description 

 

At about 30:30, Sadie talks about her love of 16th/century poetry and its characteristics 

 

At about 31:50, The two reflect on the quiet and nature depicted in the collection 

 

At about 35:25, Sadie references a certain poem and ideas of beauty and love being intertwined 

 

At about 37;00, Sadie discusses the recurring theme of love and breaks from lovers, and Pete notes the opposites that stand out that accentuate love and other ideas

 

At about 38:25, Pete points out some clever and interesting verb usages throughout the collection 

 

At about 40:20, Pete cites another set of opposites and Sadie is reminded of writing this work in 2017, as the world was changing so rapidly

 

At about 42:00, Sadie notes how differently her upcoming collection themes are from the first 

 

At about 43:00, Pete shouts out Nightbitch as an incredible work that so aptly describes early parenthood

 

At about 44:50, The two discuss “adding to subtract” and Sadie discusses ideas of body image, double-standards and metaphors that come with “destruction”

 

At about 47:40, the two discuss poems that feature themes of nostalgia and lost love and equilibrium 

 

At about 49:40, Sadie talks about the importance of being “even-keeled”

 

At about 50:50, Pete cites a meaningful line, and Sadie discusses various meanings of “missing” someone

 

At about 52:40, The two discuss poems dealing with love and reconciliation  

 

At about 55:15, The two gives differing takes on a key line about “endings”

 

At about 57:15-57:50, Sadie describes how a poem brought her boyfriend (now husband!) and her together

 

At about 57:55, A key line about daughters and mothers engenders conversation about a key theme of the book and how hard is it to write about beloved people (moms for sure!)

 

At about 1:00:00, The two discuss the format of 

 

At about 1:02:50, Sadie reads “The Slowing”

 

At about 1:03:45, Sadie reads “Magma”

 

At about 1:05:20, The two discuss “comfort books”

 

At about 1:06:40, Sadie shouts out places to buy her book and discusses upcoming 

 

    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 me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

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 143 with Neema Avashia. Neema was born and raised in southern West Virginia to Indian immigrant parents, and she has been a civics and history teacher in the Boston Public Schools since 2003. She is the author of Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, published in March 2022.

The episode will air on September 27.

Episode 141 with Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Brilliant Storyteller and Master of the Ethereal and the Concrete, and Author of the Stunning The Man Who Could Move Clouds

Episode 141 Notes and Links to Ingrid Rojas Contreras’ Work 

 

On Episode 141 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Ingrid Rojas Contreras, and the two discuss, among other topics, her childhood in Colombia that was full of incredibly-interesting, loving, and charismatic family members and memorable experiences, roots for her storytelling, her pivotal accident that led to amnesia, how she wrote so skillfully and memorably about such an event, ideas of curanderismo and medicines of all types, the roles that ghosts have played in her family history, links between her and her mother and her paternal grandfather, and how her genre-bending book thrills with a varied approach to history, sociology, family stories, etc.

 Ingrid Rojas Contreras’ first novel, Fruit of the Drunken Tree, was the silver medal winner in First Fiction from the California Book Awards, and a New York Times editor's choice. Her essays and short stories have appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Buzzfeed, Nylon, and Guernica, among others. Her latest book, The Man Who Could Move Clouds, has been universally-beloved and covered on NPR and in The New York Times. 

Ingrid Rojas Contreras' Website

 

Buy The Man Who Could Move Clouds

 

New York Times Book Review by Miguel Salazar for The Man Who Could Move Clouds

 

Ingrid talks about Her Book on NPR All Things Considered with Ari Shapiro

 

 

At about 2:00, Ingrid talks about the importance of finding writing community/ies and the support systems and paths that help writers on their way and supporting the arts

 

At about 4:35, Ingrid describes a relaxing and productive getaway during a recent writing retreat/fellowship 

 

At about 5:35, Ingrid responds to Pete’s questions about indigenous roots in the many forms of speaking Spanish in Colombia

 

At about 7:30, Indrig describes the “creativity” and “speak” that comes with Spanglish and similar iterations of languages 

 

At about 8:00, Ingrid describes the ways in which she and her mom and tias played a funny game of telling the most boring, mundane stories 

 

At about 10:20, Ingrid shares examples of beautiful tinkering with Spanish

 

At about 11:20, Ingrid breaks down the connotations of the terms “curandero” versus “homeopath,” as used by her grandfather, Nono

 

At about 13:00, Ingrid reflects on who is/are the protagonist(s)

 

At about 14:40, Pete highlights the journalistic and varied writing skill used by Ingrid, and he asks her about the experience of observing others but also writing about herself

 

At about 17:50-20:05, Ingrid replicates the pitch she had made originally to her editor and recounts the circumstances that led her editor to meet Ingrid’s mother

 

At about 20:05, Ingrid discusses the significance of the ways in which she inserted photo in her book

 

At about 21:50, The two discuss the amnesia events linking mother and daughter and how Ingrid was able to write about such an ethereal experience

 

At about 26:00, the two discuss mirrors as a motif and as literal in the book, especially regarding Ingrid’s first view into a mirror after her accident; they also talk about conceptions of “what are we”/“who are we” in history and in connecting to the book 

At about 31:45, Pete asks about The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Ingrid points him towards a strong depiction of amnesia with the movie Solaris (1972 version)

 

At about 38:00, the two discuss the immediate aftereffects of Ingrid’s accident and how her family 

 

At about 39:00 Ingrid talks about ideas of storytelling and metaphor that she learned directly and indirectly from her mother and grandfather and how it affected her outlook on the world and on writing 

 

At about 44:40, the two analyze the term “desandar” and the multiple ways in which ghosts run throughout the book

 

At about 48:00, Ingrid describes a sense of wanting a fresh start and living a life surrounded by the ocean and people who didn’t know her after her accident

 

At about 50:00, Ingrid responds to Pete’s questions about ideas of the pull of “home”

 

At about 54:00, Pete and Ingrid discuss ideas of history manifested in her book

 

At about 55:30, The two discuss some almost-unbelievable stories related in the book, including a possible ghostly possession of her grandfather 

 

At about 1:00:00, Ingrid discusses her interactions with her grandfather when she was a baby and ways in which he tried to safeguard her future, and he responds to Pete’s questions about her grandfather's duality

 

At about 1:03:00, Pete highlights the interesting history recounted in the book and asks Ingrid about the use of the term “The Situation” to describe Colombian conflicts

 

At about 1:05:00, Ingrid discusses the “yin and yang” of her parents’ relationship

    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 me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

Please note that the show will offer exciting Patreon benefits starting in October, with merchandise and extra content that you'll want to check out. More details forthcoming in the next few weeks.

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 142 with Robert Lopez. He is author of three novels, including Kamby Bolongo Mean River—named one of 25 important books of the decade by HTML Giant, All Back Full, two story collections, and a novel-in-stories, A Better Class Of People. The LA Times wrote, "Lopez has the ability to give readers whiplash with his unconventional and bewitching stories." 

The episode will air on September 9.

Episode 140 with Oscar Hokeah, Author of Calling for a Blanket Dance and Storyteller of the Old Made New, Subtle Master of Dialogue and Realism, and Builder of Unforgettable Characters

Episode 140 Notes and Links to Oscar Hokeah’s Work 

 

    On Episode 140 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Oscar Hokeah, and the two discuss, among other topics, Oscar’s childhood and adulthood living in and being interested by the confluence of multiple languages, his early reading of Stephen King, his love of Alice Munro and N. Scott Momaday, discussions of decolonization through his work and in the outside world, and the myriad themes, symbols, and allusions contained in his dynamic and profound debut novel. 

    Oscar Hokeah 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.  He was raised inside these tribal circles and continues to reside there today.

      He is a citizen of Cherokee Nation and the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma from his mother (Hokeah and Stopp families), and he has Mexican heritage from his father (Chavez family) who emigrated from Aldama, Chihuahua, Mexico.

You can find the Stopp family (Cherokee) in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and the Hokeah family (Kiowa) in Lawton, Oklahoma.  Family on his Kiowa side (Hokeah, and Tahsequah through marriage) organized the Oklahoma Gourd Dance Club for over a decade, and he has family members actively involved with the Kiowa Tia-Piah Society, Comanche War Scouts Society, and Comanche Little Ponies Society.

Oscar has spent nearly 20 years empowering Native American communities.  From his work in Santa Fe, NM with Intermountain Youth Centers and the Santa Fe Mountain Center, he has worked with Pueblo, Apache, and Diné peoples.  Currently, living in his home town of Tahlequah, Oklahoma (in the heart of Cherokee Nation), he works with Indian Child Welfare, where he gives back to the community that nurtured and embedded the Indigenous values he passes along to his children.

He is a recipient of the Truman Capote Scholarship Award through IAIA, and also a winner of the Native Writer Award through the Taos Summer Writers Conference. His writing can be found in World Literature Today, American Short Fiction, South Dakota Review, Yellow Medicine Review, Surreal South, and Red Ink Magazine.

His highly-anticipated debut novel, Calling for a Blanket Dance, came out on July 26.

Oscar Hokeah's Website

 

Buy Waiting for a Blanket Dance

 

New York Times Book Review by Antonia Angress for Waiting for a Blanket Dance

 

Oscar Gives a Sketch of his Book’s Plot and Themes

 

Waiting for a Blanket Dance Review from Minnesota Star Tribune

At about 3:00, Oscar talks about the blitz and fun accompanying the recent publication of his book

 

At about 6:00, Oscar describes emotional connections and favorite characters that readers have shared with him 

 

At about 7:30, Kristin Apodaca is touted as having a “Salvador Dali-style” as Oscar describes the cover and its background

 

At about 10:20, Pete asks Oscar about growing up and his relationship with languages and the printed word, including his early work based on favorite writers like Stephen King

 

At about 15:50, Oscar continues to discuss intersections of language and how he has used Kiowa, Spanish, English, and Cherokee in his life and in his writing

 

At about 18:30, Oscar responds to Pete’s questions about formative writers in life, including N. Scott Momaday, Kafka, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Alice Munro

 

At about 22:10, Pete and Oscar laugh about a cool book cameos by a “Hokeah” and an N. Scott Momaday shout out

 

At about 23:20, Oscar references the varied reading he has done in recent times, including Velorio by Xavier Navarro Aquino, and he also shouts out “an amazing time for Native writers’

 

At about 26:00, Pete highlights the recent NYT reviews for the book, and Oscar to Pete’s question about the book’s pitch

 

At about 27:50, Oscar describes his rationale in including an N. Scott Momaday quote as his epigraph

 

At about 30:00, Pete and Oscar discuss the book’s POVs and how “telling someone else’s story” serves as a successful craft piece; Oscar explains the power of this “peripheral narration”

 

At about 32:30, the two discuss a pivotal scene that starts the book and Oscar highlights “male-on-male violence” and the concept of “indigenous landscapes” with a shifting lense

 

At about 38:40, Pete and Oscar discuss ideas of “home” and Vincent’s chapter and the importance of Vincent’s redemption; Oscar highlights real-life connections 

 

At about 43:00, The two chart Ever’s development and setbacks while noting the significance of a gift given in the form of a booger mask

 

At about 44:30, Oscar captures moments of familial and community love

 

At about 45:10, The two discuss the implications of the phrase “Ni modo” and an incident with Ever and his father that was “too little, too late”

 

At about 46:20, the two discuss “per caps” and the chapter that focuses on them 

 

At about 46:55, Pete and Oscar reflect on ideas of communication or lack thereof with regard to Lena Stopp and Sissy and Ever, as Oscar talks about a character based on his mom and parenting when one’s children are in transition to maturity

 

At about 49:25, Oscar discusses ideas of addiction in the book and connections to his own communities, including how the character of Lonnie acts differently as a woman in the drug world

 

At about 50:45, The two discuss hearsay and its connections to perceptions of people, including how every character in the book is sketched so skillfully in order that they are all objects of sympathy/empathy

 

At about 52:45, Ever’s surrogate son Leander and hope and his question of “How did I get here?” is discussed and ideas of breaking generational habits, too

 

At about 54:15, Oscar points out an important scene that involves Leander and his memories and art as an outlet

 

At about 55:50, Pete asks Oscar about the book’s title in complimenting the chapter dealing with quilts and family legacy

 

At about 57:00, Oscar gives the real-life details that he experienced that gave rise to the book’s powerful and moving last chapter that involved Cherokee housing

 

At about 58:10, Oscar connects an important series of quotes to the idea of community parenting in Cherokee  

 

At about 58:10, Pete points out the last chapter’s stand-alone and combined greatness that uses ideas of community and implementing ideas learned throughout Ever’s life

 

At about 1:00:05, Oscar responds to Pete’s questions about the title’s larger implications

 

At about 1:01:55, Oscar highlights future projects 

 

At about 1:03:20, Oscar does some casting for an aspirational movie/tv show based on the book

 

At about 1:04:15, Oscar gives contact info and social media info and shouts out Too Fond of Books in Tahlequah, OK

  

    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 me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

    This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

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 141 with Ingrid Rojas Contreras, whose first novel, Fruit of the Drunken Tree, was the silver medal winner in First Fiction from the California Book Awards, and a New York Times editor's choice. Her essays and short stories have appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Buzzfeed, Nylon, and Guernica, among others. Her latest, The Man Who Could Move Clouds, has been universally-beloved and covered on NPR and in The New York Times. 

    The episode will air on September 6.

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

 

    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 me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

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. 

 

Episode 138 with Dr. Miguel Valerio, Brilliant Researcher and Student of Language, Philosophy, History, and author of Sovereign Joy: Afro-Mexican Kings and Queens, 1539-1640

Episode 138 Notes and Links to Dr. Miguel Valerio’s Work 

 

    On Episode 138 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Dr. Miguel Valerio, and the two discuss, among other topics, Miguel’s love of languages and his multilingualism, his early reading and reading that informed his career path, the process of writing for academia, and themes and salient issues revolving around the African diaspora and the great joys and festivities that came even in the midst of great hardship and dehumanizing treatment and racism.

    

    Prof. Valerio is a scholar of the African diaspora in Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula. He teaches courses in Afro-colonial culture and contemporary Afro-Latin American literature and culture. His research has focused on black Catholic brotherhoods or confraternities and Afro-creole festive practices in colonial Latin America, especially Mexico and Brazil. His research has appeared in various academic journals, including Slavery and Abolition, Colonial Latin American Review, The Americas, and The Journal of Festive Studies. He is the author of Sovereign Joy: Afro-Mexican Kings and Queens, 1539-1640 (Cambridge University Press, 2022) and a co-editor of Indigenous and Black Confraternities in Colonial Latin America: Negotiating Status through Religious Practices (Amsterdam University Press, 2022).

 

Miguel Valerio's Faculty Website

 

Buy Sovereign Joy: Afro-Mexican Kings and Queens, 1539-1640

 

“Studying Genealogies of Black Sovereignty and Joy" by Miguel Valerio for Cambridge University Press' "Fifteen Eighty Four" 

 

 

At about 2:10, Miguel talks about growing up in the Dominican Republic and his relationship with languages and the brain’s development when one is multilingual

 

At about 4:50, Miguel talks about Ruben Dario and how reading his work “ruined” Miguel

 

At about 7:00, Miguel responds to Pete’s question about his formal/school reading lists and how he was drawn to language, literature, and graduate studies 

 

At about 9:15, Miguel discusses the progression of his learning of multiple languages and any confusion that may come up with being multilingual

 

At about 11:10, Miguel explains the ways in which Caribbean/Dominican Republic Spanish is and has been viewed with the world of academics and within the field of social linguistics 

 

At about 13:50, the two outline ideas of formality and informality within the Spanish-speaking world

 

At about 15:20, Pete wonders about ideas of representation in what Miguel read growing up and the two discuss Marquez and fanboy over Marquez’s work

 

At about 18:30, Miguel details his path to academia/masters program

 

At about 20:35, Miguel gives background on his upcoming book

 

At about 22:15, Pete and Miguel explore connections to the powerful Preface of his book, a response to Imani Perry’s moving piece about joy from June 2020 in The Atlantic 

 

At about 27:55, Chapter Two and ideas of colonial paranoia over African collectivism is discussed 

 

At about 28:55, Pete cites a beautifully-written thesis of the book and the two discuss ideas of “exotic genre” and how Miguel filled in gaps in the historical record

 

At about 29:45, Miguel narrows down definitions of “festive” as used in the book

 

At about 33:30, Miguel gives historical background on groups from the African diaspora and their movement within México in colonial times

 

At about 38:25-39:57, Pete references his conversation with Vanessa Angelica Villarreal and this leads to discussion of the Vasconcelos’ quote that Mexicans are of a “raza cosmica.” 

 

At about 40:00, Miguel responds to Pete’s questions about “creolization” and the caste system imposed in colonial México; Miguel mentions a great read-Before Mestizaje: The Frontiers of Race and Caste in Colonial Mexico

 

At about 45:20, Miguel discusses the cofradias and their works, as well as performances and their motives

 

At about 50:40, Pete asks Miguel if there were any figures who Miguel wishes he could have found more information on; Miguel cites Francisco Loya, Martin, Juan Bautista (two Juan Bautistas) 

 

At about 53:00, Miguel outlines the process in writing a book for the academic world 

    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 me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

    This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

    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 139 with Felicia E. Taylor. She is an impressive creative who is an Author/PoetActress/Comic/Mom "Southern Spiced: A Brown Girl's Tale" is her first book of Poetry.

    The episode will air on August 23. 

Episode 137 with Vanessa Angélica Villarreal: Gifted Wordsmith, Crafter of Unique and Beautiful Language, and Creator of a Stunning and Memorable Visceral Experience through her Beast Meridian

Episode 137 Notes and Links to Vanessa Angélica Villarreal ’s Work 

 

   On Episode 137 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Vanessa Angélica Villarreal, and the two discuss, among other topics, Vanessa’s upbringing, her bond with her beloved grandmother, religion and indigenous traditions in her family and in her communities, punishing and overbearing institutions that oppressed her as a student, finding solace in books and poetry and bands, and ideas both historical and personal that inform her standout poetry collection.

   Vanessa Angélica Villarreal was born in the Rio Grande Valley to Mexican immigrants. She is the author of the award-winning collection Beast Meridian (Noemi Press, Akrilica Series 2017), recipient of a 2019 Whiting Award, a Kate Tufts Discovery Award nomination, and winner of the John A. Robertson Award for Best First Book of Poetry from the Texas Institute of Letters. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Harpers Bazaar, Oxford American, POETRY, and elsewhere. She is a recipient of a 2021 National Endowment for the Arts Poetry Fellowship and a doctoral candidate at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where she is working on a poetry and nonfiction collection while raising her son. Her essay collection, CHUECA, is forthcoming from Tiny Reparations Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, in 2023. Find her on Twitter @Vanessid.

Buy Beast Meridian

 

Vanessa Angélica Villarreal's Website

 

Vanessa Angélica Villarreal's Wikipedia Page

 

Review of Beast Meridian for Pleiades Magazine

 

At about 2:35, Vanessa talks about beginning to read at a young age, and how her dad’s music compelled her to read liner notes and still informs her writing

 

At about 3:30, Vanessa talks about childhood bilingualism and some early writing based on the loss of her beloved grandmother 

 

At about 4:40, Vanessa describes the resultant grief and rebellion after her grandmother’s death, as well as how her mistreatment in school led her to be part of a backwards educational/carceral experience

 

At about 7:35, Vanessa discusses grunge and other 90s music-”angsty” and “against the Man”-and how they led her on a path to poetry

 

At about 8:30, Vanessa describes Paul Celan as an inspiration for critiquing language in rebellious and “seek the haunted”

 

At about 9:35, Vanessa talks about how her poetry career took a pause as she began to work long hours at an early age

 

At about 11:20, Pete cites the famous quote about “art being a luxury” and Angelica adds that she considers it a birthright”

 

At about 12:30, Pete and Vanessa fanboy and girl about the previously-mentioned musicians, and Vanessa cites these creatives as “Romantics” and writers of beautiful and “strange” lyrics

 

At about 15:00, Vanessa responds to Pete’s questions about where her musical/lyrical sensibilities were born, and she expands on ideas of repetition and prayer derived from her father

 

At about 16:50, Vanessa speaks of “writing toward the body” in a lot of her work, “creating an understanding of the body”; she compares this writing to a chord change

 

At about 18:20, Vanessa highlights her father as “an intuitive composer” and his facility with sound and writing

 

At about 21:20, Vanessa discusses inspirational and formative writers in her writing journey, including Celan, Aase Berg, Harmony Holliday, Ronaldo Wilson & Duriel Harris & Dawn Lundy Martin (The Black Took Collective), and Jennifer Tamayo

 

At about 25:10, Vanessa discusses the implications and subtleties of nomenclature around Chicanx/Latinx/Mexican-American identities 

 

At about 26:30, Pete asks Vanessa about the implications of the term pocha and Malinche and ideas of women as traitors is discussed 

 

At about 30:15, Vanessa gives background on the famous quote by José Vasconselos 

 

At about 33:10, The two begin discussing Beast Meridian; Pete compliments Vanessa’s original use of verbs

 

At about 34:40, Pete’s question about the poet as speaker leads Vanessa to discuss background for the poetry collection and the ways in which she approached the pages and with what questions in mind

 

At about 38:15, Vanessa discusses implications of her epigraphs, including ideas put forth by Frantz Fanon and Gloria Anzaldua’s ideas of Nepantla 

 

At about 41:35, Vanessa cites Christopher Soto’s work discussing implications for Nepantla

 

At about 42:40, Pete references the collection’s first poem

 

At about 43:40, Vanessa reads the poem “Angélica: An Elegy” and describes the importance of the poem ending with a colon (:)

 

At about 45:40, The two discuss ideas of Malinche and her contemporary reimagining and Malinche’s connections to a poem in the collection

 

At about 47:00, Vanessa cites femicides in Tijuana and among indigenous women and “Irish Murder Ballads” as stimulus for her collection

 

At about 50:15, Vanessa and Pete discuss the myriad meanings of her connected “assimilation poems”: connections to Malinche, inversion, Spanglish, the use of footnotes, comparisons of “Girl” by Kincaid, strong metaphors, etc.   

 

At about 53:20, Vanessa gives her definition of “assimilation” and speaks of ideas of identity/agency

 

At about 57:40, Pete points out beautiful and memorable lines from Vanessa’s work, especially regarding the ideas connected to “parallax”

 

At about 1:00:20, Vanessa remarks that “100% on her mind” was generational trauma and ideas of ancestral memory as she wrote the collection

 

At about 1:02:20, Pete wonders about the animals and mythology used in Part II and how they relate to real people in Vanessa’s life

 

At about 1:05:40, The two discuss the salient theme of loss in the collection, with a special emphasis on “Dissociative States”

 

   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 me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

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 138 with Miguel Valerio. Prof. Valerio earned his PhD from The Ohio State University. His research and teaching focus on the African diaspora in the literature and culture of the Iberian world from the late medieval period to the present. His dissertation focused on black cultural agency vis-à-vis religious confraternities and public festivals in the early modern Iberian Atlantic, particularly colonial Mexico City and Bahia, Brazil. His work has appeared in Afro-Hispanic Review, Confraternitas, and the edited volume Afro-Catholic Festivals in the Americas. He is currently completing his first book, The Black Kings and Queens of Colonial Mexico City: Identity, Performance, and Power, 1539-1640.

The episode will air on August 19. 

Episode 136 with Rachel Yoder, Witty, Prescient, and Skillfully-Creative Author of Nightbitch

Episode 136 Notes and Links to Rachel Yoder’s Work 

 

    On Episode 136 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Rachel Yoder, and the two discuss, among other topics, her Mennonite upbringing that was rich with books and libraries, her inspirations from her background and from college professors, and the myriad relatable and profound themes that populate her smash-hit Nightbitch, as Rachel shares the excitement that comes with the movie being adapted into a film. Rachel and Pete also discuss archetypes and double-standards and pressures both external and internal that come with motherhood and parenthood. 

 

    Rachel Yoder is the author of Nightbitch (Doubleday), her debut novel released in July 2021, which has also been optioned for film by Annapurna Pictures with Amy Adams set to star.

She is a graduate of the Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program and also holds an MFA in fiction from the University of Arizona. Her writing has been awarded with The Editors' Prize in Fiction by The Missouri Review and with notable distinctions in Best American Short Stories and Best American Nonrequired Reading. She is also a founding editor of draft: the journal of process.

Rachel grew up in a Mennonite community in the Appalachian foothills of eastern Ohio. She now lives in Iowa City with her husband and son.

Rachel Yoder's Website

 

Buy Rachel's Nightbitch

 

Review of Nightbitch-“a feral debut” in The Guardian 

 

Information from Variety about Upcoming Movie Version of Nighbitch

At about 1:50, Rachel talks about the exciting prospects for Nightbitch being made into a movie

 

At about 3:25, Rachel describes growing up in Ohio and her relationship with language and reading

 

At about 6:50, Rachel tells of the John Benton books she read as a child

 

At about 8:55, Rachel describes how writing was a “natural thing” and a hobby and how writing became essential during her time in Arizona

 

At about 11:00, Rachel cites Raymond Carver, Amy Hempel, Lorrie Moore, Hemingway, Pam Houston, and others as “formative writers” for her

 

At about 12:30, Rachel talks about short stories that changed the way she viewed the medium; she cites Amy Hempel’s “The Harvest”

 

At about 15:05, Rachel talks about contemporary writers who thrill and inspire her, include Miriam Toews, Ottessa Moshfegh

 

At about 16:55, Rachel gives background on her immediate post-college jobs and writing background

 

At about 18:05, Rachel responds to Pete’s question about how visual art and the idea of the muse work in with her writing process and writing material

 

At about 21:10, Rachel reads from the beginning of the book and discusses the genesis of the book’s title 

 

At about 25:20, Pete and Rachel ruminate on the dog from the book as a literal thing

 

At about 26:30, Pete shares the book blurb from Carmen Maria Machado in citing comparisons to Kafka’s work; Rachel then discusses the balance between writing allegory and straightforward prose

 

At about 29:55, Pete contributes to a possible future blurb with another comparison of the book to another

 

At about 30:30, Rachel explains her thought process in not giving a name to the titular character

 

At about 31:45, Pete cites a famous quote in pointing out Rachel’s work and subject matter work so well as fiction

 

At about 32:20, Pete and Rachel discuss themes of the singular focus of motherhood and “before and after motherhood”

 

At about 36:55, Pete and Rachel highlight ideas of ambition and regret and burdens carried by women intergenerationally with regard to moving scenes from the book

 

At about 40:20, Pete wonders about ideas of blame and culpability for oppression targeting women, and Rachel analyzes Nightbitch’s background and how it informed her later life

 

At about 43:35, Mommy groups (!) are discussed, along with the lasting image from the book

 

At about 44:50, The two discuss the role and importance of the “mystic, the iconoclast” who was Nightbitch’s grandmother

 

At about 45:50, Rachel discusses the stylistic choice of italicizing certain lines in her book

 

At about 47:20, The two talk about Wanda White and her Field Guide and their importance in the book

 

At about 50:00, Rachel explains background on the needs for community and their 

 

At about 51:30, The two discuss themes of art and performance and their myriad meanings in conjunction with the book

 

At about 55:15, Pete compliments Rachel’s writing that serves as informational and affecting without becoming didactic; Pete reads a profound paragraph from page 237 that illustrates this

 

At about 1:10:00, Rachel outlines some future projects

 

At about 1:02:50, Rachel gives her social media info and recommends places to buy the book, including Prairie Lights Bookstore, where you can a signed copy

    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 me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode. 

This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

    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 137 with Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, and Tony-nominated producer. A leading voice for the human rights of immigrants, his best-selling memoir, Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen, was published by HarperCollins in 2018. His second book, White Is Not a Country, will be published by Knopf in 2023.

    The episode will air on August 12.