The Chills at Will Podcast

Episode 135 with Briana Muñoz, An Activist, Dancer, and Poet of Healing, Challenging, Beautiful Words and Author of Loose Lips and Todo Vuelve a la Tierra/Everything Returns to the Soil

Episode 135 Notes and Links to Briana Muñoz’s Work 

 

    On Episode 135 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Briana Muñoz, and the two discuss, among other topics, her upbringing and relationship with bilingualism and poetry, an eminently memorable visit to hear Michele Serros read, Briana’s performance experience in dance and poetry, inspiring and challenging poets who have inspired her, the issues and themes that populate her work, and exciting and important future projects she is working on.

    Briana Muñoz is a writer from Southern California. Raised in

San Diego, she spent a lot of her time at her mother’s Mexican

folklore dance classes and at ranches where her father trained horses

into the sunset. She is the author of Loose Lips, a poetry collection

published by Prickly Pear Publishing (2019). Her work has been

published in the Bravura Literary Journal, LA BLOGA, the oldest

Chicana Chicano Literature blog in history, the Poets Responding

page, and in the Oakland Arts Review, among others. In the 2016

publication of the Bravura, she was awarded the second-place fiction

prize. Her poem “Rebirth” was featured in the Reproductive Health

edition of the St. Sucia zine. Briana’s work was one of ten chosen

for The Best of LA BLOGA from 2015. When she isn't typing

away, she enjoys Danza Azteca, live music, cats, and thrift shopping.

Briana Muñoz Instagram

 

Buy Loose Lips

 

Buy EVERYTHING IS RETURNED TO THE SOIL/ TODO VUELVE A LA TIERRA

 

“Briana Munoz: The TNB Self-Interview”

 

‘WRITTEN WITHOUT SHAME’: MEXICAN-AMERICAN POET BRIANA MUÑOZ ON POETRY, PERFORMANCE AND HER INDIGENOUS ROOTS" from Ampersand LA

 

Briana performs her work at Voices of California, Part II (Briana’s segment starts around 41:10)

 

At about 2:50, Briana talks about her growing up- her experience with writing and language, her bilingualism, and her family’s performance background

 

At about 6:15, Briana speaks about early influences and who she was reading when she was a kid/adolescent, writers like Sandra Cisneros

 

At about 7:30, Briana gives background on a turning point in attending a live reading by Michele Serros

 

At about 10:00, Briana talks about early reading and former and current favorite readings and how she has endeavored to “decolonize your bookshelf”

 

At about 11:20, Briana responds to Pete’s question about how she reads now that she is a published and accomplished poet

 

At about 12:40, Briana shouts out the great work of Cesar De León 

 

At about 14:30, Pete asks Briana about how much she and the speakers in her poems are synonymous 

 

At about 16:10, Pete wonders about how music figures in for Briana’s creative process, and she continues to explain her family’s performance background

 

At about 18:30, Briana details her experience with and love for danza azteca, and how it influences other parts of her life, her poetry, and her mindset 

 

At about 22:30, Briana discusses the background for the subject matter of her first collection, Loose Lips

 

At about 23:20, Briana details the “big motivation” that came from a poetry trip through Cuba

 

At about 24:10, Briana describes how writing has been a part of her life since 10 years old and how her creative writing professors were very “motivating” for her

 

At about 26:00, Briana cites Sonia Gutierrez as a motivating influence

 

At about 27:20, Briana explains her performance “stage fright,” or lack thereof 

 

At about 28:20, Pete wonders, and Briana responds to his question, about readers “decoding poetry” 

 

At about 29:30, Briana talks about “seeds” for her most recent collection, the title’s significance, and a blur by Odilia Galvan Rodríguez that Briana feels sums up her writing styles 

 

At about 31:30 and 33:10, Pete and Briana explore the Epigraph for the collection and a few selected poems, especially its focus on Mother Earth as a collection throughline

 

At about 32:20, Briana speaks on the idea of poetry as “catharsis” and “torment” and various and slippery emotions

 

At about 34:15, The two discuss themes of ancestral wounds and legacies 

 

At about 38:10, Briana ponders what it is like to write about family members, and the personal feelings involved 

 

At about 40:30, The two discuss “My Poem is not a Persuasive Essay” and its standout images, phrases, and its craft 

 

At about 43:10, Briana explains the audience for her poem “Gente”

 

At about 45:00, Briana talks about the poem “Resilient Girl” and salient themes 

 

At about 46:30, Briana discusses the conscious and subconscious meanings of hands, a strong motif in the poems

 

At about 48:30, Pete highlights some stellar lines in her work as the two discuss themes of authenticity and sentimentality and nostalgia and trauma

 

At about 51:15, The theme of sensuality is discussed with lines from Briana’s work, and Pete asks her about her views on poetry as rational/emotional

 

At about 52:50, Pete cites the collection’s last poem as lines about transition are explored

 

At about 53:50, Briana reveals when she knew her collection was “done,” and helpful guidance from editor/publisher Edward Vidaurre

 

At about 55:30, Briana gives out her contact info: social media particularly, and talks about Mutual Aid Poetry Show and other future projects

 

At about 58:10, Briana reads “My Poem is not a Persuasive Essay”

 

At about, 1:01:00, Briana reads “Soft Girl”

 

At about, 1:01:50, Briana reads “Why I Refuse to Celebrate the Opening of the Sixth Street Bridge”

 

    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 this and 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 my social media in the next month, as I’ll be sharing more details about my Patreon page, which will go live in September and will feature some cool swag like The Chills at Will Podcast t-shirts, refrigerator magnets, and more.

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 136 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 2.

Episode 134 with Kirstin Chen: New York Times Bestselling Author of Three Novels, Including the Topical, yet Timeless and Universal Counterfeit, a Reese’s Book Club June 2022 Pick

Episode 134 Notes and Links to Kirstin Chen’s Work 

 

    On Episode 134 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Kirstin Chen, and the two discuss, among other topics, her childhood in Singapore and adolescent move to The United States, her relationship with reading and writing, especially in terms of “pleasure reading,” her research and process in writing two different but successful books before her current Counterfeit, the book’s success and celebrating that success, her skill with point-of-view, and salient themes in the book and their connections to her life and society.

    K I R S T I N   C H E N is the New York Times best-selling author of three novels. Her latest, Counterfeit, out now from William Morrow/HarperCollins (US) and The Borough Press (UK), is the June ’22 Reese’s Book Club pick. Television rights have been optioned by Sony Pictures. 

Born and raised in Singapore, she lives in San Francisco. She teaches creative writing at the University of San Francisco and in Ashland University’s Low-Residency MFA Program.

Kirstin Chen's Website

 

Buy Kristin's Book Counterfeit

 

The New York Times Review of Counterfeit: "Real or Fake? In This Novel, It’s Not Just a Question of Handbags."

 

 

At about 1:30-Pete and Kirstin shout out The University of San Francisco and the great Christian Kiefer and talk about their connections

 

At about 2:30, Kirstin describes the experiences that have come with her book being picked as June’s Reese’s Book Club Pick, as well as her perspective during this heady time

 

At about 5:20, Kirstin discusses her background, growing up in Singapore, her relationship with language and literature, her interest in accents

 

At about 7:35, Kirstin talks about Singapore’s connections to the West

 

At about 8:55, Kirstin gives background on inspiration for some of the characteristics of Winnie from Counterfeit

 

At about 10:30, Pete wonders about Kirstin’s reading tastes as an adolescent and she further explains the connection between the disparate emphases in her various schools

 

At about 14:45, Kirstin talks about ideas of “representation” and exposure to local writing when she was a kid, as well as changing modes in 2022

 

At about 16:10, Kirstin details those texts and writers who thrilled her as a college student, including Mary Gaitskill, Carver, and Mona Simpson’s “Lawns” 

 

At about 18:05, Kirstin describes the process of going from loving reading and writing to writing professionally and shares a cool Tobias Wolff story

 

At about 22:00, Kirstin talks about her love of fashion and how her early job at Banana Republic led to experiences that have made it into her writing; she also cites her own individual embrace of the MFA

 

At about 24:00, Kirstin discusses her early experiences with publishing Soy Sauce for Beginners

 

At about 26:15-28:35, Kirstin gives background on her second novel, Bury What We Cannot Take, especially homing in on the extensive research done for it

At about 28:50, Kirstin details her writing/rewriting process for Counterfeit during Covid and its placement post-2016 election

 

At about 31:20-33:10, Kirstin details the seeds for Counterfeit and how an offhand joke grew into a book

 

At about 33:20, Pete and Kirstin discuss the successful ways in which she plays with POV, a conscious choice to eliminate some quotation marks for purposes of framing narration in certain ways 

 

At about 36:30, Pete compliments the book as “off-kilter,” and discusses the book’s two parts

 

At about 37:40, Kirstin breaks down the dynamics between Winnie and Ava and how their immigrant status as Asian-Americans informs their interactions

 

At about 39:20, Pete and Kirstin discuss Ava’s family and a well-drawn and hilarious scene involving preschool “tryouts”

 

At about 42:40, Pete and Kirstin trace the ways in which the two women come together and where they are emotionally at the time

 

At about 44:00, The plot is discussed, with special attention to the scam that dominates the book and was based very closely on a true story

 

At about 47:00, Kirstin explains how Ava’s predicaments in the book are related to themes of “saving face”

 

At about 50:00, Kirstin and Pete discuss expectations that are sometimes put upon immigrants or the children of immigrants

 

At about 51:15, The two discuss Hasan Minhaj’s special, Homecoming King, and an unforgettable anecdote he tells from Sept 12, 2001

 

At about 52:10, Kirstin compares the Minhaj special and salient themes with ideas of the “model minority myth” as presented in Counterfeit 

 

At about 54:00, The shift in empathetic figures is discussed

 

At about 54:45, Pete wonders about what the title means to Kirstin in the context of the book

 

At about 56:40, The ideas of hyperbole as expressing truths is brought up in context of the book’s plotline

 

At about 57:45, Kirstin talks about shifting ideas of “cheating” with income inequality and ideas of  “rigged” society

 

At about 58:50, Ideas of ethical production are discussed, as Pete references a memorable scene involving clothing production in Gomorrah, and Kirstin discusses the subtleties of production that are often generalized 

 

At about 1:02:10, Themes revolving around women’s agency are discussed 

 

At about 1:04:55, Kirstin connects the “model minority” myth to Covid happenings that inspired some parts of the book

 

At about 1:05:45, Pete trumpets the book’s many strong points

 

At about 1:06:40, Kirstin outlines future projects, including her role with the screen adaptation of her book

 

At about 1:08:25, Kirstin shouts out The Booksmith as one place to buy her signed book 

    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 135 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 July 26. 

Episode 133 with Nicholas Buccola, Keen and Reflective and Innovative Political Scientist, Historian, and Author of The Fire is Upon Us: James Baldwin, William F. Buckley Jr. and The Debate...

Episode 133 Notes and Links to Nick Buccola’s Work 

 

    On Episode 133 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Nick Buccola, and the two discuss, among other topics, Nick’s early love of story and history, formative and inspiring assignments and teachers in his early education, the effects of the innovative and supportive and brilliant educators at Santa Clara University that nudged him towards his studies in political science and history, ideas of objectivity in writing, his book on Frederick Douglass, and his seminal work on the famous debate between William F. Buckley, Jr. and James Baldwin, with all of its attendant themes and connections to today’s world.  

    Nick Buccola is a writer, lecturer, and teacher who specializes in the area of American political thought. He is author of The Fire Is upon Us: James Baldwin, William F. Buckley Jr., and the Debate over Race in America, as well as a fellow Santa Clara University alum.

Nick Buccola's Website

 

William F. Buckley and James Baldwin’s Legendary Debate

 

Buy The Fire Is Upon Us: James Baldwin, William F. Buckley Jr., and the Debate Over Race in America

 

The Atlantic Article-Review of Book: “The Famous Baldwin-Buckley Debate Still Matters Today”

 

Nick summarizes the book in a video for Linfield University

 

Nick speaks about the book with the Notre Dame Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Gov.

 

 

 

At about 1:40, Nick talks about his relationship with words and language and story

 

At about 4:40, Nick discusses key moments in his reading and literary life throughout school, including Ms. Kraut’s spirited reading aloud in class, and Ms. Crawford, the “politically pugnacious” junior high teacher

 

At about 7:15, Nick cites some transformational and inspirational teachers along his educational journey, particularly those who helped him foster a love of history and political science

At about 9:20, Nick shares a cool fact about his Ph. D. invitation list 

 

At about 9:45, Nick gives background on his early writing as he worked toward graduate degrees and publication; he shouts out Santa Clara University Professor Terri Perretti’s encouragement 

 

At about 13:15, The two discuss the impact of the Jesuits and their sense of inquiry; Nick cites a shared professor, Father Mark Ravizza, and his innovation and brilliance

 

At about 16:00, The two nerd out about the Decalog, a movie series explored through a class at SCU

 

At about 16:45, Nick and Pete agree on the power of class discussion 

 

At about 18:00, Nick provides background for his writing on Frederick Douglass

 

At about 21:25, Pete asks Nick about “seeds” for his book on the famous debate between William F. Buckley and James Baldwin

 

At about 25:30, The two discuss the effects of Baldwin’s speeches on their respective students 

 

At about 26:50, Nick discusses ideas of objectivity and subjectivity in his writing of the book

 

At about 32:25, Nick discusses a debating technique that Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts highlighted-”The Jimmy”

 

At about 33:40, Pete and Nick detail the book’s structure that serves to lead up to the debate itself, as well as the characterizations of Buckley and Baldwin that informed the scenes 

 

At about 35:55, Nick dips a toe into the water in giving his experience with the book and lessons learned on craft

 

At about 39:30, The fathers/stepfathers of the two debaters are discussed as written about in the book and how these fathers affected their sons’ worldviews  

 

At about 43:50, The two lay out Baldwin’s “cosmopolitan” lifestyle and formative years in his 20s and Buckley’s Yale experience and its effect on his writing and later ideas

 

At about 45:20, Nick speaks to the ideas expressed in Buckley’s writing about Yale and today’s ideas of “liberalization” on college campuses

 

At about 49:20, Nick sets out Baldwin’s views of debate and knowledge and questioning

 

At about 50:20, The two discuss Baldwin and Buckley’s actions in the 1950s, especially their publications, that help them crystallize some of their signature ideas and ideals  

 

At about 52:50, Nick discusses Buckley’s attempts to distance himself from white supremacy in some ways while also espousing clearly racist views

 

At about 55:45, Nick compares ideas espoused by Buckley and comparisons to modern-day political coverage 

 

At about 56:45, Nick puts Baldwin’s political outlook in perspective 

 

At about 57:20, George Wallace and his connection to the book’s events is discussed 

 

At about 1:01:00, Some generalities of the debate itself are discussed, with Baldwin’s strong start and debating style and subject matter particularly emphasized, including the book’s Epilogue 

 

At about 1:03:40, Nick shares some concluding remarks about “coming to terms with history” as inspired by James Baldwin

 

At about 1:05:00, Nick shouts out bookstores like Powell’s and Bookshop to buy the book and gives contact information/social media information

 

At about 1:06:15, Pete highlights book endorsements by Whoopi Goldberg, The Atlantic (writer Gabrielle Bellot), and Ibram X. Kendi

    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 134 with Kirstin Chen, professor of creative writing at the University of San Francisco and in Ashland University’s Low-Residency MFA Program. She is The New York Times best-selling author of three novels, and her latest, Counterfeit, out now, is the June ’22 Reese’s Book Club pick

    The episode will air on July 18.

Episode 132 with Morgan Talty, Writer of Believable, Relatable, and Subtly Powerful Prose, and Critically-Acclaimed Author of the Debut Collection, Night of the Living Rez, a Tour De Force

Episode 132 Notes and Links to Morgan Talty’s Work 

 

    On Episode 132 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Morgan Talty, and the two discuss, among other topics, the “surreal” feeling of seeing his publication play out with such critical acclaim, his early relationship with languages and storytelling, formative experiences and authors and texts that have informed his writing, themes and throughlines in his debut story collection, and the seeds and background of the story collection and his future projects.

    Morgan Talty is a citizen of the Penobscot Indian Nation where he grew up. Morgan teaches courses in both English and Native American Studies, and he is on the faculty at the Stonecoast MFA in creative writing. His highly-anticipated short story collection, Night of the Living Rez, is forthcoming from Tin House Books, on July 5.

Morgan Talty's Website

 

Buy Night of the Living Rez

 

“The Gambler” for Narrative Magazine

 

 

 

At about 1:20, Morgan discusses his mindset as he was in the week before publication of his short story collection, as well as events coming up promoting the book and how it feels to see his book become a reality

 

At about 3:40, Morgan discusses his early relationships with reading, language, and storytelling

 

At about 5:45, Morgan explains his rationale for writing out Penobscot words phonetically and how the language lives within him

 

At about 8:00, Morgan responds to Pete’s questions about Wabanaki and their connection to internal and external groups

 

At about 9:00, Pete wonders about any moments that turned Morgan into a writer as well as what works-Harry Potter, Sherman Alexie’s work-influenced his own; Morgan cites Toni Jensen, Tommy Orange, Terese Marie Mailhot, Chelsea Hicks, and Brandon Hobson, among others, as “establishing a broader spectrum of voices"

 

At about 11:15, Morgan cites the importance of Jack Kerouac and On the Road in his life and writing life

 

At about 13:00, Pete presents a cliched reading list that came right after college

 

At about 14:10, Morgan expands on ideas of “representation”

 

At about 17:15, Pete and Morgan fanboy about Tommy Orange’s There There; Morgan cites it as a “turning point”

 

At about 19:05, Morgan talks about ideas of “gatekeepers” and “the white gaze” in conjunction with publishing goals and mores; he cites JJ Amaworo Wilson anecdote that is emblematic of ideas of tropes and stereotypes in publishing 

 

At about 21:20, Pete references the finishing scene of Morgan’s title story and Morgan expands on ideas of “performance”

 

At about 22:00, Morgan discusses Karen Russell, Richard Van Camp, and many others as examples of writers who thrill him 

 

At about 23:15, Morgan describes moments of discovery and affirmation through the years that solidified his career choice

 

At about 24:50, Morgan details 

 

At about 26:20, Morgan shouts out local bookstores-Briar Patch in Maine, Birch Bark Books in Minnesota, and King’s English are some examples-where his books can be bought

 

At about 27:15, Morgan discusses seeds for the short story collection, Night of the Living Rez, and how he “stumbled into” big and unifying ideas for the collection through the character of David 

 

At about 31:15, Pete quotes from a short story and connects the quote to the story collection as a whole

 

At about 32:45, The two discuss themes of inaction 

 

At about 34:45, the two discuss themes of trauma and grief and the connections to addiction and legacy

 

At about 36:35, Morgan speaks to ideas of intergenerational trauma and how he writes so well about these ideas without “sensationalizing” 

 

At about 38:00, The two discuss themes of normalcy and Pete asks Morgan about finding balance in the collection

 

At about 40:40, Pete compliments the humor from the collection and asks for the full joke of a portion that was presented in the book 

 

At about 41:35, Ideas of role reversal and maturity and responsibility are discussed  

 

At about 44:00, Pete and Morgan talk about the Mikumwess/Pukwudjies background and connect ideas of building tension as seen in the title story

 

At about 48:15, Morgan discusses future projects, including a “dark David Sedaris” project- he mentions “The Gambler” from Narrative Magazine as a taste of this style

 

At about 50:00, Morgan gives his social media/contact information

    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 133 with Nick Buccola, a writer, lecturer, and teacher who specializes in the area of American political thought. He is author of The Fire Is upon Us: James Baldwin, William F. Buckley Jr., and the Debate over Race in America, as well as a fellow Santa Clara University alum 

The episode will air on July 14.

 

Episode 131 with Alice Elliott Dark, Brilliant Chronicler of the Specific and Universal, Writer of ”In the Gloaming,” Best Short Stories of the Century, and the New Epic Novel, Fellowship Point

Episode 131 Notes and Links to Alice Elliott Dark’s Work 

 

   On Episode 131 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Alice Elliott Dark, and the two discuss, among other topics, Alice’s upbringing and schooling that provided much room for intellectual growth and inquiry, her poetry writing days and gradual transfer to writing prose, her electrifying short story that made all-century lists, the story’s presentation on the big screen, and the “saga” of her latest novel and its accompanying themes. 

   Alice Elliott Dark, author of the novels Fellowship Point and Think of England, and whose story "In the Gloaming” was chosen by John Updike for inclusion in The Best American Short Stories of The Century and made into films by HBO and Trinity Playhouse. Her non-fiction reviews and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and many anthologies. She is a recipient of a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and an Associate Professor at Rutgers-Newark in the English department and the MFA program. 

Alice Elliott Dark's Website

 

Alice’s Wikipedia Page

 

Buy Alice’s Books

 

Publisher’s Weekly Review of Fellowship Point

 

Kirkus Reviews Review of Fellowship Point

At about 2:00, Alice details her childhood and adolescent relationship with language and reading

 

At about 4:40, Alice describes a formative experience where she realized that she, too, could become a professional writer

 

At about 5:20, Alice describes the books and writers who she loved as a kid, including A Stone for Danny Fisher and work by Irwin Shaw

 

At about 9:30, Alice responds to Pete’s questions about what it was like growing up in Philadelphia and its cultures and ethos, including the Quaker influences 

 

At about 13:35, Alice talks about her early days of writing poetry and how she read widely, particularly poetry

 

At about 14:30, Alice discusses how her college Asian Studies major happily upset her ideas of form

 

At about 17:00, Alice responds to Pete’s question about any “ ‘Eureka’ moments” that convinced her of her writing prowess, as well as how watching a lot of 1970s UK punk helped her shift to writing prose

 

At about 19:40, Alice gives background on the origins of her legendary short story “In the Gloaming”

 

At about 22:15, Alice explains the meanings of the iconic first line of the short story

 

At about 24:00, Alice defines “gloaming” and Pete and Alice discuss the story’s beginning as Laird perks up around twilight

 

At about 25:20, Alice describes how she “step[s] aside” to let her characters develop and communication between mother and son

 

At about 28:40, Alice talks about her writing process and the importance of “picturing” the storyline, characters, etc. 

 

At about 29:35, Pete and Alice discuss Martin, the father in the story, and his isolation, as well as intimacy between mother and son

 

At about 31:30, Pete and Alice talk about Laird’s illness in terms of an AIDS diagnosis 

 

At about 33:15, Alice and Pete compare ideas of anonymity/Everyman/Everywoman in Alice’s writing and Chekhov’s

 

At about 34:25, Laird’s friend’s letter is referenced as juxtaposition with Laird’s deteriorating physical condition, and comparisons between Covid and AIDS are mentioned

 

At about 36:20, Pete reads and compliments the second-to-last sentence of the story

 

At about 37:40, Alice details the processes in which her story became a film and her experiences in watching the process unfold and witnessing the final product

 

At about 39:20, Alice discusses Christopher Reeve’s role in making the movie

 

At about 40:35, Pete wonders about Alice’s experience in having the story as part of 

 

At about 41:50, Pete and Alice discuss the critical acclaim for Fellowship Point and the “saga” of the book’s long life before being finished and published

 

At about 45:45, Alice details themes and aims for the book, and how some subtleties of herself came through, though the book is truly fiction

 

At about 46:40, Alice replies to Pete’s questions about perspectives shifting as the book’s saga played out

 

At about 48:35, Alice responds to Pete’s question about if the characters are/were real to her

 

At about 50:45, Alice examines Covid’s impact on her and others’ writing

 

At about 52:25, Pete wonders how Alice saw and sees the finished product of Fellowship Point, and Alice highlights Mary Sue Rucci’s great help in editing and revising 

 

At about 54:45, Pete and Alice discuss the characteristics of the book’s main characters 

 

At about 58:10, The relationship between main character Agnes and an editor, Maud is discussed

 

At about 58:50, Ideas of land ownership and parallel themes are discussed in context of the book

 

At about 1:01:45, The theme of feminism is discussed, with regard to Agnes, and how the term is limiting for her 

 

At about 1:03:50, Alice discusses what she has to say in the book about themes of aging (particularly with older women being ignored/underestimated) and 

 

At about 1:05:50-friendship lasting and love as shown in different ways

 

At about 1:07:00-Alice gives her contact info, and highlights great work by Mary Sue Rucci Books, Scribner, and Cassandra Campbell for the reading of the audiobook

 

1:08:50-Alice provides her 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 132 with Morgan Talty, a citizen of the Penobscot Indian Nation where he grew up. Morgan teaches courses in both English and Native American Studies, and he is on the faculty at the Stonecoast MFA in creative writing. His highly-anticipated short story collection, Night of the Living Rez, is forthcoming from Tin House Books, on July 5.

The episode will air on July 11. 

 

Episode 130 with Dan Grunfeld, Former College and Pro Basketball Standout

Episode 130 Notes and Links to Dan Grunfeld’s Work 

 

    On Episode 130 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Dan Grunfeld, and the two discuss, among other topics, Dan’s connection to the NBA through his father, Dan’s pressures-internal and external-in playing basketball, his philosophy/mission in writing his book, his love and admiration for his heroic and inspirational grandmother, Dan’s family’s incredible, triumphant, and tragic stories involving the Holocaust, and basketball’s role in healing and publicizing the incredible saga of the Grunfeld family.  

 

    Dan Grunfeld is a former professional basketball player, an accomplished writer, and a proud graduate of Stanford University. An Academic All-American and All-Conference basketball selection at Stanford, Dan played professionally for eight seasons in top leagues around the world, including in Germany, Spain, and Israel. Dan’s writing has been published more than 40 times in media outlets such as Sports Illustrated, The Jerusalem Post, and NBC News. Dan earned his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2017 and lives with his wife and son in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he works in venture capital.

 

 

Dan Grunfeld’s Website

 

Buy By the Grace of the Game: The Holocaust, a Basketball Legacy, and an Unprecedented American Dream

 

Dan Grunfeld’s Wikipedia Page

 

Dan and His Book Featured on TMJ4 News

 

At about 2:05, Dan details his relationship with languages and reading-a fellow Matt Christopher 

 

At about 3:50, Dan connects storytelling’s importance and growing up as the child of immigrants

 

At about 5:00, Dan gives info on where to buy his book, his “true labor of love” and the process of writing and publishing and the appearances he has made since the book was published

 

At about 7:30, Dan highlights his grandmother 

 

At about 7:55, Dan is highly complimentary of the legendary Ray Allen, who wrote the book’s Foreword

 

At about 10:50, Dan gives background on what it was like to be the son of a NBA general manager

 

At about 13:25, Dan gives background on how the book was thought up

 

At about 15:15, Dan details his writing process, specifically how his formal and informal interviews took place

 

At about 16:30, Dan talks about food as a “vessel of love” and its importance in his book and in his life

 

At about 17:40, Pete parallels Dan’s love of his grandmother’s cooking

 

At about 18:55, Dan emphasizes the fact that his father and family stressed Dan’s academic excellence over putting pressure on him to be a basketball star

 

At about 20:05, Dan explains the internal pressure to “make it as a basketball player” and how his family’s histories brought on pressure 

 

At about 21:05, Pete and Dan discuss connections between Anyu’s idyllic childhood and events from the iconic Night by Elie Wiesel

 

At about 23:10, Pete details, to Dan’s point about the importance of telling individual stories to better understand the unfathomable histories, the power of LA’s Museum of Tolerance 

 

At about 24:35, Dan talks about the symbolism and importance of a family heirloom, a silver spoon

 

At about 26:25, Dan talks about pressures put upon him and connections to a NBA decision maker

 

At about 27:40, Dan recounts details of “the greatest game [he] ever played”

 

At about 29:30, Dan talks about the intersections of Adolf Eichmann, Raoul Wallenberg and Dan’s grandmother, Anyu, in Budapest

 

At about 31:55, Pete and Dan talk about chapters detailing Dan’s improvements in college hoops and the importance of the 1936 Olympics and Jewish NBA players

 

At about 32:50, Dan highlights the sad story of his uncle

 

At about 33:35, Pete and Dan talk about Dan’s huge leap in his Stanford career and the connection between his improvement and workouts with the eccentric and iconic genius, Frank Matrisciano, “Hell’s Trainer” 

 

At about 40:10, Pete asks Dan to describe the “highs and lows” involved with his huge success his junior year that was interrupted by a devastating ACL injury; Dan connects the injury to bigger themes in the book

 

At about 44:05, Dan recounts an amazing link between comedian/actor Buddy Hackett and the Grunfeld’s exit from Romania and their voyage to America

 

At about 47:30, Dan discusses the importance of a team mile run upon his return to Stanford’s team and his grueling rehab process

 

At about 50:45, Dan responds to Pete’s questions about his father’s loss of his brother Lutzi and interviews that brought out more of Ernie’s remembrances of his beloved brother; additionally, connections to Ernie’s motivations for basketball success and Anyu’s mourning process are explored

 

At about 53:50, Dan recounts the story of his grandparents and their realization that their son Ernie was a basketball phenom

 

At about 56:00, Dan tells about “asking for permission from [his] grandmother” to play in his first pro league, in Germany

 

At about 56:55, Dan discusses his experience trying out for the New York Knicks and talks about some legendary players whom he played against 

 

At about 59:05, Dan and Pete discuss Ernie’s 1976 Olympics appearance, his NBA career, and his connections with Bernard King- “Ernie and Bernie”

 

At about 1:01:50, Dan discusses the end of his own playing career and changing perspective 

 

At about 1:03:20, Dan talks about his current basketball-playing philosophy and performance 

 

At about 1:05:10, Pete and Dan discuss the ending of the book and ideas of legacy and love, as Dan reflects on the fact that stories like those of his families “need” to be passed on to future generations 

 

At about 1:09:35, Dan gives his contact information and encourages people to connect with him 

    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 131 with Alice Elliott Dark, author of the novels Fellowship Point and Think of England, and whose story "In the Gloaming” was chosen by John Updike for inclusion in The Best American Short Stories of The Century and made into films by HBO and Trinity Playhouse

The episode will air on July 5.

Episode 129 with Sam Quinones, Highly-Acclaimed Journalist, Storyteller, and Author of the Acclaimed Books Dreamland and The Least of Us, and True Tales from Another Mexico

   

Episode 129 Notes and Links to Sam Quinones’ Work 

 

    On Episode 129 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Sam Quinones, and the two discuss, among other topics, growing up in a house that exalted reading, Sam’s freelance writing training, his time living and writing in México, his love of storytelling in its myriad forms, and his insights gleaned from his reporting for his amazing recent books on the opiate and meth and fentanyl epidemics. 

    Sam Quinones is a journalist, storyteller, former LA Times reporter, and author of three acclaimed books of narrative nonfiction, including The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth, released in 2021, and his 2015 release, Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic. 

Sam Quinones' Website

 

Buy Sam’s Books

 

Sam on C-SPAN BookTV’s In Depth

 

REVIEWS: The Least of Us in Christianity Today & Plough Quarterly

 

Sam on CBS Saturday Morning

 

 

At about 1:30, Sam discusses his upbringing as the son of two teachers, and how his parents fostered his love of reading

 

At about 4:20, Pete and Sam discuss The Godfather and its themes, in connection to Sam’s father having taught Shakespeare by making parallels between these seemingly-disparate works, as well as parallels between Appalachia and Sicily and México 

 

At about 9:15, Sam explains migration patterns from small Appalachian towns

 

At about 10:00, Sam talks about his high school years and early adulthood and how they were without formal journalism training but rich on experience and story ideas

 

At about 12:30, Sam recounts the tale of his first formal interview and its transformative power on him

 

At about 13:40, Sam gives background on his time covering the punk rock scene and how freelance writing connects to the punk rock ethos

 

At about 15:30, Sam discusses his time covering crime in Stockton, CA

 

At about 17:00, Sam talks about is ten-year stint in Mexico

 

At about 18:00, Sam references writers who have inspired him, including Calvin Trillin, Edna Buchanan, and Alma Guillermoprieto, and Elaine Shannon

 

At about 22:10, Sam and Pete talk about the community of writers, with people like Gustavo Arellano who aspire to, and concentrate on, “human stories”

 

At about 31:40, Pete highlights the greatness of True Tales from Another México and its diverse and interesting stories

 

At about 33:00, Sam gives background on the beginnings of the Mexican Drug War

 

At about 36:00, Sam talks about the “scariest moment of [his] life” in researching and dealing with the Mennonite drug traffickers of Mexico

 

At about 37:40, Sam traces the story of Chalino Sánchez that is featured in True Tales from Another México

 

At about 41:00, Sam draws parallels between the “punk rock” and “DIY” ethos that brought together music movements of the 70s/80s/90s

 

At about 42:40, Pete and Sam recount the themes and details of a few pieces from the collection 

 

At about 43:45, Sam expounds upon the incredible lasting power of the PRI and its connections to his writing

 

At about 45:45, Pete discusses some “rabbit holes” that Sam’s writing has led him down, and Sam expounds upon the story of the lynching in Hidalgo

 

At about 48:50, Sam connects the theme of “impunity” to Mexican immigrant stories, especially the impunity of political figures

 

At about 50:40, Pete talks about the theme of rural living and immigration/migration

 

At about 52:35, Sam uses “La Jaula de Oro” by Los Tigres del Norte as an example of a mindset regarding immigration flows from Mexico

 

At about 53:40, Pete gives his personal connection to some of the stories  regarding Michoacán 

 

At about 54:10, Tocumbo and La Michoacana are mentioned as a happy story of innovation, and Sam mentions a cool future book idea

 

At about 55:30, Sam talks about the seeds/genesis for Dreamland

 

At about 59:40, Sam talks about free market and its connection to the opioid epidemic, and how Dreamland became a book about “deeper roots of community that we have destroyed”

 

At about 1:01:00, Sam gives background on the book’s title and talks about the hidden opiate epidemic in past years 

 

At about 1:03:15, Sam details an incredibly influential letter and incomplete science that provided fodder for Purdue Pharma and its quest to ramp up pill production and promotion 

 

At about 1:09:15, Sam responds to Pete’s question about his experiences with the feedback, community changes, and speaking appearances that came with the publication of Dreamland

 

At about 1:10:10, Sam highlights the high incidences of communities rising up and building grassroots support for change with the opiate epidemic  

 

At about 1:15:00, Pete starts at the end of The Least of Us with Portsmouth’s recovery and asks Sam why he ends the book that way

 

At about 1:18:55, Pete and Sam highlight ideas of isolation and alienation that dovetails with drugs and other solitary addictions

 

At about 1:21:15, Pete recaps Sam’s thesis as laid out on Page Nine of the book and compliments Sam’s craft in writing about neuroscience, history, etc., in the book

 

At about 1:22:25, Sam talks about the brain chemistry and “reward pathways” that have exacerbated addiction

 

At about 1:25:10, Sam gives background on the ways in which fentanyl can be successful, talking about his own heart surgery

 

At about 1:27:55, Sam provides details on the specific links between the rise in P2P meth and the growing homelessness crisis in the country

 

At about 1:33:10, Pete emphasizes the strength of Starla and Bella and Angie Odom and Rob Burd and Mike McKissick and some amazing personal stories from the book

 

At about 1:38:05, Sam replies to Pete’s question about whether or not he is hopeful after the past epidemics 

 

At about 1:41:25, Sam gives contact info and book purchasing info

 

At about 1:42:25, Sam discusses exciting future projects

 

    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 130 with Dan Grunfeld, a former professional basketball player, an accomplished writer, and a proud graduate of Stanford University. An Academic All-American and All-Conference basketball selection at Stanford, Dan played professionally for eight seasons in top leagues around the world, including in Germany, Spain, and Israel. Dan’s writing has been published more than 40 times in media outlets such as Sports Illustrated, The Jerusalem Post, and NBC News, and we will talk about and the amazing family stories behind his recent publication, By The Grace of the Game: The Holocaust, A Basketball Legacy, and an Unprecedented American Dream.

The episode will air on July 2.

 

Episode 128 with Vania Patino, Journalistic Prodigy and Thorough and Reflective Reporter

Episode 128 Notes and Links to Vania Patino’s Work 

 

    On Episode 128 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Vania Patino, and the two discuss, among other topics, her early love of reading in Spanish and English, Twilight, a formative experience for Vania as a high school reporter, her busy and educational college years, the power of Chicano Studies and Ethnic Studies classes, and ideas of objectivity and balance in journalism. 

 

    Vania Patino is a news reporter for KERO-TV in Bakersfield, CA, a former reporter for KFDA in Amarillo, Texas, and a former standout student in Pete’s English 10 honors class.

For Latino Reporter: “After El Paso shooting, Texans seem divided over looser gun laws”

 

Video from Cal State Fullerton's Al Dia Newsmagazine

 

Video and Article by Vania: "In Tex-Mex country, ‘el sabor’ helps Boricua culture thrive"

At about 1:40, Vania gives background on her relationship with language, learning English as a second language, and her early love of reading, including her love of a particular teen series

 

At about 5:00, Pete and Vania discuss the phenomenon that was the Twilight series 

 

At about 7:00, Vania describes how Spanish specifically calls to her, interests her, etc., as well as how she re-embraced the beauty of speaking Spanish 

 

At about 10:00, Vania wows with an amazing story from her third day on the job in Amarillo that highlights 

 

At about 12:50, Vania highlights important lessons learned in college ethnic studies and Chicano history courses

 

At about 14:40, Vania discusses interesting conversations around identity that came up during her enjoyable college years

 

At about 16:25, Vania responds to Pete’s questions

 

At about 18:20-27:30, Vania recounts an incredibly impactful experience in covering a 2015 Donald Trump speech in San Pedro 

 

At about 27:35, Vania talks about her time in Amarillo, Texas, including covering a different political arena than she was used to

 

At about 29:50, Vania talks about formative experiences from her busy college days, and shouts out mentor Inez Gonzalez

 

At about 32:00, Vania recounts a funny anecdote about interning with NBC News with Lester Holt 

 

At about 37:00, Vania gives the story of the horrific tragedy in Thousand Oaks, sadly the first of many mass shootings that she has covered 

 

At about 42:30, Vania tells a story that is emblematic of being innovative and dogged in pursuing a local angle to a national story 

 

At about 46:15, Vania explains the writing and background work for a news “package”

 

At about 50:55, Vania responds to Pete wondering about how she balances formal and informal presentations of the news

 

At about 53:30, Vania discusses ideas of objectivity in reporting, particularly post-Trump as POTUS

 

At about 57:30, Vania answers Pete’s question about which tv shows/movies “get it right” with regard to a realistic view of the newsroom

 

At about 59:40, Vania responds to Pete’s question about the responsibilities that come with doing translation in news

 

At about 1:04:30, Vania discusses future projects

 

At about 1:08:40, Vania gives contact information/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 129 with Sam Quinones, a journalist, storyteller, former LA Times reporter, and author of three acclaimed books of narrative nonfiction, including The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth, released in 2021, and his 2015 release, Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic. 

The episode will air on June 28.

Episode 127 with Raina Kelley, Innovative, Creative Storyteller and Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of Andscape

Episode 127 Notes and Links to Raina Kelley’s Work 

 

    On Episode 127 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Raina Kelley, and the two discuss, among other topics, their shared love of the Oxford Comma, Raina’s single mindedness in reading widely, her circuitous route from studying theater to journalism, cultural criticism, and editorship, the intricacies of keeping a multimedia presence, Andscape’s mission and goals and structure, and political activism in sport. 

 

    Raina Kelley is Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of Andscape, formerly The Undefeated, a Black media platform dedicated to creating, highlighting, and uplifting the diverse stories of Black identity. She is also a former deputy editor at ESPN The Magazine.

ESPN Press Room Bio for Raina Kelley

 

Andscape Website

 

Raina on ESPN PRod Pod in March 2022

 

February 2022 Article from New York Times: “ESPN Rebrands Black-Focused Undefeated Site as Andscape”

At about 1:25, Raina talks about her “superpower” of always reading 

 

At about 3:40, Raina discusses One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest as an indicator of grade-level reading 

 

At about 5:00, Raina discusses favorite books

 

At about 6:45, Pete and Raina investigate Castaway and its a passive/proactive protagonist

 

At about 7:45, Raina responds to Pete’s questions about Raina’s writing and reading journey, and Raina gives background on her formidable drama base

 

At about 10:20, Pete and Raina geek out over Anna Deavere Smith’s “magnificent” Twilight: Los Angeles

 

At about 12:30, Raina keeps it cool about her alma mater Yale’s Skull and Bones, and how her career path took shape after college

 

At about 15:20, Raina talks about her “long and winding road” to journalism, and how “storytelling” was always her highest priority

 

At about 16:10, Pete asks Raina to compare and contrast theater writing and journalism 

 

At about 17:50, Raina and Pete reminisce and lament over 2008-2022 in talking about the drastically-different worlds of Obama and Trump

 

At about 20:20, Raina talks about ideas of “authenticity” and inclusion in contemporary society 

 

At about 21:00, Pete uses James Patterson’s recent comments as a springboard to ask Raina questions about her experiences as a Black woman in worlds often heavy on white men’s influence

 

At about 25:50, Raina explains her role at ESPN: The Magazine, including a detailed explanation of what a “deputy editor” does

 

At about 28:00, Raina responds to Pete’s questions about an editor’s balancing act in respecting a writer’s autonomy and voice while performing one’s editing duties

 

At about 31:00, Pete wonders about Raina’s sports fandom/interest

 

At about 33:05, Raina shouts out the Best American anthology and its collections of great sportswriting

 

At about 35:00, Raina is asked about reasons for the rise or perception of the rise of players as activists

 

At about 37:50, Raina talks about multimedia’s rise in line with the decline of physical newspapers and magazines

 

At about 41:25, Raina talks about what drew her to The Undefeated 

 

At about 43:30, Raina discusses the audiences for The Undefeated and Andscape and “fine-tuning” voice and inclusion

 

At about 44:40, Raina talks about a dream collaboration with Hamilton and The Undefeated, under the care of Kelley L. Carter

 

At about 45:40, Raina further discusses Andscape’s name origin and its changing role in 2022

 

At about 47:50, Pete and Raina talk about the idea of the diversity within and among Black points-of-view

 

At about 49:10, Pete highlights three representative articles from the week’s Andscape that show a diversity of thought and subject matter 

 

At about 50:00, Raina discusses future projects for Andscape, including Jason Reid’s book, The Rise of the Black Quarterback, being published through the company’s imprint 

 

At about 51:30, Pete’s son and his jaguar toy make an appearance!

 

At about 52:20, Raina gives 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 128 with Vania Patino. Vania is a news reporter for KERO-TV in Bakersfield, CA, a former reporter for KFDA in Amarillo, Texas, and a former standout student in Pete’s English 10 honors class. This is going to be quite a treat for Pete! 

The episode will air on June 21.

Episode 126 with Kevin Owens, Author of Overseas Famous, Owner of Countless Classic Stories about Playing Ball Overseas, and Founder of Overseas Famous, LLC

 

Episode 126 Notes and Links to Kevin Owens’ Work 

 

    Kevin Owens is a veteran of overseas professional basketball and a current teacher and basketball coach. He is an entrepreneur and founder of Overseas Famous LLC, a multimedia platform created to give athletes playing abroad a voice. These stories provide a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on with overseas sports. His 2021 book is called Overseas Famous. While he had the name first, he is now the second most popular Kevin Owens in the world.

 

Buy Overseas Famous: The Travels and Tribulations of a Basketball Globetrotter

Overseas Famous, LLC, Website

 

Overseas Famous Podcast

“BEHIND THE SCENES OF OVERSEAS PRO BASKETBALL WITH KEVIN OWENS” in Joker Mag-Written by Tyler O’Shea  

 

   Thank you for listening to Episode 126 with Kevin Owens. 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 this and 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 127 with Raina Kelley, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of Andscape, formerly The Undefeated, a Black media platform dedicated to creating, highlighting, and uplifting the diverse stories of Black identity. She is also a former deputy editor at ESPN The Magazine.

    The episode will air on June 14.

    For now, thanks again for listening, and I hope that these quarantine days bring you texts by writers with MAD Skills, like Kevin Owens, whose works, like Overseas Famous, gives you    laughs, and chills    at     will.

Episode 125 with Jamil Jan Kochai, Master Allegorist/Worldbuilder and Author of the Award-Winning 99 Nights in Logar, and the Upcoming Story Collection, The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories

Episode 125 Notes and Links to Jamil Jan Kochai’s Work

 

    On Episode 125 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Jamil Jan Kochai, and the two discuss, among other topics, his early relationship with languages and reading, an early fascination with Harry Potter, his family’s proud histories and storytelling legacies, Jamil’s hoop skills, his book 99 Nights and Logar and its allegory and realism, its connections to contemporary Afghan history, as well as his recent “love letter to his father” in The New Yorker.  

    Jamil Jan Kochai is the author of 99 Nights in Logar (Viking, 2019), a finalist for the Pen/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel and the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. He was born in an Afghan refugee camp in Peshawar, Pakistan, but he originally hails from Logar, Afghanistan. His short stories and essays have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Ploughshares, and The O. Henry Prize Stories 2018. Currently, he is a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. 

Jamil Jan Kochai’s Website

 

Preorder The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories

 

“Jamil Jan Kochai on Résumés as Stories” from The New Yorker, May 2022

 

“Occupational Hazards”-Short Story-from May 2022, The New Yorker

 

At about 1:40, Jamil and Pete discuss NBA loyalties as fellow Sacramentans 

 

At about 2:30, Pete shouts out some unique description from Jamil’s 99 Nights in Logar

 

At about 4:05, Jamil gives background on his family roots in Logar, Afghanistan and Peshawar, Pakistán, as well as how amorphous borders have affected loyalties and pride 

 

At about 7:00, Jamil describes his childhood moves and family circumstances that led to his family laying down roots in California, as well as his relationship with language  

 

At about 9:15, Alice Norman Elementary and Mrs. Long are shouted out as huge parts of Jamil learning and loving the English language

 

At about 10:20, Jamil responds to Pete’s questions about the roles of lore, stories, and storytellers in his life

 

At about 12:30, Jamil lists books and writers that captivated and inspired him from an early age, as well as ideas of escape and fantasy-entering a “new world”

 

At about 16:25, Pete wonders about “generations” of Afghan immigrants, Khaled Hosseini’s impact on a younger Jamil, and Jamil’s current view of The Kite Runner

 

At about 19:30, Jamil compares The Kite Runner to a seminal book in his life, One Hundred Years of Solitude

 

At about 21:20, Jamil discusses ideas of pressure that may come with being seen as a representative of Afghan/Afghan-American cultures

At about 24:00, Pete asks Jamil about “the white gaze” and feedback and thought process that went along with not translating many words from the book

 

At about 29:35, Pete and Jamil fanboy about Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Jamil details One Hundred Years of Solitude importance to him, in addition to listing 1984 and Native Son and other formative texts

 

At about 31:40, Jamil does an almost perfect job in recounting the iconic opening line of One Hundred Years of Solitude

 

At about 34:10-35:50, Pete and Jamil sing the praises of Jess Walter, as both a writer and baller 

 

At about 35:50, Jamil diagnoses his own basketball game in a detailed scouting report

 

At about 36:50, Pete asks a followup question regarding Jamil’s growth and awareness as a writer and “ ‘Eureka’ moments,” including early work done in high school English classes

 

At about 41:40, Jamil shouts out some standout Italo Calvino work

 

At about 43:10, Pete speaks of pitch for a future article 

 

At about 43:40, Pete fanboys over “The Gospel According to Mark” by Borges 

 

At about 45:25, Jamil responds to Pete’s questions about the two epigraphs for 99 Nights in Logar 

 

At about 50:00, Jamil focuses on the Kipling epigraph in describing his objectives and challenges in writing 99 Nights in Logar 

 

At about 51:40, Jamil traces the evolution of Budabash as a character and symbol in 

 

At about 54:00, Jamil responds to Pete’s questions about Marwand as a musafir and the book as charting an ephemeral journey      

 

At about 56:00, Jamil explains his mindset about giving Marwand “agency,” including how his writing training prepared him for writing about agency

 

At about 59:40, Pete summarizes the moving story of Marwand’s uncle

 

At about 1:00:50, Jamil provides background on the genesis and role of “The Thief,” an intriguing character from the book

 

At about 1:06:00, Jamil and Pete discuss the history of Afghanistan that is incorporated into the novel, including how Jamil finessed this history in a way that “benefited the story itself”

 

At about 1:09:05, Jamil describes the significance and real-world links to a scene from the book involving an uncovering of bones

 

At about 1:10:40, Pete and Jamil ruminate on praise for his writing from Jesmyn Ward

 

At about 1:11:10, Pete and Jamil discuss Jamil’s recent publication from The New Yorker, “Occupational Hazards”

 

At about 1:14:50, Jamil highlights his upcoming collection of short stories and highlights local bookstores as great places to buy his books-Bookshop.org and The Indie Book Store, among others

    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 126 with Kevin Owens, a veteran of overseas professional basketball and a current teacher and basketball coach. He is an entrepreneur and founder of Overseas Famous LLC, a multimedia platform created to give athletes playing abroad a voice. These stories provide a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on with overseas sports. His 2021 book is called Overseas Famous. While he had the name first, he is now the second most popular Kevin Owens in the world.

    The episode will air on June 7. 

Episode 124 with Robin Peguero, Exciting New Voice, Legal Insider, and Crafter of the Exciting and Evocative Thriller, With Prejudice

Episode 124 Notes and Links to Robin Peguero’s Work 

 

    On Episode 124 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Robin Peguero, and the two discuss, among other topics, Robin’s early writing and reading influences, Pete and Robin’s shared love for, and awe of, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Robin’s experience in government and law that have influenced his worldviews and writing, and the background, real-life parallels, and themes featured in Robin’s With Prejudice. 

    An Afro-Latino and the son of immigrants, Robin Peguero graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He has written for the Miami Herald, the Harvard Crimson, and the Harvard Law Review, and he served as a press spokesman in the U.S. House and as a speechwriter in the U.S. Senate before becoming a lawyer. He is currently a U.S. House investigative counsel working on domestic terrorism.

Buy With Prejudice by Robin Peguero

 

Shelf Awareness: Interview with Robin Peguero

 

The Big Thrill: “Up Close: Robin Peguero”

 

 

 

At about 1:30, Robin describes the festivities for the first week of publication, describes the feeling as “surreal,” and talks about his 

 

At about 3:00, Robin gives background on his childhood relationship with language and literature and growing up in Hialeah, outside of Miami

 

At about 5:35-a Natalie Lima shout out!

 

At about 6:10, Robin details his early reading favorites and the background for his early writing, in “creating a world and making it how [you] want it to exist”

 

At about 7:45, Robin responds to Pete’s wondering about moments of discovery and influence on his road to writing, including how Garcia Marquez and Faulkner’s work influenced and inspired, and Robin’s time on the school newspaper

 

At about 11:50, Pete and Robin commiserate on the difficulty of The Sound and the Fury

 

At about 12:20, Robin details his love of Marquez’s work, including his blockbuster and iconic novels 

 

At about 13:15, Robin describes some early birthday parties that were perfect for a literary teenage crowd, and his friend as his “first beta reader”

 

At about 14:50, Robin talks about early jobs in government, and how his experience with the “slow-moving” government entities affected his worldview and his move to law 

 

At about 17:10, Robin details his experience with the defense and prosecution sides of the criminal justice, all the while writing on the side

 

At about 18:20, Robin traces the journey of the book from origin to publication 

 

At about 19:35-21:32, Robin summarizes the book with an “elevator pitch” and emphasizes the importance of the jury in the legal system

 

At about 21:35-25:03, Robin discusses the significance of the book’s title

 

At about 25:20, Robin responds to Pete’s questions about his views of the criminal justice 

 

At about 26:25, Robin details a finding about the death penalty that comes from less of a value of Black lives

 

At about 29:40, Pete highlights strengths of book and outlines some main characters and their views of the pragmatic issues of jury selection

 

At about 30:50, Robin discusses the intriguing and powerful character of Sandy as an archetype of the legal profession, and how 

 

At about 34:15, Robin and Pete discuss the relationship between opposing lawyers, collegiality (or lack thereof) among the competing lawyers, and Robin’s experience with these issues

 

At about 37:35, Robin responds to Pete’s compliments about his seamless dialogue and balance of legal jargon and common speech to capture a wide audience 

 

At about 40:35, Robin compares the legal system as represented in TV and movies to the real legal system, with Defending Jacob as one that he references as sufficiently realistic

 

At about 42:30, Robin discusses the mechanics of the backstories and past/present tense as used in his book

 

At about 44:40, Pete lays out the backstories of several important characters, and emphasizes the understated character of Gabriel Soto, the case’s defendant 

 

At about 46:15, Robin discusses the unfortunate way in which the defendant and victim sometimes become “wallpaper” and responds to Pete’s wondering about victim Melina Mora and double standards regarding women as victims

 

At about 52:00, Pete homes in on important flashback scenes, particularly regarding Melina Mora

 

At about 53:10, the two highlight effusive blurbs from Scott Turow and Harlan Coben and Robin talks about genre and how the book will be classified/marketed

 

At about 54:10, Pete asks about future projects for Robin

 

At about 56:20, Pete highlights a realistic and intriguing character from the book

 

At about 57:45, Robin highlights social media and contact info, and shouts out Books and Books as one of many great places to buy his book

    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 125 with Jamil Jan Kochai, the author of 99 Nights in Logar (Viking, 2019), a finalist for the Pen/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel and the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature. He was born in an Afghan refugee camp in Peshawar, Pakistan, but he originally hails from Logar, Afghanistan. His short stories and essays have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Ploughshares, and The O. Henry Prize Stories 2018. Currently, he is a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. 

    The episode will air on May 31. 

Episode 123 with Zach Harper: Hilarious and Perceptive Hoopshead, Multitalented Host and Writer of Podcasts like CinePhobe, Radio Host, and Basketball Writer at The Athletic

Episode 123 Notes and Links to Zach Harper’s Work 

 

   On Episode 123 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Zach Harper, and the two discuss, among other topics, Zach’s “taking the leap” in leaving a previous job to write professionally about basketball, his versatility in writing and podcasting about sometimes disparate topics, how he watches basketball differently now, interesting stories involving him and interesting people, his lifelong zeal for hoops and great sportswriting, how basketball and sports should be fun, and “good” bad movies.

   Zach Harper is a Staff Writer for The Athletic, covering the NBA. Zach joined The Athletic after covering the NBA for ESPN.com, CBS Sports, and FRS Sports since 2009. He also hosts radio for SiriusXM NBA and SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio.

 

Listen to CinePhobe

 

Featured Writing by Zach Harper on Muck Rack

 

Featured Writing by Zach Harper for The Athletic

At about 2:00, Pete gives poor Zach a tough and random question as Pete 

 

At about 3:35, Pete asks about Chris Paul’s legacy and Zach gives his thoughts on his place in today’s NBA and NBA history

 

At about 6:15, Zach talks about Patrick Beverley’s recent comments and his 

 

At about 7:20, Zach discusses his ideas of team fandom as a sportswriter and his childhood fandom for the Minnesota Timberwolves

 

At about 10:30, Pete and Zach discuss the propensity for predictions and rankings and the like and Zach’s perspective on them

 

At about 13:20, Zach responds to Pete’s questions about the connection between the fairly-new openness of the sports betting scene

 

At about 16:50, Zach gives background on his journey that took him from the court of appeals to starting a basketball website and the road to professional writing 

 

At about 19:05, Zach gives background on his reading and writing background, as well as his overall relationship with language and sportswriting from great publications like Slam and Sports Illustrated

 

At about 20:40, Zach details his affinity for the “inside” stories that he has heard from cohosts-former players like Sam Mitchell

 

At about 21:10, Pete and Zach reminisce about great ads from the Slam Magazine days

 

At about 22:00, Zach responds to Pete’s questions about cohost Rick Mahorn 

 

At about 23:05, Zach highlights an article in SÍ about Greg Maddux that changed his perspective on sports and athletes 

 

At about 25:00, Pete gives Zach room to give his own scouting report on his hoops skills-present and past

 

At about 28:50, Pete shouts out a winning basketball team from Sacramento (hint: it’s not the Kings)

 

At about 29:30, Zach shouts out Tom Ziller, Kelly Dwyer, and the Basketball Jones, among others as role models and inspirations as he got started writing about basketball 

 

At about 31:10, Zach talks about being open to learning and Kevin Arnowitz and Henry Abbott their mentorship in linking Zach with True Hoop

 

At about 33:45, The Daily Dime is referenced as a place where Zach’s hard work helped him further his career

 

At about 34:20, Zach describes his “baptism by fire” in being fairly new to ESPN when “The Decision” happened

 

At about 35:20, Zack explains the surrealism of working for ESPN

 

At about 37:40, Pete asks Zach about “personas” that may come with working in so many different media, including writing and podcasting  about basketball and cohosting the movie podcast, Cinephobe

 

At about 42;25, Pete and Zach focus on a series of articles from the summer of 2021 for The Athletic, and Zach responds to Pete’s questions about surprising/disappointing teams from 2021-2022

 

At about 44:20, Zach uses the surprising and fun Memphis Grizzlies team to make a larger point about trash talk and fun in the league 

 

At about 46:10, Pete picks the greatest dunk of all-time

 

At about 48:45, Pete and Zach discuss ideas of the NBA as a distraction, and specifically the scenario 

 

At about 50:45, Zach describes the situation where he and Amin Elhassan went on the air with very little notice after the Bucks and Magic boycotted a game in the aftermath of the Jacob Blake murder

 

At about 52:45, Pete and Zach highlight the greatness of Amin Elhassan 

 

At about 54:30, Zach charts the ethos and origins of Cinephobe

 

At about 57:00, in discussing the Rocky IV Cinephobe episode, Carl Weathers is given his just due  

 

At about 58:40, Zach highlights the way the podcast views The Room 

 

At about 59:50, Zach “fantasizes” about future projects, and shouts out inspiring ideas from friend Ian Karmel

 

At about 1:02:00, Zach responds to Pete’s questions regarding how he watches basketball now that he writes about the game as a professional

 

At about 1:04:25, Zach gives his NBA Finals predictions

 

At about 1:05:15, Zach outlines his radio and audio episode info, as well as his social media

   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 124 with Robin Peguero. An Afro-Latino and the son of immigrants, he graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He has written for the Miami Herald, the Harvard Crimson, and the Harvard Law Review, and he served as a press spokesman in the U.S. House and as a speechwriter in the U.S. Senate before becoming a lawyer. He is currently a U.S. House investigative counsel working on domestic terrorism.

   The episode will air on May 24. 

Episode 122 with Sonora Reyes, Keen Observer and Chronicler of Young Adult Stories, Creator and Host of the Twitter Chat #QPOCChat, and Author of The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School

Episode 122 Notes and Links to Sonora Reyes’ Work 

 

    On Episode 122 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Sonora Reyes, and the two discuss, among other topics, Sonora’s early reading and writing of fan fiction, their reading and life experiences that inspired their soon-to-be-released young adult novel, and themes like masculinity and homophobia that are evident in The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School. Sonora also talks about their 2023 release! 

    Born and raised in Arizona, Sonora Reyes is the author of the forthcoming contemporary young adult novel, THE LESBIANA'S GUIDE TO CATHOLIC SCHOOL. They write fiction full of queer and Latinx characters in a variety of genres, with current projects in both kidlit and adult categories. Sonora is also the creator and host of the Twitter chat #QPOCChat, a monthly community-building chat for queer writers of color.

Sonora currently lives in Arizona in a multi-generational family home with a small pack of dogs who run the place. Outside of writing, Sonora loves dancing, singing karaoke, and playing with their baby nephew.

 

 

Sonora Reyes' Website

 

Buy The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School

 

¡Vamos a hablar! | Let's Talk! — Interview with Sonora Reyes from Boricua Reads/Adriana M. Martínez Figueroa

At about 1:55, Pete shouts out a great Ace Ventura reference from Sonora’s book

 

At about 2:30, Sonora talks about her early reading and writing, including her love of fan fiction (specifically Young Justice), poetry, and her early foray into writing

 

At about 4:50, Sonora Reyes responds to Pete’s question about feelings associated with creation of characters and fiction

 

At about 6:00, Sonora discusses her reading habits as she has gotten older, including inspiration for her book coming through Zoraida Cordova’s Labyrinth Lost and Niña Moreno’s Don’t Date Rosa Santos

 

At about 7:40, Sonora discusses advantages and disadvantages of not having read much of the YA/teen genres and writing her own book in the genres

 

At about 9:00, Sonora explains NaNo WriMo and its connections to her book

 

At about 10:00, Sonora discusses the links between her experiences at Catholic school and her writing, including how catharsis and therapy were involved

 

At about 11:00, Pete asks Sonora about her connections to speaking Spanish and its usage in her writing

 

At about 12:20, Pete wonders about “representation” in what Sonora read; she responds by talking about the pull and limitations of Jaime Reyes, and the coolness of 

 

At about 14:20, Sonora talks about seeds for the book and the title’s genesis

 

At about 15:40, Sonora shouts out Jessie Gang for her beautiful cover work

 

At about 16:20, Pete asks about the chapter titles and their connections to religion and The Ten Commandments

 

At about 17:00, Pete and Sonora talks about the book’s opening, as well as ideas of Catholic school as an “escape” and religiosity from Yami’s mother

 

At about 19:10, Sonora discusses Yami as the oldest, and the oldest girl, and the extra expectations and responsibilities that come with the role

 

At about 20:30, Sonora describes the end of the friendship between her and Bianca, and how Yami’s self-realization is affected by the “outing” by Bianca that broke up the friendship 

 

At about 22:15, Sonora gives the significance of The Mayan Code of the Heart in her life and in the lives of her characters

 

At about 23:45, the two discuss ideas of rebellion and resistance as shown by Bo and other characters in the book

 

At about 26:00, the two explore ideas of “passing” and “emotional exercise

 

At about 27:30, Sonora gives background on the important character of Bo and her parents

 

At about 30:00, the two discuss the significance of a ballet folklorico scene in the book

 

At about 32:15, Sonora talks about her own experience with ballet folklorico, and Pete talks of hopes for his daughter 

 

At about 33:00, Sonora breaks down Catholicism’s connection to events in the book, including with regards to homosexuality, and outlines a possible book spin-off 

 

At about 34:55, Cesar and ideas of masculinity are explored 

 

At about 35:40, Pete is complimentary of Sonora’s light touch with the idea of constant “comings-out” and Sonora shares

 

At about 37:30, Sonora sets up and reads an excerpt from the book-the ballet folklorico scene 

 

At about 40:30, Sonora shares upcoming projects, including an exciting book that comes out in 2023, and shouts out Changing Hands Bookstores as great places to buy her book

    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 123 with Zach Harper. Zach is a Staff Writer for The Athletic, covering the NBA. Zach joined The Athletic after covering the NBA for ESPN.com, CBS Sports, and FRS Sports since 2009. He also hosts radio for SiriusXM NBA and SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio. And…Zach and I have a shared alma mater-go Big Red!

The episode will air on May 17. 

 

Episode 121 with Michael Torres, Crafter of Profound and Musical Lines, Master of Imagery and Pathos, and Author of the Award-Winning Poetry Collection, An Incomplete List of Names

Episode 121 Notes and Links to Michael Torres’ Work 

 

 

    On Episode 121 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Michael Torres, and the two discuss, among other topics, his growing up in Pomona, CA, and his childhood and adolescence influences on his work, the speaker as poet and vice versa, his early reading prompted by a generous older sister, works and writers that have thrilled him and impelled him to write, his poetry collection’s themes of identity and masculinity, and the real-life background of his dynamite lines and strong images.  

    Michael Torres is a VONA distinguished alum and CantoMundo fellow. In 2016 he received his MFA in creative writing from Minnesota State University, Mankato, was a winner of the Loft Mentor Series, received an Individual Artist Initiative Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, and was awarded a Jerome Foundation Research and Travel Grant to visit the pueblo in Jalisco, Mexico where his father grew up. In 2019 he received fellowships and awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, and The Loft Literary Center for the Mirrors & Windows Program. A former Artist-in-Residence at the Camargo Foundation in Cassis, France as well as a McKnight Writing Fellow, he is currently a 2021-22 Jerome Hill Artist Fellow.

    His first collection of poems, AN INCOMPLETE LIST OF NAMES, (Beacon Press, 2020) was selected by Raquel Salas Rivera for the National Poetry Series, named one of NPR’s Best Books of 2020, and was featured on the podcast Code Switch.

    His writing has been featured or is forthcoming in Best New Poets 2020, The New Yorker, POETRY, Ploughshares, Smartish Pace, Los Angeles Review of Books, The Georgia Review, The Sun, Water~Stone Review, Southern Indiana Review, Ninth Letter, Poetry Northwest, Copper Nickel, Fifth Wednesday Journal, Tinderbox Poetry Journal, The McNeese Review, MIRAMAR, Green Mountains Review, Forklift, Ohio, Hot Metal Bridge, The Boiler Journal, Paper Darts, River Teeth, The Acentos Review, Okey-Panky, Sycamore Review, SALT, Huizache, online as The Missouri Review’s Poem of the Week, on The Slowdown with Tracy K. Smith.

    Michael was born and brought up in Pomona, CA, where he spent his adolescence as a graffiti artist. Currently, he teaches in the MFA program at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and through the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop.

 

 

Michael Torres' Website

 

Buy An Incomplete List of Names

 

Michael’s Appearance on NPR’s Code Switch

 

"In The Field: Conversations With Our Contributors–Michael Torres"

At about 3:20, Michael talks about growing up in Pomona, CA, and his relationship with language and literature

 

At about 6:00, Michael highlights his older sister’s contributions in introducing him to great literature, and Michael details being immediately intrigued by Luis Rodriguez’s Always Running

 

At about 10:00, Pete connects Luis Rodriguez and getting attention through his nickname and Michael’s views of tagging and identity 

 

At about 13:50, Michael responds to Pete’s questions about connections between peer pressure and growing up, including how Michael’s “Down” was inspired by Kendrick Lamar’s “The Art of Peer Pressure”

 

At about 18:00, Pete flits from A Bronx Tale to a phenomenon with students’ writing their full names in past years as the two “discuss the “desire to leave something behind”

 

At about 20:10, Pete cites profound and interesting lines from An Incomplete List of Names

that deal with identity, and Pete asks about “Michael” and the delineation between his name and “Remek”

 

At about 22:00, Michael discusses what reading and writers inspired and thrilled him as he got into late high school and college, including 2Pac and The Rose that Grew From Concrete, Charles Bukowski, Gary Soto’s The Elements of San Joaquin, and Albert Camus’ The Stranger

 

At about 26:40, Michael further explains hip-hop’s influence on him, including from groups like Dilated Peoples, A Tribe Called Quest, Pharcyde, Jurassic 5

 

At about 30:00, Michael lays out events and people who helped him find his writing voice and skill and community 

 

At about 32:00, Michael highlights moments that convinced him of his love for poetry 

 

At about 34:00, Michael highlights John Bramingham and others who helped him learn about the publication process

 

At about 35:30, A Mic and Dim Lights is highlighted as a open mic spot that fostered Michael’s skills and confidence

 

At about 37:00, Pete asks about the transition from student to teacher/mentor for Michael, as Michael shouts out UC Riverside and Freddy Lopez

 

At about 40:10, Pete asks Michael about “Stop Looking My Name Like That” and ideas of the speaker as the poet

 

At about 42:40, Michael describes “writing in resistance” to conversations had at a conference he attended

 

At about 44:30, Pete talks about his favorite scene in moviedom, and its connections to innocence and nostalgia and Michael’s writing

 

At about 45:30, Pete quotes some dynamite lines and asks Michael about ideas of identity

 

At about 49:30, Michael analyzes a profound line and connects it to memory and nostalgia 

 

At about 51:00, Michael discusses community and connections to a “transaction” and the moving (no pun intended) poem “Push”

 

At about 52:10, Michael gives background on his father and perspectives on his dad’s background and its connection to their relationship

 

At about 54:15, ideas of masculinity are explored through standout lines, including “Down” and its three iterations 

 

At about 56:45, Michael talks about “masks” and tough exteriors and acting tough as ways of getting by and not getting “clowned”

 

At about 58:45, Michael gives background on an interesting and fitting phrase he uses in his poetry

 

At about 1:00:25, Pete and Michael discuss a tender line from “Down/II” as Michael gives background on the line as a mix of moments in his life

 

At about 1:03:30, Michael discusses ideas of youth valuing themselves as touched upon in his work

 

At about 1:05:20, Pete highlights a line from the collection that is representative of the whole

 

At about 1:07:00, Pete asks about Michael’s community of writers and who moves him in 2022; Michael cites Willie Perdomo, Mary Szybist and “Incarnadine,” Patricia Smith, Paul Tran, Dustin Pearson, Emily Yoon, Chris McCormick, Eduardo Corral, and Chen Chen

 

At about 1:09:10, Michael reads from “Down/I”

 

At about 1:15:00, Michael reads Part VI and X of “Elegy Roll Call”

 

At about 1:17:00, Michael details upcoming projects

 

At about 1:21:00, Michael gives out social media/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 122 with Sonora Reyes, the author of the forthcoming contemporary young adult novel, THE LESBIANA'S GUIDE TO CATHOLIC SCHOOL. They write fiction full of queer and Latinx characters in a variety of genres, with current projects in both kidlit and adult categories. Sonora is also the creator and host of the Twitter chat #QPOCChat, a monthly community-building chat for queer writers of color.

    The episode will air on May 10.