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The Chills at Will Podcast is a celebration of the visceral beauty of literature. This beauty will be examined through close reads of phrases and lines and passages from fiction and nonfiction that thrills the reader, so much so that he wants to read again and again to replicate that thrill. Each episode will focus on a different theme, such as "The Power of Flashback," "Understatement," "Cats in the Cradle," and "Chills at Will: Origin Story."
Episodes
Tuesday May 04, 2021
Tuesday May 04, 2021
Show Notes and Links to Gustavo Arellano’s Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode 56
On Episode 56, Pete welcomes Gustavo Arellano. The two talk about all kinds of interesting things-as Gustavo is a man of Orange County, a man of SoCal, and a man of the world-through his diverse interests, and prodigious and varied reading list. Nomenclature and identity, Gustavo’s writing/journalism career at The OC Weekly and The Los Angeles Times, and his three books are also key topics of discussion. “Authenticity” in food, particularly with regard to Gustavo’s encyclopedic knowledge of the history of Mexican food in the US, is also a fun discussion springboard.
Gustavo Arellano is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, covering Southern California everything and a bunch of the West and beyond. He previously worked at OC Weekly, where he was an investigative reporter for 15 years and editor for six, wrote a column called ¡Ask a Mexican! and is the author of Ask a Mexican, Orange County: A Personal History, and Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America. He’s the child of two Mexican immigrants, one of whom came to this country in the trunk of a Chevy.
Buy Gustavo's Three Books Here (Bookshop)
Buy Gustavo's Three Books Here (Amazon)
Gustavo Arellano Los Angeles Times Page with Columns
The Times: A Daily Podcast Hosted by Gustavo for The Los Angeles Times-Starts May 3!
From opening to about 3:25, Pete welcomes Gustavo and Gustavo talks about the aims of his weekly newsletter, Gustavo’s Weekly Newsletter/Canto, including a personal story of discrimination his father faced, featured in the April 4 edition
At about 3:30, Gustavo talks about his philosophy of looking forward and mostly eschewing nostalgia, though there are many things to be learned from the past, particularly in these times of racial reckonings
At about 5:45, Gustavo talks about his desire to be read, even if people don’t “like” him or his writing
At about 6:40, Gustavo talks about childhood, early reading and writing, his early reading and writing influences, and his experiences with Spanish and English, through the prism of his relationship with his parents, immigrants from Zacatecas
At about 11:45, Gustavo talks about his days in which he didn’t always get the grades that matched his intellect and his intellectual curiosity
At about 13:20, Gustavo talks about his early love of reading-including an obsession with The Guinness Book of World Records, encyclopedias, and biographies of historical figures, and much of Stephen King’s work; also, “Americana classics” like The Grapes of Wrath, and the work of The Beat Poets, Joyce Carol Oates and others on sports, Neruda, and on and on
At about 18:20, Gustavo talks about his journalistic influences from a young, including the dream team of writers from 90s Sports Illustrated
At about 20:15, Pete and Gustavo talk about the large number of writers inspired by Sports Illustrated, including previous Chills at Will Podcast guests Keegan Hamilton, Jon Finkel, and Jeff Pearlman
At about 20:50, Gustavo talks about his days in college, his studies in filmmaking, and what being selected as “Most Likely to Succeed” meant to him
At about 22:30, Gustavo talks about his own expectations and his responsibilities as a reporter
At about 23:30, Gustavo tells his “origin story” about how he got started at The OC Weekly and his early connections with the magazine and its editor, Will Swaim
At about 29:00, Gustavo talks about satire and his (in Pete’s words, “incredible and thorough”) presentation on satire done when he came into Pete’s class; he talks about the weapon that is satire against the powerful
At about 31:45, Gustavo talks about his idea of “afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted,” attributed to “Mr. Dooley”
At around 33:20, Gustavo talks about the beginnings of his famous column, “Ask a Mexican”
At around 40:15, Gustavo talks about blowback/criticism he received for his “Ask a Mexican” column
At around 41:50, Gustavo talks about “Ask a Mexican” grew in popularity from an underground phenomenon, including when future The Chills at Will Podcast guest and skilled writer, Daniel Hernández did a feature on Gustavo’s column for The Los Angeles Times in 2006
At around 44:15, Gustavo talks about the investigative reporting he did with The OC Weekly, including writing that took on powerful entities like The Catholic Church and the county’s political establishment
At about 45:40, Gustavo talks about his love of etymology, and the fact that “language as fluid” and evolution is a must, with regards to the use of terms like “latinx,” “Chicano/a,” etc.
At about 48:40, Gustavo describes why he starts his book Orange County: A Personal History, with a banal description of the supposed “Reconquista”
At about 50:25, Gustavo talks about how some things have changed in Orange County-demographics, party affiliation-since he published the book, and how some things have stayed the same (corruption, racism, political ineptitude)
At about 52:00, Gustavo talks about the opening anecdote from his book Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, and how his meal at a Mexican restaurant with Tom Tancredo in many ways sums up America’s relationship with those from Mexico
At about 53:50, Gustavo talks about his book on the history of Mexican food in the the US, and the historical connection of “foreign food” and its connection to “othering”
At about 55:45, Gustavo talks about the idea of “authenticity” in food, including how the idea has been in many ways commodified and made murky by capitalism
At about 58:30, Gustavo talks about the first “viral stars of Mexican food,” the “chili queens” of San Antonio and the tamale wagons of Los Angeles
At about 1:00:51, Gustavo talks about his writing for The Los Angeles Times, stories about “Who we were, who we are, and who we’re becoming as Californians”
At about 1:04:35, Gustavo talks about upcoming projects, as he is a tireless worker, including the May 3 premiere of his new podcast through The Los Angeles Times, The Times
At about 1:07:00, Gustavo talks about Naugles, his appearance on The Taco Chronicles on Netflix, and the fact that hard shell tacos shouldn’t be dismissed as “inauthentic”
At about 1:09:00, Gustavo talks about the challenges of being a writer in 2021, including the pull of print publications (he’s a big fan of Private Eye Magazine)
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 Spotify and on Amazon Music. You can find this episode, and many past episodes, on The Chills at Will Podcast YouTube Channel. While you’re there, please subscribe to the page.
Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1.
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.
Tuesday Apr 27, 2021
Tuesday Apr 27, 2021
Show Notes and Links to Scott Ellsworth’s Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode 55
On Episode 55, Pete talks with Scott Ellsworth about the writing life, his interests and inspirations, and the incredible events and personalities that surround the famous “Secret Game” between the players of North Carolina College for Negroes and the white players of Duke University’s Medical School. Scott’s book on the subject is The Secret Game: A Wartime Story of Courage, Change, and Basketball's Lost Triumph.
The two also discuss the research and events surrounding the Tulsa Race Massacre and Scott’s highly-acclaimed book, set to come out on May 18, The Ground Breaking: An American City and Its Search for Justice.
Scott Ellsworth is the New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Game, winner of the 2016 PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing. He has written about American history for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. Formerly a historian at the Smithsonian Institution, he is also the author of The World Beneath Their Feet and Death in a Promised Land, his groundbreaking account of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre. Scott lives in Ann Arbor, where he teaches in the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies at the University of Michigan.
"Scott Ellsworth's absolutely riveting book does more than chronicle the Tulsa Race massacre of 1921 and its literal exhumation. With a stunning combination of objectivity and empathy, it demonstrates how even in polarized times we can come together in pursuit of truth. Though concerned with past events, it explores every stratum of the American city now—from City Hall, to dive bars, to homeless encampments, to the living rooms of the wealthy and the poor, regardless of color or creed. Anyone interested in America's future should read it as a template for the reconciliation that lies ahead." —Tim Blake Nelson, actor, Watchmen and Just Mercy, and Tulsa native on The Ground Breaking: an American City and its Search for Justice
Buy The Ground Breaking: an American City and its Search for Justice (Out May 18)
Buy The Secret Game: A Wartime Story of Courage, Change, and Basketball's Lost Triumph
Book Review for The Secret Game: A Wartime Story of Courage, Change, and Basketball's Lost Triumph
“On MLK Day, recalling The Secret Game"-by Mark Adams, January 17. 2011, on Espn.com
At about 3:10, Scott talks about the lead up to the upcoming release of The Ground Breaking: An American City and Its Search for Justice on May 18 of this year
At about 4:30, Scott talks about his early days of writing and reading
At about 8:00, Scott talks about the texts and writers that have been given him “chills at will,” including A River Runs Through It, Their Eyes Were Watching God, among others, in line with his belief all literature is
At about 10:45, Scott relates an amusing anecdote about the great writer Zora Neale Hurston that is recounted in his book Secret Game, and Pete and Scott discuss Hurston’s interesting life and important work (including "How it Feels to be Colored Me")
At about 13:00, discussion about Aubrey from The Secret Game: A Wartime Story of Courage, Change, and Basketball's Lost Triumph leads to an overview of the historical events leading up to and including those of the book
At about 16:25, Scott talks about some of the important characters from the book, including Jack Burgess and his rude awakening to the ugly world of Jim Crow, and Dave Hubbell
At about 20:00, Scott talks about his thought process in using some of the obsolete and often-fraught racial terminology of the book’s time period
At about 21:55, Scott talks about Henry “Big Dog” Thomas, a memorable member of the North Carolina College for Negroes, and the moving late scene in the book where Big Dog asserts his pride and his independence
At about 24:00. Scott talks about how his research for the book and outside of the book, reminds him that there were so many “baby steps” in the civil rights movement, and how he hopes that he has honored them and shined a light on them
At about 25:00, Scott talks about some of the events that involved people from the book, like Aubrey Stanly and Pee Wee-events many years after “The Secret Game”
At about 27:25, Pete and Scott discuss the outsized impact of the legendary coach of North Carolina College for Negroes, John McLendon
At about 28:45, Scott discusses how he framed the narratives of Phog Allen and James Naismith and the research that connected them to John McLendon and “The Secret Game”; this also leads Scott to discuss the genesis of the book itself
At about 34:40, Scott ticks off the impressive list of firsts achieved by Coach John McLendon
At about 36:00, Pete and Scott talk about Scott’s incredible ability to connect seemingly disparate historical events in his writing
At about 36:35, Scott talks about the details of the famous “Secret Game” that the book chronicles
At about 40:30, Scott talks about the research done for the book, and how he was able to provide such a detail, including tracing a journey from the book by taking the bus himself
At about 42:30, Pete and Scott talk about the ways in which Jackie Robinson and other early “racial trailblazers”/HBCU athletes were often asked to “rise above” vitriolic and dehumanizing racism
At about 44:50, Scott talks about some of the aftereffects of the game and how he juxtaposed this effect with the racist killing of Booker T. Spicely
At about 47:50, Scott talks about the legacy of The Secret Game and its participants
At about 49:00, Scott talks about the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 and his 1982 book, Death in a Promised Land: The Tulsa Race Riot of 1921, including his connection to the great historian, John Hope Franklin
At about 52:00, Scott talks about the silences, both forced and not, that have led to an incomplete accounting of the death and destruction from the Tulsa Race Massacre; he also talks about how he is involved in efforts to do exhumations and studies into the deaths and circumstance from 1921 Tulsa
At about 53:30, Scott and Pete talk about the renewed interest in the massacre due to The Watchmen, Lovecraft Country, and the 100th anniversary, with Scott explaining why he has written a “sequel” of sorts to his 1982 book with 2021’s The Ground Breaking; a lot of the interest comes from Scott’s work on a commission to search for the mass graves of massacre victims
At about 57:20, Scott talks about reparations with regard to the massacre
At about 59:25, Scott reads a bit of Chapter One and the last part of The Afterword from The Secret Game...
At about 1:05:00, Scott talks about future projects and shouts out bookstores where you can buy his book-Fulton Street Books in Tulsa, Magic City Books in Tulsa
You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave a
five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Spotify, Stitcher, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1.
This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would 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.
Tuesday Apr 20, 2021
Tuesday Apr 20, 2021
Show Notes and Links to Ioan Grillo’s Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode 54
On Episode 54, Pete talks with Ioan Grillo about his 20+years of reporting in Mexico and Latin America, and his three books on the regions. The conversation especially focuses on Ioan’s knowledge of gangs, cartels, and guns in Latin America and their connections to the United States’ loose and byzantine guns laws.
Ioan Grillo is a journalist and writer based in Mexico City, working for outlets including the New York Times, France 24 and National Geographic. He has been covering Latin America since 2001 for news media such as Time Magazine, Esquire, CNN, Reuters, Al Jazeera, The Houston Chronicle, The Associated Press, GlobalPost, France 24, The Sunday Telegraph, Letras Libres and many others. He is the author of the books Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels (2021), Gangster Warlords: Drug Dollars, Killing Fields and the New Politics of Latin America (2016), and El Narco: Inside Mexico’s Criminal Insurgency (2011).
A native of England, Grillo lives in Mexico City.
Buy Blood Gun Money: How America Arms Gangs and Cartels
Buy Gangster Warlords (Bookshop.org)
Ioan Grillo’s Amazon.com Author Page
Ioan Grillo’s Personal Website
First six minutes or so-Pete introduces Ioan Grillo, who talks about growing up in Brighton, England, and some of the literature and writers, like George Orwell, who inspired and challenged him
At about 6:00, Ioan talks about the type of stories that have interested him throughout the years and inspired his writing
At about 9:00, Ioan talks about his style of storytelling and its influences
At about 10:15, Ioan and Pete talk about George Orwell’s impact, particularly due to his essay “Shooting an Elephant” and Down and Out in Paris and London
At about 12:00, Ioan explains the term “fresa” as used in Mexico City and beyond
At about 13:30, Ioan talks about past and contemporary writers who have inspired, and continued to inspire him, including Ryszard Kapuściński, Jon Ronson, Yuval Harari, Nicholas Pileggi, Jesús Lemus, the exceptional staffers at El Faro, Javier Valdez, and Anabel Hernández.
At about 19:15, Pete recommends the incredible read from Roberto Lovato, Unforgetting
At about 19:40, Ioan describes his beginnings writing in Mexico, and eventually covering the world of drug trafficking and the “narcocultura”
At about 25:30, Ioan talks about La Familia Michoacana, as discussed in Gangster Warlords and El Narco
At about 27:30, Ioan talks about the connection between the PRI losing power and the explosive growth of drug cartel violence
At about 32:00, Ioan talks about what he aims for in documenting real-life stories of criminals and victims
At about 34:30, Ioan talks about managing his mental health after experiencing and writing about so many sad stories and atrocities
At about 41:00, Ioan talks about the four groups who are the focus of Gangster Warlords: México’s La Familia Michoacana, Central America's Mara Salvatrucha, Jamaica's Shower Posse, and Brazil's Red Commando
At about 42:30, Ioan talks about the circumstances involving government, or lack thereof, that leads to incredible displays of humanity and criminal enterprises
At about 46:40, Ioan talks about his most recent book, and how the book starts with him connecting the New York Él Chapo trial to the flow of illegal guns from the U.S. to Mexico
At about 49:30, Ioan talks about basic enforcement techniques that aren’t being enforced with regards to gun laws
At about 51:00, Ioan talks about the tragic death of Jaime Zapata, and how he traced the guns used to kill him, and this search’s connection to the history of the recent arms race
At about 57:15, Ioan talks about the incredibly low-tech National Tracing Center for guns in West Virginia
At about 1:00:55, Ioan talks about universal background checks and other simple ways in which to cut down on gun violence, before even dealing with the tensions around The Second Amendment
At about 1:05:30, Pete asks Ioan what beliefs there are in Mexico about the amount of responsibility/blame that the U.S. has involving drugs and guns
At about 1:07:40, Ioan reads from page 344-towards the end of Guns Blood Money… and the gun museum described as a microcosm/symbol of a hopefully brighter future with much less violence
At about 1:10:00, Ioan talks about upcoming 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 Spotify, Stitcher, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1.
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.
Tuesday Apr 13, 2021
Tuesday Apr 13, 2021
Show Notes and Links to Cassandra Lane’s Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode 53
On Episode 53, Pete talks with Cassandra Lane about her journalism career, her literary sparks and heroes, and finding inspiration in her family’s history and beautiful and traumatic events. Cassandra reads an excerpt from her upcoming memoir, We are Bridges: A Memoir, while discussing the stories and background that make up the book.
Born and raised in Louisiana, Editor in Chief Cassandra Lane made the transition from La. to L.A. in 2001. She was most recently community relations manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers, where she learned to cheer on her team like a real Angeleno. Cassandra has also served as a newspaper reporter, high school English and journalism teacher, college application advisor and senior writer for a nonprofit committed to improving the quality of early care and education for L.A. County children. She and her husband are having fun raising their son, who currently wants to be an astrophysicist, artist and video game developer. She has a BA in Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University. Her writings have appeared in a number of publications and We are Bridges, A Memoir is set to be published on April 20 of this year.
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 Spotify, Stitcher, and on Amazon Music. You can also find episodes on The Chills at Will Podcast YouTube Channel. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1.
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.
At about 2:00, Cassandra talks about the busy and exciting time leading up to the publication on April 20 of this year of her memoir, We are Bridges
At about 3:45, Cassandra talks about her childhood love of reading, and how her family influenced her
At about 6:15, Cassandra talks about the influence of her uncle, a preacher, and how her childhood was influenced by the Bible as a literary and religious text
At about 7:50, Cassandra talks about writers who gave her “chills at will”
At about 8:40, Cassandra talks about the “revelatory” texts that affirmed her desire to be a writer, especially James Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the Mountain and Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon
At about 10:30, Cassandra talks about when she gained the “sense of empowerment” to imagine herself as a writer, as well as how this spurred her on to working in journalism
At about 13:25, Cassandra talks about inspiring contemporary writers, such as Jesmyn Ward, Sharon Olds, Terrence Hayes, mentor Kalamu ya Salaam,
At about 15:50, Cassandra talks about texts that spoke to her high school students when she was a classroom teacher at traditional schools and alternative high schools
At about 18:50, Cassandra talks about getting kids to read in new and exciting
At about 20:10, Cassandra talks about her work with LA Parent Magazine
At about 26:00, Cassandra talks about her short pieces, some which figured directly in her upcoming memoir, including “The Seeker and the Artist”
At about 32:00, Cassandra talks about writing about personal/familial experiences
At about 33:40, Cassandra talks about “White Oak,” a fictional piece in which she memorializes the tragic lynching of her great-grandfather, Burt, and which has become part of We are Bridges
At about 36:00, Cassandra talks about her great-grandmother, Mary, and how her story informed Cassandra’s life and her writing, as well as how Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit” impacted Cassandra
At about 40:00, Cassandra talks about the connections between 1904 to 2021 and the generations in-between
At about 41:20, Cassandra talks about the “scars” and the “silence around the scars” in dealing with generational trauma in the process of healing
At about 42:20, Cassandra talks about the pre publication press and blurbs for We are Bridges
At about 43:30, Cassandra talks about the beginnings of the book, around 2001 at Antioch University
At about 47:00, Cassandra reads an excerpt from We are Bridges: A Memoir
At about 51:40, Cassandra talks about future projects
Buy We are Bridges: A Memoir on Bookshop.org! (Comes out April 20)
Buy We are Bridges: A Memoir on Amazon.com
Buy We are Bridges: A Memoir at Eso Won Books in Los Angeles
Read Cassandra’s short fiction and nonfiction on her website
Friday Apr 09, 2021
Friday Apr 09, 2021
The Chills at Will Podcast has the world premiere of The Philharmonik’s “Writing on the Wall." The song is from The Philharmonik’s album, dropping July 26, 2021.
You can hear Pete's conversation with The Philharmonik on Episode 52 of The Chills at Will Podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, and by asking Alexa.
The Philharmonik is known for his electrifying live performances at Sol Collective, Harlow’s, The Tree Tone Records, OnTheBlock Party and at various venues in the Northern California area. In 2019, he went on his first national tour, opening for Hobo Johnson and Lovemakers alongside Nate Curry and Mom Jeans.
He is a talented and reflective lyricist, and an incredible musician, and Pete enjoyed the heck out of the conversation.
Friday Apr 09, 2021
Friday Apr 09, 2021
The Philharmonik is an American hip hop, future soul R & B recording artist, and producer from Sacramento, California.
The Philharmonik debuted in 2018 with the album “The Philharmonik.” His album includes feature songs like “Neon Lights”, “Mama’s House (feat. Hobo Johnson), “Pay me” and “Good Day” offer a variety of styles which appeal to a wide audience base. Hi album was released under Sol Collective’s record label shortly after his winter 2016 video release of Mama’s House.” The Philharmonik remains an independent artist.
The Philharmonik’s musical beginnings started in Cleveland, Ohio where he was born. He began taking classical piano at the age of 5 after he attended a concert with his mom. When he returned home from the concert he began to play songs he heard note for note. His family signed him up for piano lessons with a teacherwho played for the Cleveland Orchestra and thus his training began.
The Philharmonik was inspired by the great legends in music early on, as it was not uncommon to hear the likes of Bach, Beethoven, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan Michael Jackson, Lou Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Earth, Wind & Fire, Ozzy Osbourne, The Eagles, Eric Clapton, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Santana, The Beatles and a few hundred other artists playing around the house. Composers such as Hans Zimmer and James Horner and country music artists Willie Nelson & Johnny Cash, were on the list.
The Philharmonik even participated in a community choir and church choir. Cutting his mom’s dreams short, The Philharmonik ended his participation when he could no longer hold back the rhythm in his soul set afire after he discovered hip-hop. His Hip-Hop and R&B Artist inspirations include Kanye West, The Roots, Outkast, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, India Arie, Alicia Keys, Common and Chance the Rapper just to name a few.
The Philharmonik is known for his electrifying live performances at Sol Collective, Harlow’s, The Tree Tone Records, OnTheBlock Party and at various venues in the Northern California area. In 2019, he went on his first national tour, opening for Hobo Johnson and Lovemakers alongside Nate Curry and Mom Jeans.
Links to The Philharmonik’s Work and Allusions/References Made in the Episode
At about 4:15, Christian/The Philharmonik discusses his early influences in music, including his first exposure to hip hop
At about 5:30, Christian talks about being “classically-trained”
At about 8:15, Christian talks about the formative power of Parliament in his life and music
At about 11:30, Christian talks about Cleveland and Sacramento’s entertainment scenes and how they have influenced him and his music
At about 14:00, Christian talks about writers who inspired him in his music journey, especially hip hop artists and hip hop’s lyrical influence on him
At about 16:25, Christian talks about his reading habits and educational philosophy in using his “mind [as a] weapon”
At about 17:10, Christian discusses the background and meaning of “The Philharmonik”
At about 18:30, Christian discusses her early performing practice and his first performance in 2015
At about 21:00, Christian talks about what current musicians inspire him
At about 23:10, Christian talks about non-musical inspirations, including philosophy that inspires reflection
At about 24:00, Christian talks about his writing process
At about 27:45, Christian talks about “ownership of songs” and collaboration and how it feels to have listeners react to his music in different ways
At about 29:40, Christian talks about his nationwide tour in 2019/2020
At about 32:00, Christian talks about his incredibly memorable-he describes it as “a magical moment”-performances with the legendary Sway (Calloway) and its lasting effects on him
At about 38:45, Christian talks about his self-titled 2018 album, including his hit song “Mamá’s House” with Hobo Johnson, “Self Love,” and “Good Day”
At about 43:45, Christian talks about the powerful and moving song “20 Rounds,” talking about the police murder of Stephon Clark in 2018 in Sacramento
At about 53:05, Christian talks about the ugly repetitiveness of, and lack of learning from, American history and his thoughts on writing “political” songs
At about 58:55, Christian talks about the July 26, 2021, release date for his upcoming album!
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.
This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.
The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.
The Chills at Will Podcast has the world premiere of The Philharmonik’s “Writing on the Wall” tonight (Friday, April 9, at 8pm EST)! You can find the song on The Chills at Will Podcast Youtube Channel and at the podcast’s hub on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The song is from The Philharmonik’s July 26 album.
Friday Apr 09, 2021
Friday Apr 09, 2021
On Episode 51 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete has the pleasure to speak with Marinna Benzon, actor and poet. The two discuss her powerful chapbook, Millennial Dogeater, with its themes of gentrification, racial injustice, biculturalism, LGBTQ+ equality, and more.
Show Notes and Links to Marinna Benzon’s Work
Marinna Benzon's Personal Website
Interview with Marinna from Voyage LA
Buy Millennial Dogeater!
Talking Points/Authors/Books Mentioned and Allusions Referenced During the Episode:
At about 3:20, Marinna discusses her background, growing up in the Bay Area, and some of her language and literary influences and interests
At about 10:00, Marinna discusses the texts that have given her “chills at will” throughout her life, including Olivia Gatwood and Rudy Francisco
At about 13:00, Marinna talks about the personal and intimate nature of performing her own poetry, in juxtaposition with
At about 15:00, Marinna talks about how she reads others’ writing a bit differently now that she has published her own chapbook, Millennial Dogeater
At about 16:00, Marinna talks about her daily writing life
At about 17:20, Marinna talks about writing and “catharsis” and her “target audience”
At about 19:00, Marinna talks about the cover design for her chapbook
At about 21:35, Marinna talks about the background of the title of the chapbook and the significance of Jessica Hagdeorn’s Dogeaters in choosing the title
At about 24:35, Marinna talks about writing about herself, versus creating fiction that gives her some personal space”
At about 25:55, Marinna talks about the difficulties and subtleties of ordering of the poems in her book, especially how the Preamble fits in with “Letters to a Former Lover”-four parts, with the “lover” being America
At about 29:00, Marinna talks about body and self image as seen in her poem “Twelve” and the four-part “Letters to a Former Lover”
At about 31:30, Marinna reads “Letters to a Former Lover, Part II”
At about 32:50, Pete and Marinna discuss “Japanese Grandma”
At about 34:10, Marinna talks about her romantic and love poems, and one that is raw and questioning of gender equality, and others that are quietly rebellious in support of justice for people of color and the LGBTQ+ community
At about 38:05, Marinna talks about her poems’ take on gentrification
At about 40:25, Marinna discusses her poem “Brown Girl, Brown Girl”
At about 41:35, Marinna discusses “Small Distractions” and its meanings, and then reads the poem at about 42:15
At about 47:00, Marinna reads “The Casting Director Says” and then discusses Hollywood’s stereotyping and attempts at opening doors for more actors of color
At about 52:10, Marinna talks about upcoming 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, as well as The Chills at Will Podcast YouTube Channel. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1.
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.
Tuesday Apr 06, 2021
Tuesday Apr 06, 2021
Show Notes and Links to Chris L. Terry’s Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode 50
On Episode 50, Pete welcomes Chris L. Terry, author of 2019’s Black Card and Zero Fade. Chris and Pete discuss Chris’ writing, particularly Black Card, gentrification, his punk rock and reading history, and racism and questions of identity, as seen in the world and in his writing.
Catapult Article: "Tragic Gentrification Mulatto"
Buy Black Card Through Bookshop
At about 3:05, Chris talks about growing up in Richmond, VA, along with his music and literary influences
At about 10:10, Chris talks about the punk aesthetic, what sets it apart from other types of music, and what he drew from it when he was younger
At about 11:40, Chris talks about strains of “Southern Pride”/white supremacist slogans in metal music and how the atmosphere was often alienating
At about 16:00, Pete and Chris talk about punk rock’s more recent history and how Chris got into the punk scene
At about 18:55, Chris talks about his formative writing experiences that later led to
At about 21:05, Chris and Pete shout out librarians, including Chris’ mother
At about 22:05, Chris talks about chill-inducing texts from his childhood and beyond, including “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin, and “Red Wind” by Raymond Chandler
At about 25:30, Chris talks about his work as a screenwriter, writing a script for his novel Black Card
At about 29:45, Chris talks about potential actors to play Lucius, Russell, and Mona in Black Card
At about 30:40, Chris talks about his first novel, Zero Fade
At about 32:40, Chris discusses his insightful essay from Catapult Magazine, “Tragic Gentrification Mulatto,” and the many layers of his neighborhood of View Park, Los Angeles
At about 40:20, Pete and Chris talk about Kanye West’s de(evolution)
At about 42:10, Chris begins to discuss Black Card
At about 44:00, Chris discusses the idea of “performing” as a black man, with regard to the unnamed narrator of the novel
At about 46:40, Chris discusses the character of Lucius and the significance of the titular “black card”
At about 48:30, Chris discusses the interesting character of Mona, her tokenization by the main character, and the way that Chris deals with the archetype of The “Magical Negro” in the novel
At about 52:15, Chris describes the scene in which a father of an acquaintance uses a racist slur and connects it to incidents in his own life
At about 55:25, Chris talks about the book as a “coming-of-age” and “coming-of-race” text, and his desire to represent certain audiences on the page
At about 57:20, Chris reads an excerpt from Black Card
At about 1:02:25, Chris talks about upcoming 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 Spotify and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1.
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.
Tuesday Mar 30, 2021
Tuesday Mar 30, 2021
Show Notes and Links to The Brothers Fernandez Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode 49
On Episode 49, Pete talks with the five Fernandez brothers about their love of literature, their awesome family ties, great literature, especially that of Latin America, and their podcast-The Brothers F-which can be found here.
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 Spotify and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1.
This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.
The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.
The Brothers F Podcast on Apple Podcasts
The Brothers F Podcast Official Website
At about 1:30, Juan Carlos, Andrés, Francisco, Diego, and Juan Pablo give their background
At about 3:00, the brothers talk about their childhood background with reading and the full bookshelves at home, and they shout out some of their favorite books, comic strips, authors, and texts
At about 16:00, the brothers talked about the books and texts that have given them “chills at will,” including Laura Hillebrand’s incredible and impeccable Unbroken, Agatha Christie’s short stories, Virginia Wolff’s Mrs. Dalloway, William Faulkner’s The Sound and The Fury, Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, “La Escritura de Dios” by Jorge Luis Borges, and “Good Old Neon” by David Foster Wallace.
At about 23:00, Pete talks about his love of Unbroken, including the many parallels between Louis Zamperini and Pete’s grandpa, Joe Albanese
At about 27:45, the brothers talk about their podcast, including its origins and its philosophy
At about 32:05, the brothers discuss George Saunders’ greatness
At about 36:45, Juan Pablo, an 8th-grader (!), talks about his reading list
At about 38:15, Pete uses the formative text, Cinco Maestros, to discuss great works in Spanish, including “El Evangelio Según Marcos” by Jorge Luis Borges, which Pete covered here on Episode Seven and “No Oyes Ladrar Los Perros” by Juan Rulfo, which Pete covered here on Episode Three
At about 44:50, Francisco talks about his and the family’s hopes in connecting to more literature in Spanish
At about 51:00, Pete talks about some incredible short stories by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, including the allusion-rich, symbolism-heavy “El Ahogado Más Hermoso del Mundo,” and “Alguien Desordena Estas Rosas,” which Pete covered here in Episode Four
At 1:01:10, the brothers talk about upcoming projects and episodes
At 1:04:10, the brothers talk about their process in getting the five bros together for recording their podcasts
Tuesday Mar 23, 2021
Tuesday Mar 23, 2021
Show Notes and Links to Martina Testa’s Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode
On Episode 48, Pete welcomes Martina Testa, who has translated many American authors into Italian, including David Foster Wallace, Cormac McCarthy, Jonathan Lethem, Jennifer Egan, and Kurt Vonnegut. She translates for Edizioni Sur.
The two talk about Martina’s love of literature, translation as an art, David Foster Wallace-his greatness and the specific difficulties of translating his work into Italian-and much more.
Martina Testa’s Website
Interview with Martina (in Italian)
Martina Testa on The Great Concavity Podcast, discussing David Foster Wallace
Edizioni Sur, where Martina works
At about 1:40, Martina talks about her reading life during her childhood, including reading from an incredibly early age-she was, she says “in love with reading”
At about 3:30, Martina talks about her mostly self-guided learning of English
At about 4:15, Martina talks about Little Women, 1984, and other favorite books from her childhood
At about 8:20, Martina talks about contemporary work that she has enjoyed in the last ten years or so, including Colson Whitehead, George Saunders, and Jennifer Egan
At about 9:50, Martina talks about the specific literary culture of Italy, and its emphasis on intellectual, and not commercial, fiction
At about 13:40, Pete and Martina talk about Christ Stopped at Eboli, Martin Eden, the Italian film, and other recommendations
At about 15:10, Martina and Pete talk about the idea of translators as conduits and interpretes,
At about 17:55, Martina talks about her process for, and philosophy of, translation
At about 21:00, Martina talks about translating great authors who she knows were so careful in every way with their diction, versus those who write sloppily and she has to translate; she also talks about
At about 24:00, Pete and Martina talk about Episode 42 guest, Edoardo Ballerini’s, definition of interprete, and Martina talks about how she sees the term similarly
At about 25:15, Martina talks about her introduction to David Foster Wallace, and how he became the first writer she ever translated
At about 29:30, Martina talks about how working on translation for David Foster Wallace led to her career as a translator and editor
At about 30:30, Martina talks about meeting David Foster Wallace on a few occasions
At about 34:25, Martina talks about what has drawn her to Wallace’s writing, especially his incredible mental acuity and curiosity and his original style of writing
At about 36:55, Pete and Martina talk about the title essay of A Supposedly Fun Thing that I’ll Never Do Again, a towering achievement-funny, sad, etc.
At about 39:05, Martina talks about Infinite Jest and its history in translation in Italy
At about 42:10, Pete and Martina read and discuss excerpts of Martina’s translation of “John Billy” from Wallace’s collection called The Girl with Curious Hair, and Martina talks about her process in searching for ways to translate and put Wallace’s work into Italian in the early days of the Internet
At about 51:10, Pete and Martina read and discuss excerpts of Wallace “E Unibus Pluram,” from the collection A Supposedly Fun Thing that I’ll Never Do Again and Martina’s translation of the piece
At about 58:40, Martina talks about translating from an Anglo-Saxon/Germanic-based language like English into a Romance language like Italian
At about 1:00:25, Martina talks about upcoming projects, including translation of Bernadine Evaristo
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 Spotify and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1.
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.
Tuesday Mar 16, 2021
Tuesday Mar 16, 2021
Show Notes and Links to Bradford Pearson’s Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode 47
On Episode 47, Pete talks with Bradford Pearson about his writing journey, his research on the Japanese-American “internment camps” (the two talk about this fraught phrasing), and his recent engrossing, finely-drawn. and thoroughly-researched book The Eagles of Heart Mountain: A True Story of Football, Incarceration, and Resistance in World War II America.
Bradford Pearson is the former features editor of Southwest: The Magazine. He has written for The New York Times, Esquire, Time, and Salon, among many other publications. He grew up in Hyde Park, New York, and now lives in Philadelphia. The Eagles of Heart Mountain is his first book and was published January 5 of this year. The book has been reviewed favorably in The Washington Post, who called the book “an absolutely stirring story.” Of the book, Publishers’ Weekly wrote, “Pearson succeeds in unearthing a feel-good story from a dark chapter in U.S. history. The result is a worthy portrait of triumph in the face of tragedy.”
Buy The Eagles of Heart Mountain (Bookshop.org)
Buy The Eagles of Heart Mountain (Amazon)
Bradford's Article: "What Happened After My Kidnapping" from 2015, in Philadelphia City Life
At about 3:20, Bradford Pearson talks about growing up in Hyde Park, NY, and his literary childhood and adolescence; he shouts out his transformative English teacher, (Mr. Briggs!) and the change in his love for literature that came with reading the great Moby Dick
At about 8:10, Brad talks about George Yoshinaga, a main character in The Eagles of Heart Mountain, and his incredible journalism career
At about 9:30, Brad talks about his athletic career, including his crew/rowing background
At about 10:40, Brad traces his writing journey from late high school/college to his professional writing days
At about 12:00, Brad talks about the origins and inspiration for The Eagles of Heart Mountain
At about 13:30, Brad talks about the writers who have inspired him and continue to inspire him, including Cormac McCarthy, Denis Johnson, Valeria Luiselli, Patrick Radden Keefe, Nick Paumgarten, and Bryan Washington
At about 19:00, Brad talks about how his reading experiences are different when he’s in the middle of writing his own book and reading in general as he is also a writer
At about 23:20, Brad describes the horrific event and subsequent article, called “What Happened after my Kidnapping,” based on the event
At about 28:00, Brad talks about the importance of Keiichi Imura’s contributions to the book and how his further descriptions of George “Horse” Yoshinaga and Babe Nomura “grounded” the story for Brad; additionally, Brad talks about the incredible help provided by Bacon Sakitani and the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center
At about 34:25, Brad talks about the positive and meaningful feedback he’s received regarding The Eagles of Heart Mountain
At about 37:00, Brad talks about the ways in which the book tells about a small slice of sporting life while also covering the greater tragedies of the Japanese-American internment and the racism leading up to it
At about 39:30, Brad talks about the importance of labels and what nomenclature is considered “correct” when referencing the removal of Japanese and Japanese-Americans from the West Coast during WWII
At about 42:30, Brad talks about the importance of sports at Heart Mountain Camp
At about 46:20, Brad talks about parallels between the events of the book and contemporary goings-on, including similar disinformation campaigns that fueled the hatred
At about 48:50, Pete and Brad talk about the twisted and circular reasoning used by both “election fraud” devotees of 2020 and those who advanced the racist and xenophobic tropes that led to the horrific mistreatment of the Japanese and Japanese-Americans during WWII
At about 50:45, Brad discusses some craft points, including the ways in which Brad began each chapter
At about 56:05, Brad reads a section from The Eagles of Heart Mountain, a beautiful flashback scene from a football game at Heart Mountain
At about 1:01:10, Brad talks about upcoming 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 Spotify, Stitcher, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1.
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.
Friday Mar 12, 2021
Friday Mar 12, 2021
Show Notes and Links to Rowena Galavitz’s Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode 46
On Episode 46, Pete talks with Rowena Galavitz about her varied and engrossing interests, including literature and arts of many kinds. The two delve deep into Rowena’s vocation as an editor and translator, as Rowena shares some of her translations, as well as her process for doing said translation.
Rowena Galavitz worked as a typesetter/proofreader in New York City in the 80s, when she created art books for museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and educational books for publishers such as Scholastic and while she enjoyed the art and punk rock scene of the city. When she moved to Oaxaca, Mexico, she edited, translated, or oversaw the production of coffee table art books and art catalogues about Mexican art. In Mexico City, she worked as a subtitle editor doing closed captioning for films and TV series. In the literary world, her experience includes the translation of Latin American short stories and poetry. Some of her poetry translation won a World Literature Today Prize in 2018. In her current editing and translation work, she focuses broadly on the arts and humanities and specifically on contemporary Mexican and early modern Spanish culture.
Enthusiastic and knowledgeable about literary and religious texts in the early modern world, her scholarly pursuits about women writing in Spanish have entailed archival research in Mexico and Spain, which resulted in a master’s thesis on Hipólita de Jesús (1551-1624), a Barcelona nun who wrote over twenty books. Her archival research in Peru manifested in multiple presentations on a collage by Rosa de Lima (1586-1617), about which she is currently writing a journal article. Her theoretical interests include gender and sexuality, intersectional feminism, and translation theory.
She has taught classes at the university level in English as a Second Language, English composition, and Intermediate Spanish. And she has developed syllabi on courses such as: Women Who Wrote: Literature and Religion in the Premodern World, The Long History of the End of the World, and Radical Women. She loves to teach students about how language and literature work, and she is particularly at ease when she teaches about a wide range of texts on a single theme from different historical periods.
Parallel to her editorial and educational work, she created literature-inspired art in a variety of media for three decades, mostly in Mexico, where she held five one-woman exhibits, and she participated in over 60 group shows.
At around 4:55, Rowena talks about growing up in a small town, and her grandparents’ influence on her, as they were big patrons of the library; Rowena also talks about the artistic sensibility that has been with her from an early age
At around 6:20, Rowena talks about how her Spanish learning and interest blossomed
At around 8:30, Rowena talks about her days living, researching, translating, learning, and creating in Oaxaca and México City
At around 11:30, Rowena talks about writers who have thrilled her through the years, including Richard Wright and his Native Son, A Journal of The Plague Year by Daniel DeFoe, Valeria Luiselli’s Tell Me How it Ends, Merce Redoreda's Mirall Trencat, and Manuel Astur’s San, El Libro de los Milagros.
At around 14:40, Rowena talks about her schedule as a translator/editor
At around 16:05, Rowena talks about the process, art, and science of translating and the “decisions” she makes
At around 22:15, Rowena talks about how she researches and uses historical context in her translation, including things that may not match up with 2021’s societal norms
At around 26:30, Rowena talks about balancing the different forms of spoken Spanish as she does her translations
At around 29:00, Rowena talks about some of her favorite genres to work with in translation
At around 31:00, Rowena talks about how she reads other translator’s work and working with closed captioning and subtitles
At around 33:10, Rowena talks about the Catalan language and her learning of the language
At around 35:00, Pete and Rowena read an excerpt of the English and Spanish translation done by Rowena of “La Ciudad Lucía” by Paula Ilabaca Nuñez, also discussing Rowena’s thought process in doing the translation as she highlights alliteration, enjambments, etc.
At around 41:15, Rowena talks about her future projects, including translating some work by the great Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and Elena Poniatowska and Javier Sicilia
At around 43:00, Pete and Rowena talks about the subtleties of “tú” and “Ud.” and its peculiarities in translation as seen in the great story by Juan Rulfo, “No Oyes Ladrar los Perros”-check out Pete’s earlier episode about this story
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 Spotify and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1.
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.
Friday Mar 05, 2021
Friday Mar 05, 2021
Show Notes and Links to Keegan Hamilton’s Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode
On Episode 45, Pete talks with Keegan Hamilton about his reporting for Vice News. The conversation focuses on his work for three thorough, shocking, engrossing, and nuanced multimedia pieces about the trial of El Chapo, fentanyl’s explosive growth in the US and abroad, and recent developments and fighting in Micoachan, México’s “Tierra Caliente,” fifteen years after Felipe Calderón declared “war” on the cartels.
Keegan Hamilton is a senior reporter, podcast host, and Emmy-nominated producer at VICE News, where he covers organized crime, prisons, and the drug trade.
Keegan Hamilton's Personal Website with Links to His Work
Vice News Article: "On the Front Line of Mexico’s Forever War Against the Cartels" by Keegan Hamilton and Miguel Fernández-Flores
YouTube trailer for “Painkiller: America’s Fentanyl Crisis,” a Spotify podcast series, found here
Chapo: Kingpin on Trial Podcast
At around 2:00, Keegan talks about his role as a “senior editor” at Vice News
At around 2:40, Keegan talks about his beginnings of journalism, and his love for Jack McCallum and Frank DeFord and other great writers for his beloved Sports Illustrated
At around 4:20 (coincidentally!), Keegan talks about his work at alt-weeklies and how they have informed his own writing and local alt-weeklies’ role in advancing narrative nonfiction and long-form, nuanced pieces
At around 7:00, Keegan talks about writers who have inspired him and continue to inspire him, including Charles Bowden, Terrence Papá, Ioan Grillo, and Sam Quinones
At around 11:40, Keegan talks about his view of himself as what it means to be a “writer” and “journalist,” particularly with the acceleration of multimedia in recent years
At around 14:00, Keegan talks about his writing work during the pandemic
At around 16:00, Keegan talks about Vice and their target audience(s)
At around 17:00, Keegan talks about his podcasting techniques and what’s he’s learned about the mechanics of the medium
At around 19:45, Keegan and Pete discuss the romanticization of organized crime figures, including “El Chapo,” whose U.S. trial Keegan covered in a recent Vice podcast series, as well as common misconceptions about the drug trade and its participants
At around 25:20, Keegan discusses the importance of speaking Spanish pretty well and his valuable and helpful translators, including producer Miguel Fernandez
At around 27:00, Keegan describes the thesis/pitch for the Vice News podcast/article/project chronicling 15 years of the “drug war” in Michoacán, México
At around 29:35, Pete and Keegan talk about some rays of hope in the story of the drug war, and a well-written scene at the end of Keegan’s article on Michoacán that shows a possible more tranquil future in La Tierra Caliente
At around 30:35, Pete and Keegan talk about the Michoacán autodefensas and the role of indigenous communities in forming strong groups for security and self-sufficiency
At around 32:40, Pete and Keegan discuss the role and responsibility of The United States in the “drug war,” as the users of the illicit drugs are overwhelmingly in the US
At around 34:50, Pete and Keegan toss around ideas for Keegan’s next project(s)
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 Spotify and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1.
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.
Tuesday Mar 02, 2021
Tuesday Mar 02, 2021
Show Notes and Links to CJ Charles’ Work
On Episode 44, Pete is happy to welcome the author of My Mother Is a SUPERHERO/¡Mi Mamá Es Una Superheroína!, Caryn “CJ” Charles.
CJ Charles is a native of Los Angeles and a proud child of the 80's and 90's! She is a writer, Spanish teacher, and educational consultant. From an early age, her mother taught her to read and appreciate books. CJ's been story writing since the first grade. My Mom is a Superhero is a love letter to her mother and an ode to supermoms everywhere! She hopes you enjoy getting to know her characters in her debut children's book.
Buy My Mother Is a SUPERHERO/¡Mi Mamá Es Una Superheroína!
Book Review in Kidlio Magazine
At around 3:00, Caryn talks about how she was introduced to Spanish at an early age, and her constant exposure to print media and books as a kid; she also talks about teachers and students (and her mom!) being surprised by her Spanish prowess
At around 8:15, Caryn talks about having pride in being an African-American Spanish teacher and finding so many connections
At around 11:00, Caryn talks about what she was reading as a kid, and which writers and texts thrilled
At around 13:55, Caryn talks about her high school and college reading and her early writing that recreated her real life
At around 14:55, Caryn talks about a major change in her fields of study in college
At around 17:55, Caryn discusses her 2021 reading
At around 18:55, Caryn discusses the inspirations for (her incredible Mom who inspires her daily!) and the beginnings of her book, My Mother Is a SUPERHERO/¡Mi Mamá Es Una Superheroína!
At around 20:45, Caryn explains the importance of superheroes in her life and the need to let children know that superheroes are all around us
At around 21:45, Caryn discusses how she and Shiela Alejandro connected and shared their visions
At around 23:30, Caryn writes about rhyming in her book and her thought process and research, as well as how writing for a younger age opened up her creativity
At around 28:15, Caryn talks about her mother’s reaction to Caryn’s book, a tribute to her beloved mom
At around 29:00, Caryn talks about the storyline of the book
At around 30:10, Caryn discusses her rationale for making her narrator the age she did
At around 31:20, Caryn discusses how she finally threw out the idea of a confining structure for her book, and how writing more freely helped the story come alive
At around 34:15, Caryn discusses how she balanced the different types of Spanish in writing her book
At around 36:55, Caryn discusses the balance between commercialism and art with her book, and her desire to provide readers with diverse characters of color representative of many cultures and groups
At around 41:15, Caryn talks about her second book that she is finishing-the teacher as a superhero!
At around 43:15, Caryn reads from My Mother Is a SUPERHERO/¡Mi Mamá Es Una Superheroína!
If you have enjoyed The Chills at Will Podcast, pause your podcast player right now, and go to Apple to leave me a nice review.
You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Spotify and on Amazon Music, and (new this week!) on Stitcher. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1.
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.
Monday Feb 22, 2021
Monday Feb 22, 2021
Show Notes and References From Episode 43
On Episode 43, Pete is honored to speak with Luis Alberto Urrea, award-winning writer, educator, humanitarian, and one heck of a humorous and generous guy. The two discuss a myriad of topics, with many revolving around his most recent book, The House of Broken Angels, an emotionally-shattering, frenetic, and gorgeous novel, and his Pulitzer Prize-nominated nonfiction work, The Devil’s Highway.
-at about 6:40, Luis talks about growing up in Tijuana as an “artsy kid” who was “infected with a desire for art,” writing and drawing
-at about 10:10, Luis talks about his incredible encounter with Ursula LeGuin (regarding a piece that he wrote about his father’s death) that changed his life
-at about 14:05, Luis recounts another life-changing event in his literary life, involving friends and a pivotal question from an early reader of his
-at about 16:25-Luis talks about his father’s attempts at getting Luis to read more texts en español and the “culture war” inside his house
-at about 19:05-Luis talks about writing about his father’s tragic death
-at about 24:45-Luis talks about those writers and texts who brought him “chills at will,” starting with hearing Dickens as a kid, read by his mother, “seeing waves of the ocean formed by words”
-at about 27:25-Luis talks about more chill-inducing reading-his love of Poe and Ambrose Bierce and being blown away by Ray Bradbury
-at about 29:30-Luis talks about the beauty and surrealism of being accepted into the “Writers’ Club”
-at about 30:30-Luis talks about the community of writers and his experience in his early days of writing and work in the community, including his connection with Alurista, Father Cesar Gonzalez, Rudolfo Anaya, Juan Felipe Herrera, and more-this time is what he calls his “training period” and “all about service”
-at about 34:45, Luis talks about an interesting character, Dave, from The House of Broken Angels, and his connection to real-life Jesuit activist Father Dave Ungerleider
-at about 37:25, Luis discusses being in service, as a bicultural and bilingual person who has built “bridges, rather than borders”
-at about 39:25, Luis discusses The Devil's Highway and how he came to be the writer of such a book
-at about 43:20, Luis talks about his early wariness on both sides with Border Patrol as he researched the book, as well as the work of researching
-at about 53:40, Luis talks about looking back at Devil’s Highway years later and all that entails
-at about 55:00, Pete and Luis talk about Luis’ use of second person narration to great effect, and Luis talks about the inspirations/motivations for second person, including his admiration for the way his friend Stewart O’Nan uses it in The Names of the Dead
-at about 56:10, Luis talks about the incredibly-affecting scene in The Devil’s Highway in which the four stages of heat stroke, as experienced by the Yuma 14, are explained in great detail
-at about 58:35, Luis talks about The House of Broken Angels and why he has called the real-life experiences that inspired the book “The Mexican Finnegan’s Wake”
-at about 1:04:45, Pete and Luis talk about some of the humor that permeates the novel, as well as the book’s addendum, a DelaCruz family tree
-at about 1:07:50, Luis and Pete talk about the use of “carnal” in the book and the book’s utter carnality, which is part of what makes the book so riveting
-at about 1:12:35, Luis discusses the pivotal, flawed, lovable, and charismatic character of Big Angel in the novel, including connection between Don Corleone, The Godfather, and Luis’ father
-at about 1:14:50, Luis explains the background of the beautiful and pivotal scene in The House of Broken Angels where Big Angel and Little Angel lay in bed together and discuss life
-at about 1:17:30, Luis explains his approach in writing the book’s Coda, including inspiration provided by Respighi's "Fountains of Rome"
-at about 1:20:45, Luis discusses his upcoming book, a “World War II epic, inspired by [his] mother’s service in The Red Cross.”
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The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.