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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
Thursday Dec 31, 2020
Thursday Dec 31, 2020
Show Notes and Web Links
On Episode 32, Pete discusses “Extended Metaphor in Music,” through Simon and Garfunkel’s “I am a Rock,” Bob Marley’s “Cornerstone,” and Common’s “I Used to Love H.E.R.”
The extended metaphors throughout the songs lead to discussion of family ties, pain and loss, commercialism, “authenticity,” and much more. The songs are deepened by the skillful figurative language used by the artists.
All of these songs can be heard in almost all, if not all, streaming platforms, by asking Alexa, on YouTube, etc.
“I am a Rock” was released in 1965 by CBS on the album Sounds of Silence.. Music. “Cornerstone” was released in 1970 on the album Soul Rebels. “I Used to Love H.E.R.’ is from the 1994 album Resurrection, on Relativity Records.
You can subscribe to The Chills at Will 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.
“Cornerstone” by Bob Marley, as analyzed on Genius.com.
Authors/Texts Mentioned and Allusions Referenced During the Episode:
“All The World’s a Stage…” Discussion
Psalm 118-”The stone that the builder refused…”
Monday Dec 14, 2020
Monday Dec 14, 2020
Show Notes and Links to Pete Croatto’s Work
On Episode 31, Pete is honored to talk with Pete Croatto about freelance writing, chill-inducing texts and lines, the importance of the David Stern and Larry O’Brien years in the growth of the modern NBA, athletes and activism, and much more. The bulk of the discussion is centered around Pete Croatto’s recently-published From Hang Time to Prime Time, Business, Entertainment, and the Birth of the Modern-Day NBA, an impeccably-researched and engrossing read.
Pete Croatto is a freelance writer in Ithaca, New York. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Grantland, SI.com, VICE Sports, and Publishers Weekly. His first book, From Hang Time to Prime Time, Business, Entertainment, and the Birth of the Modern-Day NBA, about the revolutionary change in the NBA between the years 1975-1989, is published by Atria Books and is out now.
Buy From Hang Time to Prime Time, Business, Entertainment, and the Birth of the Modern-Day NBA!
Pete Croatto’s Twitter Account
Marvin Gaye’s 1983 National Anthem at the NBA All-Star Game-video
Pete Croatto’s 2013 Grantland Article about the Marvin Gaye National Performance
Authors/Books Mentioned and Allusions Referenced During the Episode:
*unless otherwise noted, "Pete" refers to Pete Croatto
*Pete shouts out Linkedin and talks about the incredible writing connections he has taken of advantage through the website-at around 3:30
Pete talks about the evolving and open definition of “journalist” and how there is so much room at the writing table for committed and persistent writers-at around 7:30
Pete talks about his word-rich household and his childhood surrounded by books and voracious readers-at around 12:00
Pete talks about his early days of writing, prompted by the groundbreaking work of Roger Ebert, Phillip Roth, James Thurber, sports biographies, and the great annual Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball written by Zander Holland and Fred Kerber, and talks about how he loved the basketball handbook so much that the book became two halves-at around 13:30
Pete talks about being nominated as a “Noble Selection” for Best American Sportswriting 2020, featured with heroes of his like Howard Bryant-at around 20:40
Pete talks about the love of writing and the subjectivity of accolades and the need to be persistent in the writing business, and shouts our fabulous writer from Slam Magazine, Russ Bengston-at around 23:00
Pete talks about being let down as a kid by Pete Rose, yet the “Never meet your heroes” cliche, he says, doesn’t apply to the writing world; he talks about writing heroes like Susan Orlean and Jancee Dunn and how they were overwhelmingly nice and accommodating-at around 27:30
Pete talks about chill-inducing writers and texts in his life, particularly lines from Jonathan Lethem’s The Fortress of Solitude and Curtis Sittenfield’s Prep -at around 28:30
Pete and Pete Riehl talk about great writing trumping the supposed genre (i.e. the best sports books can always “stand on their own”) and Pete reads from writing hero’s Roger Ebert’s writing advice-its chill-inducing nature stands out for him-at around 31:25
Pete Riehl talks about a memorable anecdote from The Jordan Rules-at around 36:40
Pete notes which interesting and unique stories he remembers from the impeccably-researched Showtime by favorite Jeff Pearlman-at around 37:00
Pete talks about wanting to write a substantive story that will be of interest to sports fan and non-sports fans alike-at around 38:00
Pete talks about his book, which is available in autographed form from Odyssey Books in Syracuse-at around 40:40
Pete “pitches” his book-at about 42:50
Pete talks about the choices in starting the book off as he does, with a scene from 2017’s Dancing with the Stars juxtaposed with Marvin Gaye’s famous (infamous?) singing of the national anthem at 1983’s national anthem-at about 46:15
Shout out to rap legend Kurtis Blow and his reaction to the 2017 Derek Fisher routine-at about 49:30
Pete talks about the chronological beginning of his book, with the “heroic” Larry O’Brien, transitioning into a discussion of David Stern as “the best commissioner in the history of professional sports”-at about 51:00
Pete and Pete talk about David Stern’s fastidiousness as part of his greatness, leading to a comparison to the famous “blueberry” scene from DeNiro’s Casino -at about 57:00
Pete talks about his persistence in trying to talk with David Stern for the book, and shouts out helpful writer friend, Shawn Fury-at about 1:01:45
Pete talks about the connections between Marvin Gaye’s 1983 performance and the recent activism in the sports world around Black Lives Matter, “I Can’t Breathe,” etc., as shown through the -at about 1:11:00
LeBron James, activist, as seen through the eyes of the brilliant sociologist Harry Edwards-at about 1:13:40
Pete and Pete talk about the connections between being open to listening and being a voracious reader-at about 1:23:40
Pete and Pete gush about Beautiful Ruins by author/baller Jess Walter-at about 1:27:30
Pete reads the Introduction from Hang Time to Prime Time-at about 1:29:40
Pete talks about his book as literary fiction and subtly irreverent and humorous, showing influences from James Thurber to Mad Magazine to his father-1:35:40
Pete talks about how tenuous writing for humor can be-at about 1:37:00
Pete talks about future projects and the recent article he wrote (Pete Riehl truly enjoyed it!) about Tom Chambers and Jeff Wells’ YouTube channel devoted to Chambers and crusade to get him into the Basketball Hall of Fame-at about 1:44:00
If you have enjoyed The Chills at Will Podcast, pause your podcast player right now, and go to Apple Podcasts 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. 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 Dec 07, 2020
Monday Dec 07, 2020
Show Notes and Links to Kai Adia’s Work
The Depths of Anima-buy Kai’s poetry collection!
Talking Points/Authors/Books Mentioned and Allusions Referenced During the Episode:
Kai talks about the beautiful diversity and vibrancy of LA, and how growing up in LA has informed her writing-at about 2:20
Kai talks about her parents’ encouraging her artistic and cultural experiences through trips to museums and being artists themselves-at about 3:10
Kai talks about “art” in her life-its meanings, its iterations, and some artists who have inspired her-at about 4:30
Kai talks about her artistry in terms of visual arts/fine arts/writing-at about 6:00
Kai talks about gravitating towards science-fiction and fantasy and surrealism in arts of all types, and her gradual shift to-about 7:15
Pete and Kai talks unibrows and the genius of Frida Kahlo-at about 8:35
Kai talks about reading inside and outside of school in finding great works of literature-at about 9:15
Kai talks about discovering the wondrous Octavia Butler in middle school, first through Fledgling, and how Kai herself came to discover through reading Butler’s works that she “had many stories inside of [her]-at about 10:15
Kai shouts out Cathy’s Key, a fun text in Kai’s life-at about 11:15
Shout out to the great Lynell George and her recent portrait of Octavia Butler, A Handful of Earth, A Handful of Sky: The World of Octavia Butler-at about 12:00
Kai continues to talk about the “chills at will” that come from Octavia Butler, who “can take you so many places” and what is now known as Afrofuturism; Kai loves how she could “imagine the story with a person that looked like [me].”-at about 13:30
Kai talks about the tender and beautiful and complex sci-fi of Tracey K. Smith, especially Life on Mars-at about 15:15
Kai talks about Afrofuturism and its meanings and its connections to the arts of all types-at about 16:30
Pete asks Kai to convince him, a sci-fi dissenter, that sci-fi is worth reading; and she succeeds!-at about 18:10
Kai references Lovecraft Country and The Watchmen as examples of the vast array of themes available in a more open-ended view of science fiction’s possibilities-at about 21:00
Kai explains the sci-fi power of the two shows above and Get Out’s (perhaps tangential) link to sci-fi/Afrofuturism/speculative fiction-at about 22:10
Pete and Kai talk Get Out and Star Wars and allegory and Lovecraft Country and their thematic/genre-based flexibility-at about 23:50
Kai shouts out the chill-inducing and weird and original writing of Haruki Murakami, especially Norwegian Wood-at around 26:00
Kai cites the tremendous work of Tomi Adeyemi, especially Children of Blood and Bone, and Laney Taylor’s work, like Strange the Dreamer, which deals with intergenerational trauma-at around 27:40
Kai talks about the wonderful writing of N.K. Jemisin and her “fun” book from the disastrous 2020, The City We Became
Kai talks about Writegirl, the incredible LA-based organization which both Pete and Kai have great experiences with-at around 30:40
Kai talks about the importance of the mentorship and female-centric ethic of Writegirl and how it opened so many possibilities in her mind-at around 38:10
Pete asks about the meaning of The Depths of Anima, Kai’s poetry collection-at around 40:50
Kai talks about the poetry collection, including its history as a set of ideas and its construction, including the culture of the “zine,” as she experienced at Claremont-at around 43:00
Kai talks about balancing the solitude needed to write well with the idea of workshopping and sharing work in social situations-at around 44:20
Kai talks about the importance of a writing “safe space” that she learned throughout her life, particularly with Writegirl-at around 45:25
Pete asks Kai if she has a target audience, and if so, who?-at around 48:00
Kai talks about some of the positive feedback she has received about her poetry collection, including from the great Keren Taylor, the founder of Writegirl, and Nia McAllister, dynamic poet and museum professional-at around 49:50
Kai reads from her poetry collection, The Depths of Anima-at around 52:25
Pete talks about cenotes with connection to Jean Guerrero’s incredible work, Crux-at about 59:00
Kai talks about the challenges and triumphs of being a writer in 2020-at about 1:01:20
Kai talks about future projects for her and Bee Infinite Publishing, which she co founded, including challenging future writers to add to an upcoming anthology from the lens of “What kind of future do you want for our world?”-at about 1:04:15
If you have enjoyed The Chills at Will Podcast, pause your podcast player right now, and go to Apple Podcasts 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. 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 Dec 04, 2020
Friday Dec 04, 2020
Show Notes and Links to A.C. Quintero’s Work
On Episode 29, Pete is happy to welcome accomplished teacher, writer of books in Spanish for the classroom, and lifelong learner, A.C. Quintero. Profesora Quintero and Pete talk about her early reading, writing, her influences, Colombia, favorite authors and books from Isabel Allende and Ernesto Sabato to Where the Red Fern Grows, teaching Spanish through CI (Comprehensible Input) strategies, Spanish-language idioms and slang, her strategies in writing and teaching, and much more!
A.C. Quintero Personal Website
Instagram: a.c. quintero
Twitter: @klasekastellano
Facebook/TPT: Teaching Spanish Made Easy
Novels and Resources by A.C. Quintero
Teaching from The Trenches FB Teacher Resource Group
Catalog: Unlocking potential, one story at a time
Talking Points/Authors/Books Mentioned and Allusions Referenced During the Episode:
Where the Red Fern Grows :( -Mentioned at around 8:20 and at 11:00
A.C. talks about Colombia’s influence on her-at around 22:00
A.C. talks about formative texts and writers in Spanish: Isabel Allende, Jorge Luis Borges, Julio Cortázar, Ernesto Sabato, and his book El Túnel-at around 24:00
Pete and A.C. discuss Gabriel Garcia Marquez -at around 27:15
A.C. talks about how she got started writing books in Spanish-at around 28:30
A.C. talks about her trilogy, Las Apariencias Engañan-at around 36:00
A.C. talks about the necessary grittiness of El Escape that will captivate students and be a “page-turner”-at around 41:00
A.C. and Pete talk about Youtube, Worldstar, and the double-meaning of “Mafioso”-at around 44:50
A.C. and Pete talk about “CI” (Comprehensible Input), and how A.C. uses it in her writing-at around 45:40
A.C. talks about how she started using CI in her teaching, spurred by her teaching in an IB program-around 49:20
Like “Beyonce/Madonna/Kanye, recognizable by just one name, the great “Bryce” (Hedstrom), a giant in CI innovation, is mentioned-at around 50:50
A.C. talks about “La Persona Especial” and “A.C Quintero: Teaching from the Trenches,” her Facebook group with La Persona Especial and other CI strategies-at around 51:40
Pete and A.C. do three questions as an example of “La Persona Especial” interviews, which are a big part of CI’s efficacy and student engagement-at around 56:00
Pete talks about the importance of “game-changer/extender” words and phrases; for him, learning “agarrar” was crucial-at around 1:00:40
Pete and A.C. talk about their shared love for idioms/slangs in teaching Spanish-at about 1:01:30
Pete and A.C. talk about translating literally between Spanish and English and how to help students avoid that-at about 1:03:45
A.C. reads from her book La Clase de Confesiones-at about 1:05:30
A.C. talks about La Pasajera Misteriosa and other future projects-at about 1:08:00
If you have enjoyed The Chills at Will Podcast, pause your podcast player right now, and go to Apple Podcasts 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. 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 Nov 30, 2020
Monday Nov 30, 2020
Show Notes and Links to Christian Kiefer's Work
On Episode 28, Part II, Pete is thrilled to speak with Christian Kiefer, master author of among other masterpieces, Phantoms, a 2019 tour de force novel. Pete and Christian discuss Phantoms in greater detail, including the characters' motivations and origins, the book's impeccable ending, the "community of writers"/being a mentor and being mentored, what Christian is reading and writing these days, and much more. The listeners are also gifted by hearing Christian read from the ending of Phantoms.
Dr. Christian Kiefer grew up in the foothills of California (Auburn).
Director of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
- Joined Ashland University as the new director of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in January 2017
- He is the author of The Infinite Tides (Bloomsbury), The Animals (W.W. Norton), One Day Soon Time Will Have No Place Left to Hide (Nouvella Books), and 2019s Phantoms: A Novel (Liveright/W.W. Norton), in addition to other works in poetry, fiction, and drama
- Kiefer's scholarly publications focus on American literature
- As a professional musician, has released a number of albums primarily in the folk rock and avant garde traditions
- Came to Ashland from American River College in Sacramento, California, and has taught fiction in the Sierra Nevada College low-residency MFA
Christian Kiefer's Author Page
Interview with Four Way Review
Dr. Christian Kiefer's Homepage for Ashland
Twitter and IG: @xiankiefer-Twitter and IG
Christian discusses the research and background on the Vietnam War needed to make John Frazier, the narrator of Phantoms, and his experience ring true -at beginning of episode
Christian discusses the generosity and kindness of The OG/Il Padrino of The Chills at Will Podcast, Tobias Wolff-at about 1:20 (and Pete tries to play it cool when Christian says that Pete should have Tobias Wolff as a guest on the podcast)
Pete and Christian discuss Ray Takahashi from Phantoms, and the ironically beautiful writing about war in the novel-at around 3:15
Slight plot spoilers (but not really) about Homer Wilson and others from Phantoms-from around 4:15 to about 7:40
Christian discusses how an innocuous choice about enchiladas speaks to a larger point about full-bodied characters-at around 7:40
Pete asks Christian about the balancing of art and commerce-at around 11:15
Shouts out Katie Adams, his wonderful editor, for cutting some 30K words considered to be “extraneous”-at around 13:30
Pete and Christian talk about the “community of writers” and how he is simply a fan of so many writers who are part of this “Golden Age of Writing,” including Lauren Groff, C. Pam Zhang, Garth Greenwell, Michelle de Kretser, Leslie Jamison, and Michael Ondaaatje-at around 14:45
Christian talks about being mentored and being a mentor-at around 17:40
Christian reads from Phantoms-at around 19:40
Christian discusses his thought process regarding the book’s ending and the interesting idea of
writers as being “in the business of breaking hearts”-at around 22:25
Christian discusses epiphanies and ignorance displayed by John Frazier, narrator of Phantoms, and quotes Viet Thanh Nguyen in describing how John Frazier “fails up” as a white man-at around 24:15
Christian talks about teaching writing/literature-at around 26:55
Chrsitian shouts out American River College and its diversity and wonderful staff and student body-at around 30:15
Christian talks about what he’s reading and writing these days, including work by Timothy Morton and Michelle de Kretser, Old Gringo by Carlos Fuentes, and a manuscript by Reyna Grande, who has written an interesting book about the Irish in Mexico-at around 33:05
Pete talks about his connection to excellent writer and generous spirit, Reyna Grande, who often visited Pete’s SoCal high school to speak to his students after they read her page-turner, Across a Hundred Mountains-at around 34:10
Christian talks about the four novels he is currently editing/shopping around-at around 35:10
Monday Nov 30, 2020
Monday Nov 30, 2020
Show Notes and Links to Christian Kiefer's Work
On Episode 28, Part I, Pete is thrilled to speak with Christian Kiefer, master author of among other masterpieces, Phantoms, a 2019 tour de force novel. Pete and Christian discuss Christian's childhood in Auburn, CA, his writing background, great writers who were also jerks and sometimes horrible men, the bustling and exciting literary scene of 2020, Christian's research into the disgusting racism and xenophobia that frames Phantoms, and much more.
Dr. Christian Kiefer grew up in the foothills of California (Auburn).
Director of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
- Joined Ashland University as the new director of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing in January 2017
- He is the author of The Infinite Tides (Bloomsbury), The Animals (W.W. Norton), One Day Soon Time Will Have No Place Left to Hide (Nouvella Books), and 2019s Phantoms: A Novel (Liveright/W.W. Norton), in addition to other works in poetry, fiction, and drama
- Kiefer's scholarly publications focus on American literature
- As a professional musician, has released a number of albums primarily in the folk rock and avant garde traditions
- Came to Ashland from American River College in Sacramento, California, and has taught fiction in the Sierra Nevada College low-residency MFA
Christian Kiefer's Author Page
Interview with Four Way Review
Dr. Christian Kiefer's Homepage for Ashland
Twitter and IG: @xiankiefer-Twitter and IG
Christian speaks about growing up in Auburn, CA, and how the area has influenced him as a person and as a writer-at about 3:00
Christian talks about small towns like Auburn and Newcastle and their transformation into “driveby towns”-at about 10:00
Christian talks about the formerly-thriving Chinatown/Japantown in Newcastle and about our society’s collective ineptitude at commemorating and learning from historical failures-at about 11:15
Christian talks about his origins as a reader and a writer, and those writers and familial figures who inspired him as a kid and adolescent-at about 14:00
The importance of William Faulkner’s writing in Christian’s life-at about 15:10
Christian shouts out two formative teachers of his, Michael Madden and Michael Duda-at about 15:50
Christian discusses his view of “Clarity of expression” and its lower end priority for him-at about 16:45
Christian discusses his friend Ben Percy, who writes Wolverine for Marvel Comics, and how he wants the reader to “lean forward” into the reading, while Christian wants the reader to “lean back”-at about 17:25
Christian discusses Thomas Wolfe and how “he brings the entire world” into the text-at about 18:25
Pete talks about Old Man and the Sea and its importance in his life as a “lean back book” that stimulates great memories, and how Christian’s Phantoms is a book that will now occupy that same space-at about 19:00
Christian and Pete discuss some strategies of Christian’s writing-the use of “and,” for example, and Christian’s desire to write compound sentences well, as Hemingway did-at about 20:20
Christian teaches a master class on the strategies of using coordinating and subordinating phrases in writing-at about 20:40
Pete cites an example of Christian’s above explanation on pg. 186 of Phantoms-at around 23:45
Christian discusses the reckoning with racism and misogyny in the “classic” and modern literary worlds-at around 24:45
Christian discusses the modern literary “renaissance,” with its incredible diversity and talent-at around 26:50
Christian discusses his admiration for C. Pam Zhang and her incredible 2020 novel, How Much of These Hills is Gold-at around 27:20
Pete and Christian talk about the great Tobias Wolff, a huge inspiration, the inspiration for the podcast, leading to a discussion of writers as “celebrities,” as seen in Wolff’s Old School-at about 28:50
Christian talks about the brilliant Rebecca Solnit-at around 31:55
Christian and Pete discuss some reprehensible characters, who happened to be great artists/innovators, like John Muir -how do we reckon with the art AND the artist?-at around 33:00
Christian summarizes Phantoms-at around 37:35
Christian discusses the impetus and inspiration for writing the book, including the research needed and the America and Placer County racist policies that led to a huge decrease in Japanese and Asian-Americans in the county-at around 40:00
Christian discusses his need to be precise on linguistic and cultural frameworks for novel and needing to have prospective blurb authors (Luis Alberto Urrea, Jesmyn Ward, Kirstin Chen, Claire Vaye Watkins) give him their green light-at around 43:00
Wednesday Nov 25, 2020
Wednesday Nov 25, 2020
Show Notes and Links to Karla Brundage’s Work
On Episode 27, Pete is honored to speak with Karla Brundage, who he has been lucky enough to meet through Nervous Ghost Press and the virtual open mics that have coincided with the release of Writing for Life, an anthology in which Karla is featured. Karla Brundage is a Bay Area based poet, activist, and educator with a passion for social justice. Born in Berkeley, California, Karla spent most of her childhood in Hawaii where she developed a deep love of nature. She is the founder of West Oakland to West Africa Poetry Exchange (WO2WA), which has facilitated cross-cultural exchange between Oakland and West African poets. Karla is a board member of the Before Columbus Foundation, which provides recognition and a wider audience for the wealth of cultural and ethnic diversity that constitutes American writing. Her editorial experience includes a pan-Africanist WO2WA poetry collection, Our Spirits Carry Our Voices, published by Pacific Raven Press in 2020; Oakland Out Loud (2007); and Words Upon the Waters (2006) both by Jukebox Press. Her poetry book, Swallowing Watermelons, was published by Ishmael Reed Publishing Company in 2006. Her poetry, short stories and essays have been widely anthologized and can be found in Hip Mama, Literary Kitchen, Lotus Press, Bamboo Ridge Press, Vibe and Konch Literary Magazine. She holds an MA in Education from San Francisco State University and an MFA from Mills College.
About her collection of poetry, Swallowing Watermelons, Ariel Gore, Editor Hip Mama Magazine, wrote, “Karla Brundage's poetic voice is just what the world needs now. She writes truths too often silenced—truths familiar and truths unheard. Lucky you if you are holding this volume. Open it and read on! It may be just what you need now.”
West Oakland to West Africa: Connecting the African diaspora with creative writing
Karla Reads Five Poems at October 2nd, 2020 Event: “Voices of California” Through Tia Chucha’s Bookstore and Centro Cultural
Swallowing Watermelons, Karla’s book of poetry-buy it here!
Authors/Books Mentioned and Allusions Referenced During the Episode:
Kwame Ture/Stokely Carmichael-at around 3:30
The Anderson Valley Advertiser, a place where Karla's father often published-at around 5:45
Sammy Younge Jr., first cousin of Karla’s mother, and a tragic victim of Jim Crow racism-at around 9:14
Sammy Younge was first murder victim from SNCC-at around 9:30
Book about Sammy Younge, Jr., written by James Forman-at around 12:00
The Black Panthers and their Ten Point Program-at around 15:00
Danzy Senna, a writer who has inspired Karla-at around 16:00
Toni, Morrison, particularly her The Bluest Eye, as an inspiration for Karla: a writer who gave her “chills at will”-at around 18:50
Christopher Okigbo, a source of learning for Karla, particularly with his exploration of what it means to write in a colonial language-at around 20:30
Lawrence Mamiya, formative teacher in Karla’s life-at around 20:30
The Autobiography of Malcolm X, a book that has “changed [Karla’s] life”-at around 21:10
Ishmael Reed, “family friend and mentor” and publisher of Karla’s Swallowing Watermelons-discussed at about 22:00
Karla’s rec for an Ishmael Reed piece to read: Japanese by Spring-at about 23:00
Chinua Achebe and his contribution to the dialogue around writing in English about Africa-at around 23:45
Half of a Yellow Sun by Adichie -at around 25:30
Maya Angelou and her influence on Karla-at around 27:15
2019 Citizenship Order-Ghana orders citizenship to all Black Americans-at about 39:20
The Cool Origin Story and Incredible Growth of Nervous Ghost Press-at around 43:00
Shouts out to progressive and activist poetry greats, Kim Shuck and Tongo Eisen-Martin-at about 50:55
Karla reads “Underneath”-at about 58:00
Karla reads “Why do Black people Protest”-at about 1:03:10
“I am a man” allusion explained-at about 1:04:50
Karla explains the Buffalo Soldiers connection to her family-at about 1:05:15
Tuesday Nov 17, 2020
Tuesday Nov 17, 2020
Show Notes and Links to Huda Al-Marashi's Work
On Episode 26, Pete is honored to speak with Huda Al-Marashi, fellow Santa Clara Bronco alum and writer extraordinaire. They discuss, among other topics, the process of writing and publishing her novel, the writer's daily life, target audiences in writing, the "white gaze," and Huda's inspirations in life and in literature.
Huda Al-Marashi is the Iraqi-American author of First Comes Marriage: My Not-So-Typical American Love Story, a book the Washington Post called "a charming, funny, heartbreaking memoir of faith, family, and the journey to love. If Jane Austen had grown up as a first-gen daughter of Iraqi parents in the 1990s, she might have written this.”
Excerpts from this memoir have also been anthologized in Love Inshallah: The Secret Love Lives of Muslim American Women, Becoming: What Makes a Woman, and Beyond Belief: The Secret Lives of Women and Extreme Religion.
Her other writing has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, al Jazeera, and elsewhere. She is the recipient of a Cuyahoga County Creative Workforce Fellowship and an Aspen Summer Words Emerging Writer Fellowship. First Comes Marriage was longlisted for the Chautauqua Prize and a finalist for the Southern California Independent Booksellers’ Award.
Huda currently resides in California with her husband and three children.
“A Birthday at the Cemetery” Huda’s essay published in 2020 in The New York Times
Pete discusses the chill-inducing ending of “A Birthday at the Cemetery” on Episode 16
Huda reads “An Index of Small Stings,” Oct. 2, 2020, as part of “Voices of California”
Buy Huda’s Wonderful Book Here-First Comes Marriage: My Not-So-Typical American Love Story
Buzzfeed Video Features Huda Discussing Debunking Stereotypes about Arranged Marriages
Authors/Books Mentioned and Allusions Referenced During the Episode:
Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz, Writer of The Cairo Trilogy
Friday Nov 06, 2020
Friday Nov 06, 2020
SHOW NOTES:
On Episode 25, Pete discusses his favorite movie scene of all time, the ending flashback scene of The Godfather, Part II, as well as wrenching and profound flashbacks from Lorenzo Carcaterra’s books Sleepers and A Safe Place. The chills produced by these flashbacks largely come from the juxtaposition of carefree and innocent days put up against traumatic and fraught ones.
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, and, as of this week, on Amazon Music! Follow Pete on IG, where he's @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1.
This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he's 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 cool song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental Version”) by Matt Weidauer, used through Arches Audio. Matt’s artist page can be found here.
Authors Mentioned and Allusions and Songs Referenced During the Episode:
Michael Corleone: “I have my own plans…” and part of flashback scene
Tuesday Oct 27, 2020
Tuesday Oct 27, 2020
Camden Ostrander teaches high school English in Maryland, and he is a writer on the Dissect Podcast, Season 7, which is about artist Childish Gambino’s 2013 album, Because the Internet. He has written about the album for years through a metamodern lens, replete with a content guide, intricate and voluminous Reddit threads, and "Internet Age" contextual analysis.
SHOW NOTES:
On Episode 24, Pete talks with the brilliant Camden Ostrander, a metamodern scholar and keen observer and student of Childish Gambino, about whom he writes for Dissect Podcast's Season Seven, which is focused on Gambino's Because the Internet.
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, as of this week, 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.
You can find Camden on social media: @metamodernCam (IG and Twitter)
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.
Thanks again for listening, and I hope that these quarantine days bring you texts by writers with MAD Skills whose work gives you chills at will.
The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other cool song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental Version”) by Matt Weidauer, used through Arches Audio. Matt’s artist page can be found here.
Authors Mentioned and Allusions and Songs Referenced During the Episode:
Culdesac-mixtape by Donald Glover
The Autobiography of Malcolm X, by Alex Haley
Malcolm X's Letter Written after Revelatory Hajj
"There's nothing new under the sun" and its meaning/connection to art
The Screenplay for Childish Gambino's Because the Internet
Shia LaBeouf and Metamodernism
Transmedia (Camden's field of study in college), its definition, and its usage in modern times
Metamodernism-its definition, usage, etc. This theory is a huge part of Camden's study of Donald Glover/Childish Gambino.
Donald Glover on Old-School Hip Hop: Hilarious
Tuesday Oct 27, 2020
Tuesday Oct 27, 2020
Camden Ostrander teaches high school English in Maryland, and he is a writer on the Dissect Podcast, Season 7, which is about artist Childish Gambino’s 2013 album, Because the Internet. He has written about the album for years through a metamodern lens, replete with a content guide, intricate and voluminous Reddit threads, and "Internet Age" contextual analysis.
SHOW NOTES:
On Episode 24, Pete talks with the brilliant Camden Ostrander, a metamodern scholar and keen observer and student of Childish Gambino, about whom he writes for Dissect Podcast's Season Seven, which is focused on Gambino's Because the Internet.
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, as of this week, 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.
You can find Camden on social media: @metamodernCam (IG and Twitter)
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.
Thanks again for listening, and I hope that these quarantine days bring you texts by writers with MAD Skills whose work gives you chills at will.
The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other cool song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental Version”) by Matt Weidauer, used through Arches Audio. Matt’s artist page can be found here.
Authors Mentioned and Allusions and Songs Referenced During the Episode:
The Autobiography of Malcolm X, by Alex Haley
Malcolm X's Letter Written after Revelatory Hajj
The Screenplay for Childish Gambino's Because the Internet
Shia LaBeouf and Metamodernism
Kevin Abstract and Brockhampton
Tuesday Oct 20, 2020
Tuesday Oct 20, 2020
SHOW NOTES:
On Episode 23, Pete discusses the legend S.E. Hinton and her “endings that echo” throughout his life, so memorable in their rawness and beauty.
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, and, as of this week, on Amazon Music! Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he's @chillsatwillpo1.
This is a passion project for Pete, a DIY operation, and he’d love for your help in promoting what he's convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.
You can find That Was Then, This is Now and The Outsiders anywhere you buy books. That Was Then, This is Now was published in 1971 by Viking Penguin Publishing, and The Outsiders was published in 1967 by Viking Penguin Publishing.
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.
Thanks again for listening, and Pete hopes that these quarantine days bring you texts by writers with MAD Skills whose work gives you chills at will.
The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other cool song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental Version”) by Matt Weidauer, used through Arches Audio. Matt’s artist page can be found here.
Authors Mentioned and Allusions and Songs Referenced During the Episode:
Ahmad: "Back in the Day"
Tuesday Oct 13, 2020
Tuesday Oct 13, 2020
Show Notes: On Episode 22, Pete shares some of his own work, poetry in progress, much of it written a long time ago and now being rediscovered and tinkered with:
1) "The Death of Humility: An Elegy in Six Parts"-read live on Oct 2, 2020, as part of "Voices of California" at Tia Chucha's in Sylmar, CA
4) "Just Visiting (Napoli: July, 2009)”
You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts; please leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Spotify and, as of recently, 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 awesome songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.
For now, thanks again for listening, and I hope that these quarantine days bring you texts by writers with MAD Skills whose work gives you chills at will.
Saturday Oct 10, 2020
Saturday Oct 10, 2020
Show Notes: Pete and Grant have a fun conversation about the marriage of writing and sports. They discuss Grant's fandom as a child, as well as his fandom as an adult that has been changed so thoroughly by his job writing about basketball. They also riff on Grant's admiration for Cormac McCarthy, Sports Illustrated for Kids as an writing inspiration (yes, we shout out Buzz Beamer!), how his work in the field of law informs his writing style, the writing life, and the business of sports writing, NBA analytics, why Grant doesn't read website comments about his writing, trends in writing and reading and in the NBA, and the balance between writing for the mainstream and writing for art's sake.
Grant also is put on the spot to predict the winner of Game Five of the Lakers/Heat (the episode was recorded the morning of the game) and the winner of the series. He wraps up the episode with a cool explanation of LeBron James versus Michael Jordan and their respective places in the Pantheon, by way of Chuck Klosterman.
Grant Hughes grew up in San Jose and graduated from Santa Clara University with a BA in English. He went on to earn his law degree from SCU, and worked as Deputy DA before pivoting into sports writing in 2012.
He has written about the NBA for Bleacher Report and other outlets for eight years. He is now a National NBA Featured Columnist with Bleacher Report.
Selected Articles by Grant:
"EVOLUTION of the STEP-BACK" from 2016
Trades That Would Unleash Potential NBA Superstars" from October 2020
Ranking the Best NBA Defenders of the 2000s from July 2020
Wednesday Oct 07, 2020
Wednesday Oct 07, 2020
The panel responds to the questions of Pete and Matt and the audience viewing at home.
Questions include "How do you as writers deal with the need or lack thereof to translate languages other than English and/or any cultural references that may be unfamiliar to some readers?"
"Do you write with a target audience in mind?"
"How do you 'armor down?' " in contrast to the ways in which writers and performers need to get the courage up to present their work.