The Chills at Will Podcast

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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

Monday Apr 24, 2023

Episode 179 with Sarah Cypher, Skilled and Thorough and Thoughtful Chronicler of The Long Reaches of History, Identity, and ,What Constitutes Home

Monday Apr 24, 2023

Episode 179 Notes and Links to Sarah Cypher’s Work

On Episode 179 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Sarah Cypher, and the two discuss, among other things, Sarah’s early reading and writing and the artistic gene she inherited, finding herself (or not) in her adolescent and college reading, the research needed for her book, Palestine as a muse, and motifs and themes of identity, the pull of home, exile, familial strife from her wonderful debut novel.

Sarah Cypher is a freelance book editor and author of The Skin and Its Girl. She has an MFA from the Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College, where she was a Rona Jaffe Graduate Creative Writing Fellow in fiction. Her writing has appeared in the Washington Post, New Ohio Review, Majuscule, North American Review, LEON Literary Review, Crab Orchard Review, and others. She grew up in a Lebanese Christian family near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and lives in Washington, D.C., with her wife.

Buy The Skin and its Girl

Sarah Cypher's Website

Sarah’s Substack

Kirkus Reviews for The Skin and its Girl

At about 2:20, Sarah talks about her mindset as the book comes out this week and her love for those helping with the cover (check out her Substack article about the cover process), editing, and promotion

At about 4:20, Sarah points to an artistic strain in her family and connects her writing and the book’s art

At about 5:20, Sarah gives background on her love of reading and writing and relationship with language growing up

At about 7:30, Sarah speaks about queerness as often treated as “unspeakable” when she was growing up and how she “found herself”

At about 9:30, Sarah discusses “resistance” in this time of banning books and censorship and homophobia

At about 11:30, Pete and Sarah get very grammary as Pete points out some subtleties that make Sarah’s book so good

At about 13:15, Sarah reflects on “exploring voices outside of [her] own”

At about 15:00, Sarah shouts out Patricia Engel, Rachel Cusk, and Katie Kitamura, among others, as some of her favorite and inspiring contemporary writers

At about 17:40, Sarah responds to Pete’s question about muse(s) for her project and research and seeds for the book by giving background on the book’s history and her own life experiences as a second-generation Arab-American (“before 9/11 and after 9/11”)

At about 22:00, Sarah details her connection to the famous soap from Nablus in Palestine

At about 24:15, Pete quotes the book’s epigraph and asks Sarah about its significance to “return” and home

At about 26:10, Sarah speaks to the book as “epistolary/” “direct address” and muses on how queer literature often uses direct address structures

At about 28:25, Sarah reflects on the connections between the Tower of Babel story and Nuha Rummani’s take on the story’s morals and buildings/towers as motifs

At about 31:10, Pete details the book’s opening sequences and discusses Betty’s dramatic birth

At about 32:50, Pete and Sarah discuss Tashi and her traumas and her background

At about 36:15, Sarah talks about how Tashi and her life are burdens/gifts from the family’s history and lineage

At about 37:40, The two discuss coincidences and meanings with Betty being born the day that the family soap factory was destroyed; Sarah connects to The Battle of Nablus in 2022

At about 41:20, Sarah speaks to ideas of “aftermath” in her work

At about 42:10, Pete outlines Nuha’s stories and their morals and her rationale; some of these stories include the parallel storylines between Alissabat and Betty

At about 44:10, Sarah is asked about Nuha’s character with regards to ideas of openness and living her truths

At about 47:30, Pete relates the saga of Betty’s schooling

At about 49:10, The two discuss ideas of difference in its many iterations and assimilation

At about 50:00, Sarah talks about those who “bullied” their way into the story in response to Pete’s compliments about strong women

At about 53:00, Pete and Sarah reflect on ideas of “long memories” and history’s long reach

At about 57:10, The two meditate on the “pull of home” and shifting concepts of “home”

You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

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

NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast

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

The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

Please tune in for Episode 180 with Jennifer Dawn Carlson. She is author of Merchants of the Right: Gun Sellers and the Crisis of American Democracy, and Associate Professor of Sociology and Government & Public Policy at the University of Arizona, and a 2022 MacArthur Fellow.

The episode will air on May 2, the Pub Day for her book!

Tuesday Apr 18, 2023

Episode 178 with Stephen Buoro, Master Craftsman of Satire, Humor, Mathematics, Philosophy Merging in His Instant Classic, The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa

Tuesday Apr 18, 2023

Episode 178 Notes and Links to Stephen Buoro’s Work

On Episode 178 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Stephen Buoro, and the two discuss, among other things, his early relationship with math, as well as the written and spoken word, particularly through his connection to, and education with, The Catholic Church, his early reading and love of Kafka and Richard Wright and other standouts, his book’s satirical/humorous components, his inspiration for the book’s opening and beyond, and important themes and motifs of Ani/Afrofuturism, traumas both personal and societal, permutation theory, colonialism and its legacies, fetishization of West and East, and pessimism and optimism.

Stephen Buoro was born in Nigeria in 1993. He has an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia where he received the Booker Prize Foundation Scholarship. He lives in Norwich, United Kingdom. The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa is his first novel.

Buy The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa from Bloomsbury Publishing

Stephen Buoro's Website

From The Guardian: “The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa by Stephen Buoro review – astute story of self-discovery”

From The Economist: "Wit and wisdom in 'The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa' "

At about 6:30, Stephen describes how “surreal” it is in the week or so leading up to his book’s publication date

At about 7:50, Stephen describes Ian Rankin’s and Max Porter’s sterling blurbs for his book

At about 8:40, Stephen responds to Pete’s question about how he sees his book as of the moment and also existing timelessly

At about 12:50, Pete asks Stephen about his reading background, and his relationships with the world; Stephen describes how he became a voracious reader of Irish lit, encyclopedias, and so much more

At about 19:45, Stephen highlights Richard Wright’s Black Boy as pivotal in his reading and his path towards becoming a writer himself, including how the book was both “depressing” and “uplifting”

At about 21:40, Stephen

At about 22:15, Pete points out some connections between Andy from the book and Stephen’s reading of Kafka and Joyce, and Stephen reflects on meanings for him for the book

At about 24:30, Pete confesses his not all-encompassing love (gasp!) for The Metamorphosis

At about 25:20, Stephen reflects on moments that led to him becoming a writer

At about 29:55, Stephen talks about the moments and experiences that guided his love of and fascination for words, and he and Pete discuss the allegories and performances and wonder that religion brought with it

At about 33:25, Pete asks Stephen about perspective, and how moving to the UK allowed him to write differently about Nigeria

At about 35:45, Stephen summarizes the book’s first chapter and describes the genesis of the book in 2018

At about 39:20, Pete and Stephen highlight the legendary Blackberry!

At about 39:45, Pete and Stephen reflect on the powerful and funny opening scene of the book, and Stephen talks about some ignorance of the book being funny

At about 42:00, Pete outlines the book’s five sections, based on the Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Jesus’ last days, and Stephen responds to Pete wondering about permutations

At about 45:35, The book’s exposition is set, with descriptions of the coming party for the parish priest’s niece, and Andy’s mother and Andy’s deceased brother and his role as “Ydna”

At about 49:50, Stephen discusses duality and the character of Andy as representative of other ideas and groups of people

At about 52:30, Stephen talks about “HXVX” and its implications and connections to Andy and his friends’ superhero storyline

At about 53:40, The two discuss Zara’s role in the book, ideas of “Anifuturism,” and pessimism and optimism in the book

At about 58:20, The friends (“the droogs”) of Andy are described and characterized

At about 1:00:55, Slim and his homosexuality are put into the context of the book and its friend group and societal expectations/pressures

At about 1:02:05, Pete notes the inclusion of Oga Oliver and his connection to those who have emigrated and want to emigrate from Nigeria

At about 1:02:50, The party of all parties is described, with Eileen’s appearance

At about 1:04:10, Andy responds to Pete’s musings and questions about Eileen and her role in the book and what/who she represents

At about 1:07:30, Pete compliments the “skillful” final scene of the book and the book’s “timeless” and specific greatness, while avoiding plot spoilers (!)

At about 1:09:40, Stephen discusses exciting future projects

At about

NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast

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

Please tune in for Episode 179 with Eli Cranor, whose critically acclaimed debut novel, Don't Know Tough, won the Peter Lovesey First Crime Novel Contest and was named one of the "Best Books of the Year" by USA Today and one of the "Best Crime Novels" of 2022 by the New York Times; his highly-acclaimed Ozark Dogs came out on April 4.

The episode will air on April 25.

Tuesday Apr 11, 2023

Episode 177 with Laura Warrell, Skilled Chronicler of Art and Connection and Aging, and Author of Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm, PEN/Faulkner Finalist

Tuesday Apr 11, 2023

Episode 177 Notes and Links to Laura Warrell’s Work

On Episode 177 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Laura Warrell, and the two discuss, among other things, her early love of writing and acting, important works and writers who steered her into her own career, how teaching literature at Berklee College of Music informed her writing and creative outlook, and issues in Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm around love, connection, traumas, promiscuity, character development, real-life inspirations, and structural and character-based decisions.

Laura Warrell is a contributor to the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference and the Tin House Summer Workshop, and is a graduate of the creative writing program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her work has appeared in HuffPost, The Rumpus, and the Los Angeles Review of Books, among other publications. Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm was published in September 2022, and has been rightly lauded since.

Buy Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm

Laura Warrell's Website

Los Angeles Times Portrait of Laura's Journey in Writing Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm

At about 1:40, Laura talks about the “flurry of activity” that followed her book’s publication, and Pete asks her to speak about “moving on” to her next project and how she sees her first book now and how she remembers her characters are for her

At about 5:00, Laura gives background on her very early writing (“I came to writing before I came to reading”) and reading

At about 8:20, Laura recalls her early desire (and continuing until college) desire to become an actress/theater major

At about 11:00, Laura and Pete muse on the fading idea of the writer as celebrity

At about 12:50, Laura discusses how acting became secondary to writing in her pivotal college days, as well as writers like Toni Morrison, Toni Cade Bambara, Henry Miller, Anais Nin, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, among others, who inspired her

At about 16:05, Pete asks about how Laura’s time as an instructor at Berklee College of Music informed the book and its coverage of art, artists, and creativity

At about 22:20, The two discuss a pivotal and memorable scene where the protagonist Circus receives a wakeup call and

At about 24:30, Laura gives background on the title and its genesis, and she responds Pete’s questions about why Laura used jazz as a topic for the book

At about 28:15, Laura speaks to ideas of centering the multiple women in Circus’ orbit

At about 32:10, Laura points to a particular book she was reading about a “playboy” that made her sure to have the women’s perspective front and center for those in relationships with Circus

At about 34:40, Laura lays our characteristics of Circus’ daughter, Koko, and how fleshing her out led to more narration from Circus

At about 36:30, Maggie is described, and the book’s opening scene is described and how it leads to a pivotal choice for Circus

At about 37:20, Laura talks about basing Maggie on Cindy Blackman, and Pete and Laura discuss a scene where Maggie delineates differences for her between Tip and Circus

At about 41:20, Pete references the opening scene for Koko, and Koko’s “father issues,” and Laura talks about Koko as a caretaker for her mother, Pia

At about 45:05, Pia is described, especially with regard to her maternal outlook

At about 46:05, A key scene involving Odessa (Pete is very complimentary of the craft) is discussed, and Laura talks about readers’ feedback involving Odessa

At about 48:35, Pete and Laura discuss key scenes involving Koko, especially in her unease in growing up

At about 50:20, The theme of aging is discussed, especially in terms of creative output and the world’s expectations

At about 51:25, Pete marks Raquel as in important character, a barometer, and Laura describes the role of Raquel

At about 55:10, The theme of father-daughter relationships and traumas and love is referenced and examples given, with Laura reflecting on the “broken mechanism” that steers Circus’ motivations and actions

At about 1:00:10, Pete and Laura cite a rough scene that calls to mind misogyny in a memorable way

At about 1:01:50, Pia is highlighted for ideas of trauma and ways to cope, and Laura picks up on a thread to reinforce why she wanted to write the book as she did

At about 1:05:40, Treading lightly-not wanting to give plot spoilers, Pete outlines some of the book’s twists

At about 1:06:50, Laura highlights ideas from the book on expectations for success, dreams, family life, and the immediacy of these things

At about 1:09:00, Laura gives social media info, and highlights Octavia’s Bookshelf and Skylight Books as two of many great places to buy her book

At about 1:10:05, Laura talks about an exciting new book project

At about 1:11:50, Laura gives suggestions on possible actors who might play Circus if the book were ever put on the big/small screen

NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast

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

Please tune in for Episode 178 with Stephen Buoro. Stephen was born in Nigeria in 1993 and at The University of East Anglia in the UK, he was the 2018 recipient of the Booker Prize Foundation Scholarship. He has a first-class degree in Mathematics and is currently studying for a PhD in Creative-Critical Writing at UEA on a fully funded studentship. His book, Andy Africa and The Five Sorrowful Mysteries, is bound to be a sensation. Pete’s interview with him regarding the book is forthcoming in Chicago Review of Books.

The episode will air on April 18, the Pub Day for the book!

Tuesday Apr 04, 2023

Episode 176 with Raegen Pietrucha: Skillful Wordsmith, Image Painter, Ardent Activist for Survivors of Sexual Violence and Writer of The Powerful Head of a Gorgon Poetry Collection

Tuesday Apr 04, 2023

Episode 176 Notes and Links to Raegen Pietrucha’s Work

On Episode 176 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Raegen Pietrucha, and the two discuss, among other things, her early voracious reading, her pivot to poetry and being amazed and inspired by writers like Louise Gluck and Mona Simpson, her interest in particular myths around Medusa, her collection’s genesis, and attendant themes and motifs in the book around sexual violence, misogyny, grief, trauma, and resilience and reinvention; additionally, she discusses her important fundraisers that combine Sexual Assault Awareness Month and National Poetry Month in raising money for and awareness of victims of sexual violence.

Raegen Pietrucha writes, edits, and consults creatively and professionally. Her chapbook, An Animal I Can’t Name, won the 2015 Two of Cups Press competition; her debut poetry collection, Head of a Gorgon, was published by Vegetarian Alcoholic Press in May, 2022; and she has a memoir in progress. She received her MFA from Bowling Green State University, where she was an assistant editor for Mid-American Review. Her work has been published in Cimarron Review, Puerto del Sol, and other journals. Connect with her at raegenmp.wordpress.com and on Twitter @freeradicalrp.

Get Involved in Raising Money for and Awareness of Victims of Sexual Violence through Raegen’s Fun and Unique Fundraisers through Resilience

Buy Head of a Gorgon from Vegetarian Alcoholic Press

Buy Head of a Gorgon from Amazon

Raegen Pietrucha's Website

2022 Interview with FourWay Review

At about 7:35, Raegan talks about her early reading prowess and early creations of creative work, including the reading contests that she and Pete remember so well

At about 11:20, Raegen talks about memorable reads as she developed as a reader and writer and an ever-growing TBR pile due to her wide reading

At about 13:00, Shout outs to the quiiiiite eccentric Shel Sílverstein

At about 15:10, Raegen sings the praise of Louise Gluck, especially her poem “Mock Orange,” and Mona Simpson’s “Lawns” as pivotal/revelatory for Raegen

At about 20:00, Raegen responds to Pete’s inquiries about how she reads differently after having served as an editor over many years; she discusses the ways in which her choices have changed over the years in valuing the visceral more

At about 28:05, Pete makes an incredibly terrible/smooth transition as the two talk about the background and important facts around Head of a Gorgon-publishing, etc.

At about 29:35, Pete reads one of the collection’s epigraphs and Raegen discusses seeds for the books and connections in her life and those of loved ones to the myths of Medusa

At about 35:35, Raegen delineates her view of and focus on a particular lesson and her lens in looking at a particular version

At about 36:50, Pete and Raegen discuss the book’s trigger warnings and lay out the book’s outline and structure and ideas of “rein

At about 41:20, Pete highlights skillful onomatopoeia, sound, and creative and active verbs in the collection’s first poem; Raegen talks about decapitation (!) and describes her rationale in writing the poem in 20-30 lines and reads the poem-it is called “The Gorgon’s Parting Thought”

At about 45:50, The two discuss water as a motif throughout the collection, as well as speaker and audience for the collection and the multiple “Your Captain is Speaking” poems in the collection

At about 50:10, The two discuss the poem “Sex Ed” and its implications about “willful ignorance” and an imagining of a young Medusa

At about 53:10, Pete gives an example of a humorous Simpsons scene that pokes at the the often “woefully adequate” ways

At about 56:10, Pete reads the powerful ending of “Sex Ed”

At about 56:50, The themes of misogyny and women as existing in juxtaposition with powerful men through reading of resonant lines

At about 58:00, Raegen discusses the ideas in her work and beyond about women as being viewed as “sacrificial”

At about 59:20, Raegen relates some of her early encounters with Medusa in an artistic way

At about 1:01:40, Ideas of snakes as venomous and victimizing and treacherous and men as predatory, though less so as the woman discovers her power as the book goes on are discussed

At about 1:05:15, Pete likens parts of the collection to ideas of “light” and “blinders” in the collection and “Allegory of the Cave”; Raegen answers Pete’s questions about sources of strength for survivors in “finding the light”

At about 1:09:35, Pete cites lines from the collection, connecting ideas of fate and free will and self-worth in Greek myth

At about 1:10:50, Pete quotes from the powerful poem “Cheer,” with its meditations of grief and “reinvention”

At about 1:11:40, Pete and Raegen discuss the collection's denouement and the ways in which internalized shame and grief and the external relate

At about 1:13:50, Pete compliments the ways in which realizations and growth are shown throughout the collection, quoting from a powerful ending

At about 1:15:40, Raegen gives details on SAAM (Sexual Assault Awareness Month) and National Poetry Month, and the extensive work she is doing to fundraise in so many fun and unique ways for victims of sexual violence-here’s the link for her work in partnership with Resilience

NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast

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

Please tune in for Episode 177 with Laura Warrell. She is the author of Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm, a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the Barnes & Noble Discover Prize, and long-listed for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and the Golden Poppy Book Award through the California Independent Booksellers Alliance; her writing has been published in the New York Times, Lit Hub, Los Angeles Review of Books, Huffington Post, The Rumpus, The Writer, and other publications.

The episode will air on April 11.

Friday Mar 31, 2023

Episode 175 with Jordan Harper, Renowned TV Writer, Primo Crime and Noir Writer, Chronicler of Moral Ambiguity, and Writer of the Exciting, Profound, Stunningly-Good Everybody Knows

Friday Mar 31, 2023

Episode 175 Notes and Links to Jordan Harper’s Work

On Episode 175 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Jordan Harper, and the two discuss, among other things, his early reading and writing, his forays into journalism and creative writing, a pivotal screenwriting opportunity, his work writing for the small screen and lessons learned in this world regarding writing style and appropriate behaviors; additionally, his recent book, Everybody Knows, gets the spotlight, with discussions of the importance of LA as setting, the worlds of Hollywood and politics as representative of so many larger parts of society, writing genre (or not), the book’s links to police corruption and deputy gangs, and the moral ambiguity that reigns in the book.

Jordan Harper is the Edgar-Award winning author of EVERYBODY KNOWS, SHE RIDES SHOTGUN and LOVE AND OTHER WOUNDS. Born and educated in Missouri, he now lives in Los Angeles, where he works as a writer and producer for television.

Buy Everybody Knows

Jordan Harper's Substack

Maureen Corrigan Reviews Everybody Knows for NPR’s Fresh Air

Jim Ruland Reviews Everybody Knows for The Los Angeles Times

At about 6:50, Jordan talks about growing up in Jefferson City, MO, and his reading habits in his childhood and adolescence

At about 9:25, Jordan talks about his fandom of Hunter S. Thompson and how he was inspired to take creative writing and journalism due to Thompson’s influence

At about 12:10, Jordan gives background on a pivotal Warner Bros program that helped him get a writing job with The Mentalist after being moved by directors like Michael Mann, Tarantino, Scorcese,

At about 14:25, Jordan responds to Pete’s questions about finding his place in the writer’s room, and Jordan narrates a summary of his television writing career, including a lot of work with Bruno Heller and Monica Cutter

At about 18:50, Jordan talks about the benefits of the sometimes-formulaic writing style for the screen

At about 20:30, Jordan responds to Pete’s question about if he watches TV differently now that he is a TV writer

At about 23:10, Pete asks Jordan about his thoughts on labels-”crime writer, etc.”- for literary genres, and Jordan and Pete shout out top-tier writers like Steph Cha, Megan Abbott, and Tod Goldberg

At about 25:25, Pete wonders what fiction provides for Jordan, writing in this style versus nonfiction

At about 29:10, Jordan ruminates on the ways in which Hollywood particularly has systems in place like those for which Mae from Everybody Knows works

At about 31:40, Pete defines “noir” and Jordan connects this to the book’s moral ambiguity and darkness and ending

At about 32:50, Jordan discusses the research process for this book and his other work

At about 35:35, Pete lays out the book’s opening and outlines the narrator, Mae’s, job and personality

At about 36:25, Pete shares a stirring quote from the book’s Hannah Heard that is resonant

At about 37:35, Jordan describes Mae’s company and the idea of real-life PR firms and spokespeople, including what inspired the book’s title

At about 41:55, Jordan describes a truism of much of society’s ideas of performance versus action

At about 43:05, The two discuss ideas of acculturation in any industry with power and “bending to the powers”; **Good Fellas and A Bronx Tale references!

At about 45:25, Pete references a powerful and memorable scene involving the Los Angeles Sheriffs’ Department, and Jordan explains a change in wording in policy and legal standards

At about 46:55, Mae’s childhood is described, as well as discussion of how much of her personality and mantras were “nature,” and how much were “nurture”

At about 48:55, Jordan talks about how when high-pressure and morally ambiguous

At about 51:35, Jordan gives some cool inside info on characters on tv and in movies and their physical progress through filming

At about 53:00, Pete notes the importance of the “unsaid” in the book and Pete and Jordan ruminate on ideas of silences in society

At about 55:35, Jordan reflects on ideas of moral ambiguity and “soft nihilism” in his work and in the world

At about 57:00, Pete shouts out some incredibly skillful dialogue in the book

At about 58:25, Jordan talks about the important quote from Hannah Heard and shines a light on Corey Feldman’s allegations, for one, as emblematic of much of the world of Hollywood power

At about 1:01:25, Pete asks Jordan’s about real-life connections to BlackGuard from the book and describes the draw of main character Chris

At about 1:03:55, Jordan points out Winnie M. Li’s Complicit as an example of those who have written eloquently about The “Me Too” Movement in saying that he

At about 1:05:10, Pete brings up a moving and honest scene involving main character Chris, and Jordan talks about why he chose to “zoom out” in this scene

At about 1:06:55, The two discuss a telling scene and anecdote about a French style of eating the whole bird, and Jordan and Pete note the sweeping symbolism of the napkin

At about 1:08:45, The two discuss the differences between power and visibility and power and responsibility, especially with regard to how Mae and her company work

At about 1:09:45, The passive voice is discussed (hehe-get it?) with regard to public statements from PR firms and spokespeople

At about 1:11:30, Pete highlights the ways in which Mae and Chris thrive on action, and Jordan notes how they often don’t think about the why and how this affects their often willful ignorance of what they do on a daily basis

At about 1:13:45, Pete reflects on Chris and Mae pursuing “The Life,” and Jordan comments on how the two live lies together

At about 1:15:10, Pete asks Jordan about the book’s setting, and Jordan reflects on Los Angeles as “América writ large”

At about 1:17:35, Pete remarks on Jordan’s precision with CalGangs in the book with John Montez, and Jordan talks about the real-life police ridealong that inspired this part

At about 1:19:45, Pete highlights a resonant line that is emblematic of the greatness of the book and Jordan gives background on its usage; Pete connects the quote to Parker, the highly unethical politician in the book

NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast

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

Please tune in for Episode 176 with Raegan Pietrucha. She writes, edits, and consults on professional and creative bases. Head of a Gorgon is her debut full-length poetry collection. Her debut poetry chapbook, An Animal I Can't Name, won the 2015 Two of Cups Press competition.

The episode will air on April 4.

Tuesday Mar 28, 2023

Episode 174 with Allegra Hyde, Stellar and Versatile Worldbuilder and Purveyor of ”Retrofuturism,” Keen Chronicler of ”Global Weirding,” and Author of the Resonant Collection The Last Catastrophe

Tuesday Mar 28, 2023

Episode 174 Notes and Links to Allegra Hyde’s Work

On Episode 174 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Allegra Hyde, and the two discuss, among other things, her lifelong love of reading and love for librarians (like her mom!) and libraries, her varied reading and writing genres, inspirations for her dazzling and inventive worldbuilding, dark humor, the main throughline of her story collection, ideas of climate change, “global weirding,” action and inaction, encroaching technology, misogyny and patriarch with regard to climate issues, and why she has hope for our world.

Allegra Hyde is the author of ELEUTHERIA, which was named a "Best Book of 2022" by The New Yorker. She is also the author of the story collection, OF THIS NEW WORLD, which won the John Simmons Short Fiction Award. Her second story collection, THE LAST CATASTROPHE, is out in the world as of today, March 28, published by Vintage.

A recipient of three Pushcart Prizes, Hyde's writing has also been anthologized in Best American Travel Writing, Best of the Net, and Best Small Fictions. Her stories, essays, and humor pieces have appeared in The New Yorker, American Short Fiction, BOMB, and many other venues.

Hyde has received fellowships and grants from the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, the Sewanee Writers' Conference, The Elizabeth George Foundation, the Lucas Artist Residency Program, the Jentel Foundation, the U.S. Fulbright Commission, and elsewhere.

She currently teaches at Oberlin College.

Buy The Last Catastrophe

Allegra Hyde's Webpage

Our Culture Mag Profile of Allegra Hyde and The Last Catastrophe

At about 7:10, Pete compliments The Last Catastrophe, referring to Allegra’s work as “prophet[ic],” and Allegra talks about her mindset with her book now entering the world

At about 9:15, Allegra talks about her childhood relationships with the library, reading, and writing; she shouts out her love for The Chronicles of Narnia and audiobooks in general

At about 10:45, Pete wonders about any childhood experiences that may have steered Allegra to particular types of reading

At about 12:10, Pete highlights a particular story from the collection that is indicative of Allegra’s skill with worldbuilding; she explains her approach to worldbuilding

At about 14:10, Allegra describes the “privilege” in doing authorial research and she and Pete shout out librarians and decry the recent spate of book banning

At about 15:40, Pete asks Allegra about who/what she is reading these days; she highlights Sleepwalk by Dan Chaon and Thornton Wilder

At about 17:15, Pete references the book’s blurb as “dazzling and inventive” (Alexandra Kleeman) and Allegra describes her approach in writing one of those “dazzling” stories

At about 18:55, Allegra defines “retrofuturism,” and she describes how it was guiding her in these stories; she points out her story “Democracy in América” as an example

At about 20:15, Allegra characterizes the throughline of her short story connection, defining and expounding upon the term “Global Weirding”

At about 23:05, Pete cites an important and evocative opening line of the collection and asks Allegra about the line’s larger meaning and if it served as a catalyst

At about 24:45, Pete and Allegra discuss the plot and significance of the story “Mobilization”

At about 27:55, Pete references a joke from Marc Maron and inaction on climate change/global weirdness; Allegra highlights the need to approach the crisis from a communal lens

At about 29:20, Pete refers to grass and drought issues and its connection to wealth and

At about 30:05, Pete quotes from the book and he and Allegra discuss ideas of optimism and pessimism regarding the future, particularly with regard to climate change/global weirdness

At about 32:35, Pete references the story “Zoo Suicides” and Allegra speaks to the story’s intent and how it was “after” Donald Barthelme and Dana Diehl

At about 35:00, The two discuss the power of the dark humor in the book, and Allegra discusses the story “Afterglow” and its connections to global weirding and a more individual story of grief

At about 38:45, Allegra discusses the gender identity of the narrator of “Democracy in América” and talk about issues particular to America, especially as seen from outside the US

At about 40:55, Allegra describes the process of “Consignment,” which speaks to ideas of consumerism and an American obsession with youth and beauty, from the above story

At about 42:25, Commodification and issues of wealth inequality are discussed with regards to her story collection, especially with regards to how wealth and global weirding are so closely linked

At about 44:40, Pete highlights “The Future is a Click Away” as a standout story and he and Allegra discuss “The Algorithm” in the story as almost “mythical” and “god-like”

At about 47:30, “Cougar” is discussed as another story that deals with encroaching technology, and Allegra talks about “merg[ing] real pieces from her life with research and imagination

At about 49:40, “Endangered” and its statements on the state of art and artists, as well as captivity and endangerment in today’s world, is discussed

At about 52:30, Misogyny and what Allegra calls “the mysterious nature of ‘Chevalier’ ” are discussed, as well as ideas of invisibilia, both by the world at large and by the narrator of the story, who may be more directed by love than she would let on

At about 56:00, Allegra connects her stories to patriarchy and global weirding

At about 58:00, Pete and Allegra discuss legislative action and other ways in which women and other oppressed groups are being ignored and degraded

At about 58:55, Allegra explains why she “chafe[s]” against her writing being described as “satirical”

At about 59:30, Pete laugh over the absurd and awesome story involving a woman

At about 1:00:25, Allegra explains how she finds cause for optimism despite some often dark topics that populate the world and her work

At about 1:03:15, Allegra shouts out her upcoming tour dates, and shouts out Ben Franklin/Mindfair Books as one of many places to buy her book

At about 1:04:35, Allegra highlights her exciting upcoming project-there are caves involved!

NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast

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.

Monday Mar 27, 2023

Episode 173 with Rachel Heng, Gifted Storyteller, Master of the Emotional Storyline and Stirring Plot, and Author of the Instant Classic Saga, The Great Reclamation

Monday Mar 27, 2023

Episode 173 Notes and Links to Rachel Heng’s Work

On Episode 173 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Rachel Heng, and the two discuss, among other things, her love of reading and her early relationships with the written word and multilingualism, her research and the family stories concerning Singapore’s transformation and its history of ethnic diversity and kampong culture, the book’s “complications” concerning the ways in which “The Great Reclamation” played in on micro- and macro levels for the people of Singapore, her beautiful portrayals of change, grief, and guilt, and her inspirations for writing the book.

Rachel Heng is the author of the novels The Great Reclamation (Riverhead, 2023) and Suicide Club (Henry Holt, 2018), which has been translated into ten languages worldwide and won the Gladstone Library Writer-In-Residence Award. Rachel's short fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, McSweeney's Quarterly, One Story, Kenyon Review, and has been recognized by anthologies including Best American Short Stories, The Pushcart Prize, Best Small Fictions and Best New Singaporean Short Stories. She was recently longlisted for the 2021 Sunday Times Short Story Award, “the world’s richest and most prestigious prize for a single short story.” Her non-fiction has been listed among Best American Essays’ Notable Essays and published in Al Jazeera, Guernica, BOMB Magazine, The Rumpus and elsewhere. She has received fellowships from the National Endowment of the Arts, Vermont Studio Center, Sewanee Writers' Conference, Fine Arts Work Center and the National Arts Council of Singapore. Rachel received her MFA in Fiction and Playwriting from the Michener Center for Writers, UT Austin, and her BA in Comparative Literature & Society from Columbia University.

Buy The Great Reclamation

Rachel Heng's Webpage

Rachel Speaks about The Great Reclamation on NPR’s Weekend Edition with Scott Simon

Oprah Daily Cover Reveal and Article about The Great Reclamation

At about 7:50, Rachel discusses her mindset and emotions as her book tour begins with a March 28 event with Kirstin Chen and the book is published on March 28

At about 8:55, Pete asks about Rachel’s early relationship with the written word and multilingualism; Rachel talks about a heavy diet of British writers in school in Singapore and her route to becoming a writer

At about 12:40, Rachel discusses seeds for the book and research done for the book, including how the book came from a “curiosity to revisit that time” often referenced by older family members

At about 14:35, Rachel speaks to the ethnic makeup of Singapore, and how British colonialism affected Singapore’s ethnic history

At about 16:40, Pete reads the book’s epigraph and Rachel explains its connection to themes from the book, including Singapore’s look to the future

At about 19:10, The two characterize the Lee family

At about 20:25, Pete cites the wonderful opening line of the book and asks Rachel about the meanings and personal significance of the kampong

At about 23:55, Rachel expands upon ideas of the “kampong spirit” and the communal “national fabric” of Singapore for the duration of the book and now

At about 25:40, Pete wonders if there any connection between recent pushes toward MAGA and her book’s subject matter

At about 26:50, Pete and Rachel discuss Uncle’s character and sympathies for him

At about 27:25, The two lay out early events in the book with Ah Boon and family locating ethereal islands and Rachel gives background on how POV and a key throughline inspired the beginning of the book

At about 30:00, Pete talks about the slow inevitability of change in the book and asks Rachel about Pa’s parenting style

At about 31:40, Rachel gives background on Siok Mei, her family life, and what draws her and Ah Boon to each other

At about 33:55, Pete highlights the powerful and beautiful flashbacks in the book

At about 34:45, Pete cites Rachel’s skill with recognizable yet dynamic characters

At about 35:15, Pete quotes from the book to provide background on Ma and her marriage to Pa

At about 35:50, Pete and Rachel discuss the significance of the Japanese occupation in 1942 and its aftereffects

At about 38:30, Pete describes an important decision that Pa and Uncle are faced with during the Japanese occupation

At about 39:25, Pete and Rachel discuss “The Disappearing Years” and the post-war attitude exhibited by Ah Boon and Singaporeans

At about 42:15, The two discuss student protests that came about when Siok Mei and Ah Boon reacted to the real-life controversial case involving Nadra

At about 44:30, Rachel talks about the “Gah Men” and the ways in which they acted and were perceived by the public

At about 46:45, Natalie is discussed as representative of the government, especially with regard to diction like “greater good,” and Rachel describes parts of Singaporean history as “complicated” and “an interesting case study”

At about 50:20, Rachel talks about the environmental effects of The Great Reclamation

At about 51:25, Class division is described as a book theme through an anecdote from Natalie

At about 52:30, Pete quotes government officials from the book and ideas of “greater good”

At about 53:00, Pete compliments Rachel’s depictions of grief and she speaks to inspirations for these depictions

At about 54:40, Rachel explains a quote of hers regarding her perspective in writing this book while living in the US

NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast

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

Please tune in for Episode 174, another episode dropping today, March 28, celebrating pub day for Allegra Hyde.

Allegra Hyde is a recipient of three Pushcart Prizes and author of ELEUTHERIA, named a "Best Book of 2022" by The New Yorker. She’s also the author of the story collection, OF THIS NEW WORLD, which won the John Simmons Short Fiction Award, and her second story collection, THE LAST CATASTROPHE, is her new one.

The episode will go live around noon on March 28.

Friday Mar 24, 2023

Episode 172 with Robert Lopez, Expert Craftsman of Understatement and Braided Narrative and Author of 2023’s Dispatches from Puerto Nowhere

Friday Mar 24, 2023

Episode 172 Notes and Links to Robert Lopez’s Work

On Episode 172 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Robert Lopez, and the two discuss, among other things, growing up on Long Island, his renewed vigor for, and focus on, reading and writing in his early 20s, his inspirations in writers like Hemingway and Carver, John D’Agata, Eula Biss, ideas of erasure and assimilation that populate the book, his Puerto Rican heritage, his love of tennis as a sport and as metaphor, the idea of "dispatches" and how they inform his book, and his writing style of understatement and braided narrative.

Robert Lopez is the author of three novels, Part of the World, Kamby Bolongo Mean River —named one of 25 important books of the decade by HTML Giant, All Back Full, and two story collections, Asunder and Good People. A new novel-in-stories, A Better Class Of People, was published by Dzanc Books in April, 2022. Dispatches from Puerto Nowhere, his first nonfiction book, was published by Two Dollar Radio on March 14 of this year. His fiction, nonfiction, and poetry has appeared in dozens of publications, including Bomb, The Threepenny Review, Vice Magazine, New England Review, The Sun, and the Norton Anthology of Sudden Fiction – Latino. He teaches at Stony Brook University and has previously taught at Columbia University, The New School, Pratt Institute, and Syracuse University. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Buy Dispatches from Puerto Nowhere

Robert Lopez's Webpage

Sara Lippman Reviews Dispatches from Puerto Nowhere for Chicago Review of Books

At about 7:15, Robert describes the experience of having a book recently out in the world

At about 8:20, Robert discusses his adolescent reading habits

At about 9:50, Robert gives background on how a TV production class senior year of college inspired him to become an ardent reader and writer

At about 11:20, Robert responds to Pete’s questions about Long Island and its cultural norms

At about 14:15, Pete asks Robert about writers and writing that inspired him to become a writer himself; Robert points out a few, especially Raymond Carver and Ernest Hemingway

At about 16:25, The two talk about their shared preference for Hemingway’s stories over his novels

At about 17:00, Pete shouts out Robert’s paean to Hemingway’s “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”

At about 18:05, Robert speaks to the book’s background and seeds for the book in response to Pete’s questions about what it was like to write nonfiction/memoir

At about 21:20, Pete cites a blurb by Eula Biss that trumpets the book’s universality and specificity, leading Robert to define “Puerto Nowhere”

At about 23:20, Pete and Robert connects a quote from the book to Robert’s comment that the book is more in search of questions than answers/conclusions

At about 26:05, Pete posits Sigrid Nunez’s work as an analogue to Dispatches from Puerto Nowhere

At about 27:15, Vivían Gornick, Maggie Nelson, Eula Biss, Ander Monson, John D’Agata are referenced as writers whose work is “in conversation” with Robert’s

At about 28:35, Pete asks about the structure/placing of the dispatches, and Robert describes how the book was put together with some sage advice from Eric Obenauf at Two Dollar Radio

At about 30:50, Pete aska bout Robert’s understanding of “dispatches” and what it was like to write in first-person/personally

At about 32:25, Pete references two important lines from the book-the book’s opening line and its connection to forgetting, and an important quote and its misquote from Milosz, which Robert breaks down

At about 36:00, Pete and Robert highlight and analyze key quotes from the book dealing with Spanish language loss and forced and subtle assimilation and connections to cultural erasure

At about 40:40, Robert discusses the parallel storyline from the book that deals with his grandfather, about whose journey to the States

At about 42:20, Pete wonders if Robert still has designs ongoing to Puerto Rico and doing family research after the pandemic

At about 43:40, Tennis references in the book are highlighted, and Robert talks about how and why he made connections to important topics in the book, like police violence and racism and loss in the family

At about 51:35, Robert describes a good friend referenced in the book who is a great example

At about 52:35, the two discuss second-generation Americans and forward and the realization that often there are many more creature comforts as the generations go in

At about 55:10, Pete compliments the book’s powerful understatement and a resonant image involving Robert’s grandfather eating

NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast

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

Please tune in for Episode 173 and 174, TWO episodes dropping on March 28, celebrating pub days for Rachel Heng and Allegra Hyde.

Rachel Heng is author of the novels The Great Reclamation-her new one-and Suicide Club, which has been translated into ten languages worldwide and won the Gladstone Library Writer-In-Residence Award. Her short fiction has been recognized by anthologies including Best American Short Stories, The Pushcart Prize, Best Small Fictions and Best New Singaporean Short Stories.

The episodes air March 28.

Tuesday Mar 21, 2023

Episode 171 with Danielle Prescod, Fashion Publishing Standout and Writer of the Moving, Reflective, and Honest Token Black Girl

Tuesday Mar 21, 2023

Episode 171 Notes and Links to Danielle Prescod’s Work

On Episode 171 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Danielle Prescod, and the two discuss, among other things, Danielle’s voracious reading as an adolescent and beyond, issues of body image in school and in the fashion world, her work in the fashion publishing world and how her personal experiences as recounted in her enthralling and enlightening Token Black Girl can be seen as microcosmic in relation to larger societal issues of racism, fatphobia, and misogyny.

Danielle Prescod is an author, content creator, and journalist. She is also a fifteen-year veteran of the beauty and fashion industry and a graduate of NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. A lifelong fashion obsessive, she was most recently the style director of BET.com. Her book, Token Black Girl, is part memoir, part narrative nonfiction and an exploration of the ways that modern media can influence one’s self-esteem.

Buy Token Black Girl

Danielle Prescod's Website

From Marie Claire: #Read with MC Review of Token Black Girl

At about 7:00, Danielle talks about her prodigious reading and love of reading as a kid.

At about 8:50, Danielle describes the feeling of seeing her book out in the world

At about 10:00, Danielle charts some of that early reading-a lot of YA-Judy Blume, Pascal, V.C. Andrews, etc.

At about 11:30, Pete asks Danielle about how she sees her childhood reading in hindsight, and she talks about ideas of representation and references a powerful quote from Tracee Ellis Ross

At about 13:25, Danielle highlights Marley Dias and her incredibly impressive #1000blackgirlbooks project

At about 16:20, Danielle talks about 2020 and the high amount of anti-racism books that came to prominence and how the white mainstream as an audience

At about 17:55, Danielle speaks to the seeds for her career in fashion, and her love of writing and magazines

At about 19:35, Pete lays out the book’s introduction and he and Pete and Danielle discuss her focus on a 2003 magazine cover that was emblematic of ideas of erasure of women of color

At about 21:20, The definitions and explanations of a “token white girl” are explained; Danielle speaks to assimilation and indoctrination as described in the book; Danielle talks about the “limiting” binary of racism

At about 23:40, Danielle explains a “pretty naive concept” she had as a younger person

At about 25:25, Danielle talks about racism when falsely viewed through a “nice/mean” dichotomy and the injurious effects of this mindset

At about 28:40, Pete cites moving examples of racism experienced by Danielle’s grandfather and asks her about how his experiences and her parents’ experiences led to the ways she and her sister were raised and taught

At about 30:10, Danielle responds to Pete’s questions about racism and the ostensibly liberal environments she grew up in

At about 33:45, Pete highlights Danielle’s poetic language with a few examples regarding white supremacy and a fitting citing of Dubois; Danielle speaks to ideas of pressures in “representing” Black people

At about 35:10, The two discuss Danielle’s early environment at NYLON-and the greater societal environment- and how it affected her

At about 38:00, Danielle speaks to allure of fashion and its attendant issues

At about 40:00, Danielle gives an standout explanation of “fashion theory” and connects it to human history

At about 43:20, Danielle and Pete discuss a pivotal scene from the book that deals with discussions on body image in a college class of hers

At about 44:50, Danielle responds to Pete’s questions about connections between problematic societal body image issues and features and media coverage and ideas of stakeholders

At about 48:00, Pete compliments Danielle’s depictions and personal story

At about 49:10, Pete refers to a particularly egregious example of racism experienced by Danielle

At about 49:55, Danielle speaks to the “psychological warfare” of the publishing/fashion worlds, and its similarities to high school dramas, and she Pete discuss how society and these worlds often mirror each other

At about 51:00, Pete is highly complimentary of Danielle’s honesty in her book and Danielle speaks about what she might tell her younger self and other younger people about ways to find more peace

At about 54:40, Pete and Danielle reflect on ideas of perpetuating racism through societal norms

At about 55:55, Danielle shares edifying reader feedback she’s gotten regarding the book

At about 56:35, Danielle shares an exciting future project she’s working on

At about 58:20, Danielle provides social media and contact info

NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast

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

Please tune in for Episode 172 with Robert Lopez. He is author of three novels, including Kamby Bolongo Mean River—named one of 25 important books of the decade by HTML Giant, All Back Full, two story collections, and a novel-in-stories, A Better Class Of People. The LA Times wrote, "Lopez has the ability to give readers whiplash with his unconventional and bewitching stories."

The episode will air on March 24.

Tuesday Mar 14, 2023

Episode 170 with Richard T. Rodriguez, Skilled Practitioner of The Personal, and The Cultural, and Author of A Kiss Across the Ocean:Transatlantic Intimacies of British Post-Punk and US Latinidad

Tuesday Mar 14, 2023

Episode 170 Notes and Links to Richard T. Rodriguez’s Work

On Episode 170 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Richard T. Rodriguez, and the two discuss, among other things, Richard’s childhood full of voracious reading and master wordsmiths in his family, books and media and music that spoke to him and speaks to him, evolving ideas of Chicanismo, masters of Chicanx literature and music and cultural studies, and the seven songs/chapters that constitute his stellar book and build upon ideas of “touch” and a “kiss across the ocean.”

Richard T. Rodríguez is Professor of Media and Cultural Studies and English at the University of California, Riverside. He specializes in Latina/o/x literary and cultural studies, film and visual culture, and gender and sexuality studies, and holds additional interests in transnational cultural studies, popular music studies, and comparative ethnic studies.

The author of Next of Kin: The Family in Chicano/a Cultural Politics (Duke University Press, 2009), which won the 2011 National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies Book Award, and A Kiss across the Ocean: Transatlantic Intimacies of British Post-Punk and U.S. Latinidad (Duke University Press, 2022), he is currently completing Undocumented Desires: Fantasies of Latino Male Sexuality.

The 2019 recipient of the Richard A. Yarborough Mentoring Award, granted by the Minority Scholars' Committee of the American Studies Association, he is the co-principal investigator on a University of California MRPI grant titled "The Global Latinidades Project: Globalizing Latinx Studies for the Next Millennium." His show, "Dr. Ricky on the Radio," can be heard weekly on KUCR.

Buy A Kiss Across the Ocean:

Transatlantic Intimacies of British Post-Punk and U.S. Latinidad

Richard T. Rodriguez's University of California at Riverside Page

Razorcake Review and Summary of A Kiss Across the Ocean

At about 8:00, Richard talks about growing up and his relationship with language and the written word, including the impacts from his parents, who were “wordsmiths” and bilingual

At about 9:45, Richard shouts out Phuc Tran’s Sigh, Gone in describing his own reading and childhood experiences

At about 10:45, Richard discusses his college years at Cal Berkeley, and the huge impact June Jordan and Yusef Komunyaaka had on him

At about 13:00, Richard responds to Pete’s question about ideas of representation in what Richard read growing up-he points out Victor Villaseñor and Alfred Arteaga, among others

At about 14:40, Pete and Richard discuss the power of Villarreal’s Pocho

At about 16:20, Pete asks Richard about evolving ideas/definitions for “Chicano”

At about 18:35, Richard responds to Pete asking about any “ ‘Eureka’ moments” and how James Clifford in grad school helped him with a “reassessment of language”

At about 20:25, Richard talks about who and what he’s teaching as a college professor, including work by Alex Espinoza, Phuc Tran, and James Spooner

At about 24:05, Pete lays out some of the power of the beginning of the book and asks Richard about how he “saw the world anew” through Boy George and other musicians; he mentions how the music informed his reading and art intake

At about 27:10, Richard describes what spoke to him about Johnny Rotten’s quote about hanging out with Chicanos in SoCal

At about 28:30, Francesca Royster and Carl Stanley and others are referenced as Richard describes what was going on in the world and in his life as impetus for writing the book

At about 30:45, the two discuss teenage years and why they are such “prime” years for music celebration and exploration

At about 33:20, Melissa Mora Hidalgo, with Mozlandia, and Gustavo Arellano are shouted out as models for Richard’s work

At about 35:50, Richard explains “post-punk” and “new-wave” and how he wanted to “reclaim ‘post-punk’ ”

At about 38:15, Pete lays out the structure of the book, compliments its melding of academic and poetic writing, and asks about “goth”-its definition(s) and connections to the focus of Chapter One-Siouxsie and the Banshees

At about 41:40, Richard comments on Kid Congo Powers and his important connections to SoCal Chicano culture and to the Cramps/Siouxsie

At about 43:00, Pete asks Richard to explain his specific use of “touch” in the book

At about 45:20, Richard describes how Latinx writers have been touched by Siouxsie and the Banshees, often referencing the band in their work

At about 46:20, Richard describes his meeting with/touch by Siouxsie

At about 46:45, Richard describes Adam Ant and his connection to Chapter Two’s “Prince Charming,” with both being “two-sided”

At about 49:40, Chapter Three, Bauhaus, and ideas and possibilities of “goth” as racially diverse; the two discuss Myriam Gurba’s work on the general topic and Love and Rockets as a mutual

At about 54:15, Chapter Four is discussed with “Latina queer sensibilities” as a main focus and Marc Almond’s connections to John Rechy’s work

At about 59:10, The two talk about “othering” and exoticization that comes from

At about 1:01:00, Ideas of “secondhand” and history and zoot suits and masculinity are discussed, topics from the book’s Chapter Five

At about 1:04:45, Richard examines conversations around cultural appropriation and Chris Sullivan’s work with the zoot suit and “Latin” music

At about 1:07:05, The two talk about Chapter Six and Pete compliments Richard’s melding of personal and cultural; the chapter deals with “Mexican Americanos” and Frankie Goes to Hollywood, in addition to lead singer Holly Johnson’s solo work

At about 1:12:30, Richard gives background on The Pet Shop Boys and their work with hip hop and freestyle music and the connections between freestyle music and Latinx artists

At about 1:15:50, Pete uses an example of “authenticity” that Richard analyzes so skillfully as an example of ignorance

At about 1:16:50, Richard speaks to the book’s conclusion and the greatness possible through tribute bands in “translating” and “regenerating” music

At about 1:20:10, Richard calls attention to Orange County’s Ghost Town

At about 1:21:45, Richard talks about future projects

At about 1:22:50, Tainted Love shoutout!

At about 1:23:45, Richard recommends LibroMobile, City Lights Bookstore, and other places to buy his book and gives his social media info

NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast

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

Please tune in for Episode 171 with Danielle Prescod. Danielle is an author, content creator, and journalist. Danielle Prescod is a fifteen-year veteran of the beauty and fashion industry and a graduate of NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. A lifelong fashion obsessive, she was most recently the style director of BET.com. Her book, Token Black Girl, is part memoir, part narrative nonfiction and an exploration of the ways that modern media can influence one’s self-esteem.

The episode will air on March 21.

Tuesday Mar 07, 2023

Episode 169 with Justin Tinsley, Tireless Researcher, Gifted Storyteller, Wonderful Interviewer, and Writer for Andscape and Author of It Was All a Dream: Biggie and the World that Made Him

Tuesday Mar 07, 2023

Episode 169 Notes and Links to Justin Tinsley’s Work

On Episode 169 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Justin Tinsley, and the two discuss, among other things, Justin’s formative and transformative experiences with reading powerful works like The Autobiography of Malcolm X and by masters who combined sports and culture/politics, his wonderful experiences at Hampton University, his learned love of storytelling from his beloved grandmother, the Blog and Kazaa (!) eras, working on a wide variety of stories for Andscape and ESPN, his life-changing experiences with standout mentors and colleagues like Danyel Smith and Tony Reali, the surreal experiences associated with being a panelist on Around the Horn, and Christopher Wallace and The Notorious B.I.G. and the macro and micro that affected his life and legacy and were affected by his life and legacy.

Justin Tinsley is the author of It Was All a Dream: Biggie and the World That Made Him, and Host of ESPN’s 30 For 30 Nipsey Hussle original podcast, The King of Crenshaw. He is Sports and Culture Senior Reporter at Disney’s Andscape and weekly guest on ESPN’s Around the Horn.

Buy It Was All a Dream: Biggie and the World that Made Him

Justin Tinsley's Website

Listen to The King of Crenshaw Podcast Series on Nipsey Hussle

At about 1:50, Justin responds to Pete’s questions about his familial and writerly inspirations, and Justin

At about 5:20, Justin shares an interesting story about his unforgettable and generative conversations with the “phenomenal” Craig Hodges, and Pete and Justin discuss the power of The Jordan Rules

At about 9:40, Justin discusses some of the most formative writers and writing in his life, including the “important” The Autobiography of Malcolm X and work by Ralph Wiley, Danyel Smith and Elliott Wilson

At about 13:25, Justin shouts out his friend and contemporary David Dennis, Jr., and his powerful book and writing

At about 14:15, Justin speaks to the powerful ways in which Hampton University and Historically Black Colleges (HBCUs) have influenced him and enhanced his life, including the “most important class [he] ever took at Hampton”

At about 17:00, Justin talks about his days in the “Kazaa Era” and his work in curating music for friends and followers

At about 19:25, Justin discusses his time at ESPN, starting in 2015, being hired by Jason Whitlock, and his work with The Undefeated (which later became Andscape)

At about 21:50, Justin talks about an incredible story regarding Marvin Gaye’s Detroit Lions’ tryout

At about 24:55, Justin gives a moving backstory regarding drives with his grandmother and what he means by the tagline on his website: “Drawing sophisticated parallels between culture and sport”

At about 28:40, Justin gives background on his beginnings on Around the Horn and how he balances being in awe of the show that has been a lifelong favorite and his own performance on the show

At about 30:50, Justin describes the greatness of Tony Reali and gives background on how Tony helped Justin start with the show, and the talent from Here for It, including Monica McNutt

At about 35:40, Justin and Pete discuss more of what makes the show great, including the lack of points that come with the serious topics

At about 38:45, Pete notes how Justin has gotten some life-changing emails and phone calls, which Justin uses to give backstory on seeds for his book on The Notorious B.I.G.

At about 42:25, Justin relates how the pandemic affected the research for his book on Biggie

At about 43:50, Justin recounts some writing advice that helped him broaden his subject matter for the book

At about 46:45, Pete shares the profound line that Christopher Wallace said in his last recorded interview that informed Justin’s writing and is described in the book’s Introduction

At about 48:45, Justin and Pete reflect on the extreme youth of Biggie and Tupac and ideas of “what might have been”

At about 51:20, Justin talks about the memories of Christopher Wallace and talking with people who still have a lifelong heartbreak, including Chico del Vec’s

At about 54:00, Justin discusses the moving last chapter of the book that deals with CJ Wallace, Christopher Wallace, Jr.

At about 56:50, Pete notes the true appreciation and respect for Voletta Wallace, and how Justin so aptly wrote a nuanced book that reflected both macro and micro and the book’s subtitle

At about 58:30, Justin reflects on the profundity of the mural anecdote mentioned in the book, especially profound as it involves DJ 50 Grand and his recent sad death

At about 1:01:40, Pete brings some “lightning-round” questions, including questions

At about 1:02:50, Pete shouts a friend out and is wowed by a real-life reference

At about 1:05:30, Pete sums up the greatness of the book and connects it back to the guiding quote from Christopher Wallace

At about 1:06:20, Justin reads a passage from the book that serves as a sort of summation of the book, in that it neither glorifies nor assails him-on Page 321

At about 1:10:00, Justin shouts out places to buy his book, Books-a-Million

At about 1:11:00, Justin talks about future projects and ideas

At about 1:13:05, Justin gives out social media-jtinsley86 is his TikTok

NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast

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

Please tune in for Episode 170 with Richard T. Rodríguez, a Renaissance Man and Professor of English at the University of California, Riverside. He is the author of A KISS ACROSS THE OCEAN from Duke Press, and Dr. Ricky on the Radio at KUCR, 88.3FM

The episode will air on March 14.

Tuesday Feb 28, 2023

Episode 168 with Dur e Aziz Amna, Literary Phenom and Subtle and Nuanced Chronicler of Love and Maturity and Ignorance and Home in the Standout American Fever

Tuesday Feb 28, 2023

Episode 168 Notes and Links to Dur e Aziz Amna’s Work

On Episode 168 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Dur E Aziz Amna, and the two discuss, among other things, her early relationship with writing and reading and multilingualism, formational and transformational texts and writers and mentors, and themes of home, ignorance, xenophobia, connection, maturity, misogyny, and so much more, as chronicled in her stellar novel.

Dur e Aziz Amna is from Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and now lives in Newark, USA. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Financial Times, and Al Jazeera, among others. She was selected as Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2022, and won the 2019 Financial Times / Bodley Head Essay Prize. She is a graduate of Yale College and the Helen Zell Writers' Program at the University of Michigan. AMERICAN FEVER is her debut novel.

Buy American Fever

Dur e Aziz Amna's Website

Sana Goyal Reviews American Fever for The Guardian

Anandi Mishra Reviews American Fever for Los Angeles Review of Books

At about 6:30, Pete asks Dur e about any secret societies she was part of at Yale

At about 7:25, Pete highlights a standout line from the book

At about 8:45, Dur e speaks about her early language and reading experiences, a “segmented” life of English, Urdu, and Punjabi

At about 12:35, Dur e responds to Pete’s inquiry about the ways in which Urdu as a language informs her writing in English

At about 15:05, The two discuss “I love you” as an interesting use of language logic, particularly with regard to a line from the book

At about 16:50, Dur e responds to Pete’s questions about books and writers that changed her trajectory and how college exposed her to specific writers and genres

At about 18:20, Dur e highlights contemporary reads that thrill and inspire her, and talks of Peter Ho Davies, Nishanth Injam, and Julie Buntin as inspiring mentors

At about 20:05, Dur e gives backgrounds on the book’s genesis

At about 23:40, Pete recounts some key early lines from the book and focuses on the skillful

At about 25:20, Dur e gives background on Kelly, the narrator, Hira’s, host mom and her motivations and reader feedback on the character

At about 27:55, Dur e talks about her curiosity in exploring power dynamics between Kelly and Hira

At about 29:20, The two discuss Hira’s desires to leave

At about 32:40, Dur e gives background on the exchange program that was the basis for Hira’s fictional program

At about 36:50, Dur gives unbelievable stats about the history of tuberculosis and how it’s shaped our world

At about 38:20, The two talk about Hira’s parents and the ways in which their attitudes are representative of ideas about class

At about 43:50, Dur e responds to Pete’s questions about why Hira’s parents let her go to the States

At about 46:30, Pete asks Dur e about a memorable scene involving a car ride and Dur e gives the real-life parallels

At about 49:00, Pete compliments Hira for her nuanced writing

At about 50:30, Pete wonders about Hira’s place as an outsider and as welcomed in her Oregon town

At about 52:40, Pete outlines Hira’s creeping sickness and Dur e reflects on ideas of blame for the sickness

At about 55:30, Pete brings up Ali and Hira’s relationship and her views of the relationship

At about 57:30, Pete asks Dur e to distinguish between the way Hira and Hamid act as exchange students, and this brings up discussion of a “frustrating” thing about Hira for Dur e

At about 1:00:20, Dur e and Pete marvel over similarities between Hira’s quarantine and the world of Covid and talk about the ramifications of Hira’s tuberculosis diagnosis and recovery

At about 1:02:20, Ideas of home are discussed that dovetail with independence

At about 1:03:10, Ideas of gender roles are discussed through the lens of a scene involving a scarf in the book

At about 1:05:20, Saima Sitwat shoutout!

At about 1:06:15, Dur e blithely talks about her upcoming project

At about 1:07:00, Dur e gives backstory on her love for the book’s US cover

At about 1:08:20, Dur e shouts out places to buy her book and social media/contact info

NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast

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

Please tune in for Episode 169 with Justin Tinsley, the author of It Was All a Dream: Biggie and the World That Made Him, and Host of ESPN’s 30 For 30 Nipsey Hussle original podcast, The King of Crenshaw. He is Sports and Culture Senior Reporter at Disney’s Andscape and weekly guest on ESPN’s Around the Horn

The episode will air on March 7.

Friday Feb 17, 2023

Episode 167 with Mai Der Vang, Dogged Researcher, Crafter of the Historically-Accurate and Emotionally-Wrenching Yellow Rain, a Pulitzer Prize-Nominee and Towering Achievement of Advocacy

Friday Feb 17, 2023

Episode 167 Notes and Links to Mai Der Vang’s Work

On Episode 167 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Mai Der Vang, and the two discuss, among other things, her childhood as bilingual and a voracious reader, formative writers and writing in her life, catalysts to write about Hmong culture, and specifically the towering achievement that is Yellow Rain, with its depiction of an often-dehumanized and preyed upon people and other pertinent issues of empire and colonization.

Mai Der Vang is the author of Yellow Rain (Graywolf Press, 2021), winner of the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize from the Academy of American Poets, an American Book Award, and a finalist for the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry, along with Afterland (Graywolf Press, 2017), winner of the First Book Award from the Academy of American Poets. The recipient of a Lannan Literary Fellowship, her poetry has appeared in Tin House, the American Poetry Review, and Poetry, among other journals and anthologies. She teaches in the MFA Program in Creative Writing at Fresno State.

Buy Yellow Rain

Mai Der Vang's Website

“Review: YELLOW RAIN – Mai Der Vang (Graywolf Press),” by Ronnie K. Stephens, The Poetry Question, November 18, 2021

Interviews/Press for Mai

At about 6:40, Pete and Mai Der shout Fresno stars like Lee Herrick, Juan Felipe Herrera,

At about 8:00, Mai gives background on her reading and language relationships, starting from childhood, and leading to an overview of her multigenerational family background and Hmong as her first language

At about 12:00, Mai responds to Pete’s question about representation for Hmong people in the literary world, including the awkward links to Fadiman’s The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

At about 16:15, Mai discusses writers and writing that have been “game-changers” for her, including the work of Juan Felipe Herrera, Cathy Park Hong, Solmaz Sharif, and Douglas Kearney

At about 19:00, Pete asks Mai about any “ ‘Eureka’ moments” that have guided her into writing as a profession; she cites the Hmong Community Writers’ Collective as a guiding force

At about 21:35, Mai answers Pete’s questions about ideas of dialogue and silence in Hmong communities regarding the “Secret War” and its aftermath

At about 24:15, Pete outlines Yellow Rain’s opening and asks Mai about “following the rains”-she details her research (10 years!)

At about 25:05, Pete refers to a review of the book from The Poetry Question saying the book “defies genre”-Pete asks about goals in mind for the book, regarding its unique and diverse styles

At about 27:40-34:05, Pete cites the Wikipedia article regarding “Yellow Rain” and asks Mai for a background on it in connection to the Hmong and their lives post-”Secret War”

At about 34:05, Pete quotes from and asks about some of the collection’s early poems and refers to ideas of the Hmong as disregarded; Mai discusses an oft-quoted line about “gardening”

At about 36:20, Pete and Mai make comparisons between Roberto Lovato’s incredible work with Unforgetting and Mai’s work

At about 37:10, Pete and Mai discuss a disastrous and racist Radiolab interview regarding the Hmong and yellow rain

At about 39:00, Pete and Mai discuss the theme of dehumanization that runs throughout her collection

At about 40:40, Mai talks about the ineptitude and missteps that led to an inability to make definitive proclamations about yellow rain’s provenance

At about 44:05, The two discuss the double meanings of “specimen” and the ways in which a possible chemical weapon used against the Hmong was incredibly destructive and hard to trace

At about 45:30, The bees are investigated and discussed-ideas that bee feces may have been the reason for the yellow mist were put forth

At about 49:00, Ideas of colonization and American empire are investigated via the book’s poems

At about 52:35, Pete reads a line that sums up so profoundly ideas of “what if’s” and

At about 53:50, Mai talks about ideas of resistance and about any possible political and cultural actions-i.e., the future and any advocacy

At about 59:00, Mai reads the last poem of the collection, “And Yet Still More” and discusses some key lines

At about 1:02:55, Mai gives contact and social media info

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

Please tune in for Episode 168 with Dur e Aziz Amna. She is from Rawalpindi, Pakistán, now living in Newark, NJ, her work has appeared in the New York Times and Al Jazeera, among others; was selected as Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2022; her standout debut novel is American Fever.

The episode will air on February 21.

Tuesday Feb 14, 2023

Episode 166 with Kai Harris, Skillful Chronicler of Joy, Grief, Loss, and Beauty through Her Stunningly Good Novel, What the Fireflies Knew

Tuesday Feb 14, 2023

Episode 166 Notes and Links to Kai Harris’s Work

On Episode 166 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Kai Harris, and the two discuss, among other things, her early reading, formative books like Anne of Green Gables and works she read later by Ernest Gaines and Toni Morrison, her current loves in terms of writers and writing, the power of flashback and juxtaposition, as well themes of grief, loss, racism, and many more from her book, and the interesting decision-making that went in to writing the book as she did.

Kai Harris is a writer and educator from Detroit, Michigan. She uses her voice to uplift the Black community through realistic fiction centered on the Black experience, and she is the author of What The Fireflies Knew, the first fiction title from Tiny Reparations Book. She is an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Santa Clara University (GO BRONCOS!)

Buy What the Fireflies Knew

Kai Harris's Website

The New York Times “Shortlist” Features What the Fireflies Knew as Part of “The Lives of Black Women, at Home and Abroad”

At about 6:35, Kai shouts out places to buy her book (Keppler’s and BookShop Santa Cruz, among others) and upcoming events, in addition to describing the exciting audiobook and paperback extra features

At about 8:20, Kai describes the playlist she made for the paperback edition

At about 10:50, Kai talks about her early reading habits, including how she often read beyond her age, much like her book’s protagonists

At about 11:45, Kai connects her choice of using Anne of Green Gables in her book to themes and connections in the book

At about 13:40, Kai relates how reading A Lesson Before Dying and other books by Black authors changed her literary mindset and worldview

At about 16:00, Kai recounts the importance of discovering Toni Morrison’s work

At about 17:00, Kai describes Jesmyn Ward (especially Salvage the Bones), as a writer who challenges and thrills her

At about 18:55, Kai compliments some favorites in Destiny Birdsong and Deesha Philyaw

At about 22:10, Pete cites Ecclesiastes and a famous quote on stories as cyclical and related

At about 23:10, Kai responds to Pete’s questions about how Detroit has informed her and her writing, and she also describes how writing became a possibility for her

At about 25:45, Kai talks about working as a professor and how her different classes excite her in various ways

At about 29:10, Pete shares a meaningful quote from Kai’s Acknowledgments and asks Kai about seeds for the book

At about 31:30, Pete cites the book as enjoyable for many ages and wonders about how Kai and her publishers see the book’s place as young adult, etc.

At about 34:50, Pete lists some skillful use of childlike vocabulary and references that make the narrator’s POV so powerful and successful

At about 36:10, Pete highlights the book’s stunning opening line and the two discuss the importance of the book’s setting as a cultural turning point

At about 37:20, Pete lays out early events in the book as the book’s family grieves in different ways

At about 38:30, Pete asks Kai about the chronology of the book, as far as how she wrote it and how its flashbacks serve as strong juxtaposition; she gives background on different iterations of the book

At about 40:15, Kai details her thinking on depicting the father of KB in the book

At about 44:25, The two discuss the events surrounding a friendship and its implications; Pete highlights an especially moving scene involving Granddaddy

At about 46:30, Kai discusses the “lived realities” of racism that motivated her to write her book’s characters and events as she did

At about 49:35, Kai describes her mindset after being the victim of racism at a young age

At about 51:00, Pete lays out the situation between Nia and KB and Kai responds to questions from readers about writing from Nia’s perspective

At about 56:30, Kai talks about manifestations of grief shown by KB’s mom and expands upon her struggles and shares how she made the mother’s experience “radical”

At about 59:25, Pete and Kai discuss the fateful interactions between KB and Rondell and how she decided to write these scenes as they are

At about 1:03:25, Pete and Kai talk about Granddaddy and his life’s arc and guilt that he feels, as well as some wise words that he shares

At about 1:05:30, Kai details her emotions in writing the ending

At about 1:07:10, Kai responds to Pete’s questions about what feedback she’s received regarding the book, as well as the ways in which her characters have become “people” of their own

At about 1:10:00, Kai outlines exciting future projects

At about 1:13:30, Kai describes exciting exposure for her book

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

Please tune in for Episode 167 with Mai Der Vang is the author of Yellow Rain, winner of the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize from the Academy of American Poets, an American Book Award, and a finalist for the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry, along with Afterland, winner of the First Book Award from the Academy of American Poets.

The episode will air on February 17.

Wednesday Feb 08, 2023

Episode 165 with Anna Hogeland, Reflective Psychotherapist and Writer of the Unique, Bold, Moving The Long Answer

Wednesday Feb 08, 2023

Episode 165 Notes and Links to Anna Hogeland’s Work

On Episode 165 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Anna Hogeland, and the two discuss, among other things, her early reading and writing, the formative writers, writing, and UC Irvine MFA program that set her on her own writing path, her embrace of Marvel movies as cathartic, her rationale in structuring her book like she did, and the myriad themes and real-life connections that come from the great losses experienced by mothers and loved ones in her profound book.

Anna Hogeland is a psychotherapist in private practice, with an MSW from Smith College School of Social Work and an MFA from UC Irvine. She lives in Vermont.

Buy The Long Answer

Anna Hogeland's Website

LitHub Article: "After Two Pregnancy Losses, I Wrote the Book I Needed to Read”

Brenda Shaughnessy Reviews The Long Answer for The New York Times

At about 6:30, Anna shouts out contact info and places (like The Bennington Book Shop) to buy her book The Long Answer

At about 7:15, Anna discusses her “interrupted path” to becoming a writer and her early relationships with reading and writing

At about 9:45, The two talk about David Foster Wallace Infinite Jest and the hubbub around it

At about 10:35, Anna discusses her path to the MFA and reading that inspired and thrilled her, as well as her positive experiences with a loving workshop partner and workshops in general

At about 14:25, Anna gives background on her time applying to and being accepted at UC Irvine’s

At about 15:40, Anna lists some formative writers and current favorites, including Elena Ferrante and Thomas Bernhard

At about 18:20, Pete bringing up Anna’s skill with writing using various tones and POVs leads to Anna explaining her philosophy of writing versatility

At about 20:20, Anna responds to Pete’s question about her writing informs her work as a psychotherapist, and vice versa

At about 25:40, Anna gives background on seeds for the book, as well as her initial visions for the book’s structure

At about 29:10, the two focus on Elizabeth’s chapter to start the book and the icy relationship between the narrator and her sister Margot

At about 31:30, Pete asks about how grief and traumas and resulting relationships are connected in the book and in real life, and Anna speaks to ideas of resentment and wrongs

At about 36:10, The two discuss a memorable and clever scene that ends Part I revolving around mother/son bonds

At about 39:30, Pete and Anna recount Part II and Corrie’s page-turning and action-packed and salacious stories

At about 43:35, The short chapter is discussed with regards to its diction and angry tone

At about 46:35, The two discuss our collective inability to grieve and the awkwardness and silence that often is part of this process

At about 49:20, The juxtaposition between Ruth and Anna’s pregnancy losses are discussed, including the moving writing that focuses on the banal

At about 52:00, Anna focuses on the silences that often accompany pregnancy loss and how common these losses are

At about 53:10, Anna and Pete discuss Marvel-Anna finds them “so moving”

At about 55:10, The two discuss Marisol’s chapter in which Anna has taken a weekend away on an important anniversary

At about 57:15, Anna responds to Pete’s questions about Marisol’s mindset and reasons behind an infatuation with her bosses

At about 58:30, Anna lays out ideas of manipulation and vulnerability that characterize the relationship between Marisol and Ellen

At about 1:01:15, Pete highlights a moving scene between Anna and Marisol

At about 1:02:05, Pete recaps (without spoilers) the fitting last chapter and

At about 1:03:25, Anna responds to Pete’s question about meaningful feedback she’s received about the book

At about 1:05:50, Anna talks about future projects

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

Please tune in for Episode 166 with Kai Harris. who is a writer and educator from Detroit, Michigan. She uses her voice to uplift the Black community through realistic fiction centered on the Black experience, and she is the author of What The Fireflies Knew, the first fiction title from Tiny Reparations Book. She is an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Santa Clara University (GO BRONCOS!)

The episode will air on February 14.