Karen Bender with Marrie Stone on Writers on Writing on KUCI, 88.9FM

Novelist and short story writer Karen Bender joins Marrie Stone to talk about her latest collection, The New Order. Bender discusses her writerly instinct to create order from chaos, and how events in the real world shape her art. She shares her "octopus theory" for creating scope in short stories, as well as her "container theory" for stories.

Bender dissects a few of her stories from original concept to final draft, and highlights some of the steps in her revision process. She also notes several stories she uses for teaching these various techniques. All this, and much more.

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(Broadcast date: December 12, 2018)

Literary agent Betsy Amster with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Los Angeles-based literary agent Betsy Amster talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about the state of publishing, self-publishing, query letters, what she's looking for, and more.

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(Broadcast date: Dec. 5, 2018)

Los Lobos Founding Member Louie Pérez and Poet Grant Hier on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM, Irvine

Louie Pérez, founding member of the American rock band Los Lobos, and Grant Hier join Marrie Stone for a round-table discussion of poetry, lyric-writing, prose, visual arts, music and more.

Hier and Pérez collaborated on the double CD Joyride: Friends Take the Wheel, a compilation of various artists (including George Saunders) interpreting the words and music of Louie Pérez. The CD was created as a special companion piece to Pérez's new book, Good Morning, Aztlán: The Words, Pictures & Songs Of Louie Pérez.

Hier is the author of several poetry collections and a forthcoming historical flash fiction book. His most recent work is Similitude. 

Pérez and Hier discuss their creative process, the origin of some of their work, how setting personal boundaries breeds creativity, and much more. We also are treated to some Los Lobos songs.



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(Broadcast date: November 28, 2018)