Jess Walter, author of The Cold Millions, on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Novelist Jess Walter has never left his hometown—the Spokane Valley in eastern Washington—where his grandfather (also Jess Walter) landed in the 1930s as a train-hopping, itinerant worker. Inspired by the places around him, an old 1911 postcard, generational stories passed down, and the sense of history repeating, Walter has spun a sweeping saga whose themes of class, wealth, corruption, and public protests—all set more than a century ago—still ring true today.

 

Walter joins Marrie Stone to discuss The Cold Millions. He talks about how disparate ideas cling together like falling snowflakes and, by the time they land, create multidimensional stories. He talks about the moment when research becomes so ingrained that he’s able to make the leap into fiction without remembering what’s real and what’s invented. He talks about the shape of stories, how this novel looks like a river in his mind, with moments of rapid movement and other quiet periods of stillness. For historical fiction readers, Walter fans, and writers interested in craft, there’s something for everyone in Walter’s conversation.

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(Broadcast date: October 21, 2020)

(Record date: September 8, 2020)

Jody Forrester & Lucie Britsch on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Memoirist Jody Forrester, author of Guns Under the Bed and novelist Lucie Britsch, author of Sad Janet join Barbara DeMarco-Barrett to discuss the art, craft, and business of writing.

 

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(Broadcast date: September 30, 2020)

Novelist John Boyne on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Novelist John Boyne, A Traveler at the Gates of Wisdom and Heart's Invisible Furies, joins Barbara DeMarco-Barrett to discuss the art, craft, and business of writing.

 

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(Broadcast date: September 16, 2020)

Stepanie Kent & Logan Smalley, Co-Creators of "The Call Me Ishmael Phone Book," on Writers on Writing — KUCI-FM

While sharing a drink at a literary pub in New York, Steph Kent & Logan Smalley mused about their favorite first lines in novels. Settling on Moby Dick's notorious "Call Me Ishmael," they wondered what would happen if Ishmael had a phone number that book lovers could call. It didn't take long for Ishmael to have his own number. Voicemails began pouring in from around the country as callers shared their most memorable reading experiences, favorite titles, books that changed and shaped their lives, and even one special copy of Beloved that cost a friendship. 

Steph and Logan join Marrie Stone to talk about The Call Me Ishmael Phone Book, which includes not only their favorite voicemail messages about books and authors, but interviews with independent bookstores around the United States, literary museums, author grave sites, and so much more. They talk about how the idea began, and how it grew. They share some of their favorite stories, and how the project is still evolving.

They invite you to call Ishmael at (774) 325-0503 to share your own reading experiences or listen to the experiences of others. Visit their website for more information, or follow them on Instagram and Twitter.

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(Record date: October 12, 2020)

Short Story Author Susan Buttenwieser on Writers On Writing, KUCI-FM

Debut author Susan Buttenwieser joins Marrie Stone to talk about her collection, We Were Lucky With the Rain. Named one of Poets & Writers 5 Debut Authors Over 50, Susan shares fantastic advice for writers publishing without agents. She discusses how to seek out strategic literary journals for publication, the advantages of small presses (and Four Way Books in particular), and knowing when to let your work go.

She also provides insights into how to shape an effective short story, her revision process, her attraction to adolescent narrators, and much more.  

 Finally, Susan talks about her work in women's prisons, helping those silenced voices tell their stories.

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(Record date: October 8, 2020)