Tracey Lange, author of "We Are the Brennans," on Writers on Writing

Debut novelist Tracey Lange explores issues of familial loyalty, the corrupt power of family secrets, and the possibility of redemption in her novel We Are the Brennans.

 She joins Marrie Stone to talk about the novel, the complexities of writing about shame, and choices a character might make that may surprise an audience. She also shares craft wisdom she's learned along the way, including writing from different points of view, passing the baton of dialogue between characters, the importance of writing groups, and much more.

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(Broadcast date: September 15, 2021)

S.A. Cosby, Razorblade Tears, on Writers on Writing

S.A. Cosby, author of Razorblade Tears and Blacktop Wasteland, talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about his new book, writing noir, and...spoilers, but they come 15 minutes before the end of the interview and are carefully announced. You'll have time to get away if you don't want to hear them.

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(Broadcast date: Sept. 8, 2021)

Music (intro, outro, intersticial pieces...) by Travis Barrett

Aimee Bender, author of The Butterfly Lampshade, on Writers on Writing

Aimee Bender is the author of six books, including both novels and short story collections. Her latest novel, The Butterfly Lampshade, came out in July of 2020 and was listed by Publisher’s Weekly as one of the best novels of the year.

Bender joins Marrie Stone to talk about the book’s inspiration and construction. In the process, she exposes the creative fodder that’s gifted to us by our own childhoods. She talks about how imposing time limitations on her writing allows her access to scary places, and how to listen to words that "shimmer." Those words and phrases can be the keys that guide your book in the right direction.

Bender teaches creative writing at USC, has taught several other fiction workshops, and written several essays on the craft. She brings that wealth of experience and reflection to this interview to impart a lot of wisdom for both beginning and advanced writers.

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(Broadcast date: September 1, 2021)

Honoree Fanonne Jeffers, "The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois," on Writers on Writing

Poet Honoree Fanonne Jeffers produced a stunning debut novel. Before its publication, The Loves Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois was already named by Oprah as her next book club pick. The novel, clocking in at 816 pages, is a sweeping ancestral saga chronicling the American South from before the Civil War to present day.

Scholar W.E.B. Du Bois wrote about the problem of race in America, and what he called “Double Consciousness,” the sensitivity that every African American possesses to survive. The novel's protagonist feels these words deeply as she navigates her history while trying to create her future.

Jeffers joins Marrie Stone to share the history behind the novel, how it grew to over 800 pages, and her struggles along the way. She talks about her attempt to shed her poetic voice, and then reclaim it again. She also hints that she may not be done with these characters.

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 (Broadcast date: August 18, 2021)

Writing Noir Fiction with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Alex Espinosa, and Rob Roberge

Palm Springs Noir (Akashic) contributors Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Alex Espinoza, and Rob Roberge talk with literary maestro Corey Roskin about writing noir fiction.

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(Recorded via Zoom on August 5, 2021)

Music by Travis Barrett.