Literary Thriller Co-Authors Smith Henderson & Jon Marc Smith on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

As Smith Henderson and Jon Marc Smith prove, not all novelists are loners. The two decided to collaborate while partaking of a few substances at Tim O'Brien's wedding back in the early 2000s. Fifteen years, one screenplay, and two books later their first novel, Make Them Cry, debuted in September.

This literary joyride through a Mexican drug cartel has a rich cast of characters—a compromised DEA agent, a bookish sicario, a cartel fugitive, crooked cops, CIA agents, former military operatives and more, each with fascinating backstories and motivations.

Smith Henderson (author of Fourth of July Creek) and Jon Marc Smith join Marrie Stone to talk about how the book came to be, the extensive research it required, the intricacies of how their collaboration works, why they had to throw the first draft of the novel away and begin again, the importance of routine, and so much more. They also share that mind-bending story of Tim O'Brien's wedding.

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(Record date: October 6, 2020)

Eric Weiner on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

To many of us, it might feel like the world has lost its way. The very nature of truth seems up for grabs. Eric Weiner returns readers to the teachings of both the ancient and modern philosophers. How do we know what we know? How do we get out of bed each morning? How should we fight? How do we cope? How can we show kindness? How to age and, finally, how to die.

Weiner, a former NPR foreign correspondent and prolific travel writer, joins Marrie Stone to talk about his latest book, The Socrates Express: In Search of LIfe Lessons from Dead Philosophers. They hash through philosophy, philosophers, and how old wisdom applies to your daily life and your writing life. Their conversation touches on stoicism, the nature of knowledge and wisdom, the benefits of aging, and how to remain creative in a noise-filled world. It’s also filled with insights for writers: the advantages of walking, the simplicity of making lists, the benefits of aging, and more.  

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(Broadcast date: October 7, 2020)

(Recording date: September 24, 2020)

Novelist Deborah Gaal on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Deborah Gaal, author of The Dream Stitcher, joins Marrie Stone to talk about her latest novel, Synchronicities on the Avenue of the Saints. While watching a family member struggle with bipolar disorder after exhausting all remedies offered by western medicine, Gaal discovered another way to interpret the condition. This became the foundation for her second novel. 

She talks about the role of magical realism in her everyday life, and how she incorporates some mystical aspects into her own writing practice. Gaal also shares the process that went behind her decision to self publish, how her first novel went on to receive various awards and recognition, and how her background in corporate America, as well as the theater, informs her writing.

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(Recording date: September 29, 2020)

Caroline Leavitt on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Caroline Leavitt, who has penned 12 published novels to date, joins Marrie Stone to talk about her latest, With or Without You. She also talks about the many important lessons she’s learned about writing along the way (often the hard way). 

Hear how “Humans of New York” inspires her characters’ looks, how her own demons creep into her novels, and why she invests so much time and energy in promoting the work of other writers. She also discusses the importance of John Truby's Anatomy of a Story and its impact on her work. Listeners can contact Marrie Stone to access Caroline's private worksheets for story structure and plotting their own novels. Visit Marrie's website for more information on how to contact her for those documents.

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(Broadcast date: September 23, 2020)

Novelist Ivy Pochoda, These Women, on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM in Southern California

Ivy Pochoda, author of the novel, These Women, talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about writing a serial killer novel from the victims' point of view. Ivy began as a literary fiction writer and her writing continues to be literary, but it's also categorized as crime fiction. She talks about that as well as the art, craft, and business of writing. 

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(Broadcast date: Sept. 2, 2020)

Novelist Sue Miller on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Sue Miller is the bestselling author of While I Was Gone (an Oprah Book Club selection), The Distinguished Guest, For Love, Family Pictures (nominated for a National Book Critics Circle Award), Inventing the Abbotts, and The Good Mother (a major motion picture starring Diane Keaton and Liam Neeson). She joins Marrie Stone to talk about her latest novel, Monogamy. 

Miller's skill at depicting marriage, domestic intimacies, grief, and loss are well known in the literary world. She talks about her inspirations, recurring themes across her novels, the role of memory and recovered memories in her work, and much more. She also provides significant craft advice for writers, including the benefits of writing her novels in longhand, how to work with minor characters, keeping deceased characters alive on the page, and much more.

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(Broadcast date: September 9, 2020)

Poet and Essayist Sebastian Matthews on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

In 2011, Sebastian Matthews and his family were in a devastating car accident. When Sebastian emerged from his recovery, several years later, the world had changed around him. Not only was he navigating the trauma of his accident, but the trauma his nation was now suffering. 

Beyond Repair: Living in a Fractured State is a series of essays that attempt to make sense of Sebastian's experience living in the south as a white, liberal, middle-aged, middle income man in Trump's America. Sebastian confronts race, class, privilege, fatherhood, and his personal struggles with trauma and terror.

Sebastian's recommended writing exercise: Take a walk in a new neighborhood in your town/city. Take it slow, engage people, stop in a shop (even in these pandemic days). Then, when you get back to your own home, sit down and write about the experience. Try to capture what you saw, what you felt, and how your encounters played out. 

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(Recording Date: August 21, 2020)

Novelist Scott Spencer

Scott Spencer, author of An Ocean Without a Shore, discusses his new book, and the art, craft, and business of writing, with host Barbara DeMarco-Barrett.

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(Broadcast date: Aug. 19, 2020)

Musical intro/outro by Travis Barrett. Find him on Spotify.

A Panel Discussion of "Alone Together: Love, Grief, & Comfort in the Time of Covid-19" on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

When the pandemic hit last March, Jennifer Haupt asked herself what she could do in its face to help her literary community. She put out a call to artists—essayists, poets, and authors—asking them to contribute their impressions. Seventy-six people answered her call and Alone Together: Love, Grief, & Comfort in the Time of Covid-19 was born. The artists contributed their work, and all proceeds of the book sales go to benefit BINC (Book Industry Charitable Foundation).

Editor and contributor Jennifer Haupt joins Marrie Stone, along with contributors Amber Flame, Robin Black, and Roberto Lovato, to talk about the collection. They discuss not only their own struggles to make artistic sense of this time, but their struggles with being artists of color and how their various backgrounds contributed to their work.

What emerges is a frank and sensitive discussion of race, class, and privilege in the time of Covid. 

As a bonus, we're asking writers to contribute their favorite writing prompts and exercises. The following were recommended by this panel:

Robin Black: I like to ask students who their characters are when they aren't in the story being written, when they aren't doing the things the author needs them to do. I'll ask them to write a few pages of some other event in the character's life, incorporating "out of character" facts about them; a couple of neurotic habits the character has; unusual hobbies they might have, and so on  - characteristics that expand the humanity of the character beyond the most stringent needs of the story. I am big these days into going beyond the idea of "necessity" in fiction - especially short fiction - and going for generosity instead. 

Flame:  I’ve been guiding groups with ekphrastic writing - looking or watching another piece of art and then using reaction/responses as a prompt. It’s a good way to get out of your head and personal experience while being in communion with other art forms.

Roberto Lovato: My main prompt is the conscious, daily reminder of my commitment to what I'm writing, its integrity, my need to sing and whatever virtuosity I can bring.

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 (Broadcast date: August 26, 2020)

Margot Livesey on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Novelist Margot Livesey joins Marrie Stone to talk about her latest, The Boy in the Field. She discusses the draw of writing a coming-of-age novel at this point in her career, her play with police procedurals, her personal connection to her character's quest to find his family of origin, and how she tackled those various points of view. She also talks about how characters off stage, and other minor characters, can motivate action and accelerate plot. This, and so much more, in the conversation.

Margot also contributes this writing prompt to spark your creativity:

One of my jobs, during my brief career as a deputy supermarket manager, was to apprehend shoplifters. I was hopeless at this, in part because most shoplifters were teenagers or senior citizens, and they often stole trivial items.  

So your character, not necessarily an employee of the shop, notices someone—a friend? a stranger?—shoplifting something: a wedge of cheese, a pack of Kleenex.  Write what happens next.

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 (Broadcast date: August 12, 2020)

Novelist Ottessa Moshfegh, Death in Her Hands

Ottessa Moshfegh, author of the new novel, Death in Her Hands, joins Barbara DeMarco-Barrett to discuss the art, craft, and business of writing.

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(Broadcast date: August 5, 2020)

The intro and outro music is by Travis Barrett. Find more of his work on Spotify!

Lucie Britsch, author of the novel SAD JANET

British novelist Lucie Britsch, author of Sad Janet, talks about writing her debut novel with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett. 

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(Recorded in July 2020)

Megha Majumdar on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Megha Mejumdar joins Marrie Stone to talk about her debut novel, A Burning. Set in modern day India and told from three distinct points of view, the novel tackles complicated issues of class, justice, the power of social media, and so much more.

Megha talks about her childhood, growing up in India. She also shares her experiences as both writer and editor (she's an associate editor at Catapult). She stresses the importance of keeping creative work private, how to render whole lives with small suggestions and telling scenes, and how these characters' explicit desires made it easier to know them.

As an added bonus, we're asking writers to offer up their favorite writing prompt or exercise. Megha suggests: Write a short story (or poem, or essay, or.....) which includes both something that makes you angry and something that brings you joy. 

Follow Megha on Twitter @MeghaMaj / Instagram @megha.maj.

 

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(Broadcast date: July 29, 2020)

Poet Kim Dower on KUCI-FM

Poet and former West Hollywood Poet Laureate Kim Dower, author Sleeping on Tyrone Power's Grave, and three other books of poetry, returns to the show to talk with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about the art, craft, and business of writing poetry.
 
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 (Broadcast date: July 21, 2020)

Crossing Borders with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Lisa Brackman, Kathy Krevat

This is our first straight-to-podcast show. Crossing Borders, published by Down and Out books and sponsored by Sisters in Crime, San Diego Chapter, includes my story, "Pool Fishing," and a story by guest Kathy Krevat. Joining us is one of the anthology's editors, Lisa Brackman. We'll discuss the anthology, read from our stories, and talk about the art, craft, and business of crime writing.

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(Recording date: July 17, 2020)

Debra Jo Immergut on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Novelist and short story writer Debra Jo Immergut joins Marrie Stone to talk about her latest book, You Again. Debra shares her path in and out of writing, the advantages of age, and what life experiences brought to bear on her fiction. She also has wonderful advice for writers, including the importance of a strong premise, how to plot, research, the long art of revision, and much more.

As an added bonus, authors are now asked to provide a favorite writing prompt or exercise. Debra suggests, without thinking too much, quickly jot a list of 10 memories. Ten sentences should begin with "I remember . . . ." Choose one, write the story, but allow it to take a turn into the supernatural. Good luck!

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(Broadcast date: July 15, 2020)

Heather Young on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Heather Young, author of The Distant Dead, talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about the art, craft, and business of writing a crime novel.

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 (Broadcast date: July 8, 2020)

Poet Jane Hirshfield on Writers on Writing

Jane Hirshfield talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about her new volume of poetry, Ledger.

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(Broadcast date: June 24, 2020)

Intro and outro music by Travis Barrett. Find more of his work on Spotify and YouTube.

David James Poissant on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Short story author and novelist David James Poissant joins Marrie Stone to talk about his latest book, Lake Life, which will be released on July 7, 2020.


Jamie shares how a story from his collection, The Heaven of Animals, evolved into this novel; how chapter 11 eventually became chapter 1; tackling challenging points of view (and those characters he feels unqualified to tackle); the importance of place and setting; and so much more.

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(Broadcast date: July 1, 2020)

Comedy TV Writer & Essayist Kari Lizer on "Writers on Writing," KUCI-FM

Actor, writer, and producer Kari Lizer joins Marrie Stone to talk about her hilarious collection, Aren't You Forgetting Someone: Essays From My Mid-Life Revenge. Kari was the co-executive producer of Will & Grace, and the creator of the CBS sitcom, The New Adventures of Old Christine. She talks about how writing for television and screenplays helped her in this essay collection, her path into writing, the importance of the revision process, the use of humor during dark days, the difference between an anecdote and an essay, and so much more.

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(Broadcast date: June 17, 2020)