First, Do No Harm: John Pipkin Re-visions History
January / February 2011
Henry David Thoreau: Firestarter? Novelist John Pipkin reveals how Woodsburner (Nan A. Talese, 2009) fills a blank in the life of that famous environmentalist, and explains what historical fiction has to teach us about American politics today.
Jericho Brown Writes What’s On His Mind
July/August 2010
What did Mary J. Blige teach Jericho Brown? The Whiting Award-winning poet and author of Please (New Issues, 2008), shares what he learned from divas and tells us why he loves the semicolon.
Documenting Discovery: Lisa Olstein on the Art of Observation
May/June 2010
Can a naturalist befriend a moth? We talk with poet Lisa Olstein, the author of Lost Alphabet (Copper Canyon Press, 2009), about interspecies communication and the documentary impulse.
On Listening: Salvatore Scibona Tunes in to Detail
February / March 2010
Which writing techniques create an immersive reading experience? Salvatore Scibona, whose debut novel, The End (Graywolf Press, 2008), was a finalist for the National Book Award, discusses the importance of the "loaded detail" and tells us how he composed his last line.
The Literary Horologist: Paul Harding “Tinkers” With Time
Dec 2009 / Jan 2010
Can a non-linear narrative still tell a good story? Paul Harding, author of Tinkers (Bellevue Literary Press, 2009), discusses unconventional story structures and writing's modern muse.
Telling the Untold Story: Leslie T. Chang’s “Factory Girls”
October / November 2009
How does the nonfiction writer render real lives so different from their own? We investigate the elements of nonfiction prose with "Factory Girls" author, Leslie T. Chang, and explore the experience of female migrant workers in China.
The Meaning of Words: Rob Riemen on Art and Communication
August / September 2009
Why do we make art? Rob Riemen, author of "Nobility of Spirit: A Forgotten Ideal," reflects the reasons behind the creative impulse.
The Architecture of Persona: Steven Price Writes Houdini
July / August 2009
How does a famous historical figure inspire over a hundred pages of poems? Steven Price, author of "Anatomy of Keys," tells us why Harry Houdini kept him writing.
