Writers on Writing

Bernadette Murphy, author of the memoir, Harley and Me, talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about the art and craft of writing the memoir, with a focus on the hybrid memoir, among other things. Download audio. (Broadcast date: August 16, 2017)

Jonathan Dee joins Marrie Stone to talk about his latest novel, The Locals, and its relevancy in the rise of Trump. He talks about the complications of class relations, as well as craft issues including point of view, writing challenges he sets for himself, and what that wonderful first chapter does for the rest of the novel. In the second half, Shari Lepena talks about her new thriller, A Stranger in the House. She talks about creating suspense, how to craft a compelling thriller, the subtle psychological issues underlying the plot, and creating unreliable narrators. Download audio. (Broadcast date: August 9, 2017)

Benjamin Ludwig joins Marrie Stone to talk about his debut novel, Ginny Moon. Benjamin shares his personal experiences raising an adopted autistic daughter, the ways in which being immersed in this world gave birth to Ginny Moon, how to establish an effective voice of an autistic narrator, and more. In the second half, young adult writer Melissa de la Cruz joins to talk about her novel, Alex & Eliza. She talks about writing historical fiction, managing minor characters, balancing history against the love story, writing historical dialogue and more. Download audio. (Broadcast date: July 26, 2017)

Short story writer Deborah Willis joins Marrie Stone to talk about her latest collection, The Dark and Other Love Stories. She deconstructs a few of her stories, from initial kernel of an idea through the revision process to completion. She talks about themes, what inspires her, opening and closing lines, titles and more. In the second half, Jardine Libaire joins to talk about her novel, White Fur.  She discusses the sense of time and place, the charged nature of adolescence, issues of class, how to write effective sex scenes and more. Download audio. (Broadcast date: July 19, 2017)

Novelist Maile Meloy, author of Do Not Become Alarmed joins Nicole Nelson to talk about what she learned about plot from having written for kids, learning to push through scenes, and how writing is a muscle that we need to work as much as possible, to improve. In the second half of the show, literary agent Sarah Bowlin of Aevitas Creative Management talks about her switch from editor to agent, her new home as a Los Angeles-based agent with Aevitas Creative Management, and advice about querying, first pages, synopses and more. Download audio. (Broadcast date: July 5, 2017)

Ahkil Sharma, author of the short story collection, A Life of Adventure and Delight, and Scott Spencer, author of River Under the Road talk with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about their current projects, and the art and business of writing. Download audio. (Broadcast date: July 12, 2017)

Novelist Thrity Umrigar, author of Everybody's Son, joins Marrie Stone to talk about issues of race, class, authority to tell another person's story, and the somewhat magical way this book came to her. In the second half, Elizabeth Kostova joins to talk about her novel, The Shadow Land. She discusses her connection to Bulgaria, what her research revealed, why this novel has gained importance in our political climate, and more.  Download audio. (KUCI-FM broadcast date: June 28, 2017)

This year, the Edinburgh Book Festival paired five Scottish writers with five writers across North and South America and sent them on a quest for truth. Two of those Outriders, Jenni Fagan and Bonnie Jo Campbell, joined Marrie Stone to talk about their journey, their observations and their findings as they traveled from New York, across the Rust Belt, to the Silicon Valley. Drawing from their unique perspectives and their individual talents, these Outriders discuss politics, landscape, the people they met, the architecture they observed (with all its cultural implications), dogs, blueberry pancakes and more. Fagan shares selections from her truth poem. Both authors have films in the making, and blogs chronicling their adventure. Check them out here: Jenni Fagan Bonnie Jo Campbell   Download audio. (Broadcast date: June 21, 2017)

British mystery and suspense writer Anthony Horowitz joins Marrie Stone to talk about his latest novel, Magpie Murders. Horowitz talks about constructing a mystery, how close-up magic can help a mystery writer, the structure of a novel within a novel, and how he's been inspired by Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie and others. In the second half, Anna Quindlen joins to talk about her novel, Miller's Valley. She shares her love of landscape, of Charles Dickens, and insights on how to create compelling characters that endure in a reader's mind. Download audio. (Broadcast date: June 14, 2017)

Debut novelists Yoojin Grace Wuertz, author of Everything Belongs to Us, and Julianne Pachico, author of The Lucky Ones, join Marrie Stone. Grace discusses the politics and culture of South Korea in the 1970s. Julianne talks about growing up in Columbia, and how perceptions of that country have changed over the past ten years. Both women talk about how being bilingual enriches their craft, and how writing about the countries that feel closest to them have changed their understanding of those places . . . or not. Download audio.  (Broadcast date: April 19, 2017)

Omar El Akkad, author of American War, and Scott Turow, author of Testimony, talk with Barbara about their new novels, how they came to be, their writing process, and more. Download audio. (Broadcast date: May 31, 2017)

Novelist Min Jin Lee, author of Pachinko, joins guest host Chris Bahnsen for the entire hour to talk about her new novel. (The show begins 30 seconds in, so patience, please.) Download audio. (Broadcast date: April 12, 2017)

Marrie Stone welcomes back Elizabeth Strout to discuss her latest novel in stories, Anything is Possible. Elizabeth talks about how the work grew out of My Name is Lucy Barton, and how she works in the short form. In the second half, Andrew Roe shares his latest collection of stories, Where You Live. He discusses the importance of place and portraying a California that exists outside the Hollywood industry. Andy also talks about recurring themes and the power of the subconscious in creating stories full of depth and insight. Both authors deconstruct one of their short stories, from original kernel of an idea, through the revision process, struggles, challenges, and the ultimate end-product. Download audio. (Broadcast date: May 17, 2017)

Martha Hall Kelly, author of Lilac Girls and Ben Blatt, author of Nabokov's Favorite Word is Mauve.  Download audio. (Broadcast date: May 24, 2017)

Memoirist Daphne Merkin, author of This Close to Happy, spends the entire hour on the show talking about her book and the process of writing memoir. Subscribe to the podcast of the show by visiting iTunes. Leave us a review and help the show be easier to find for others looking for it.  Download audio.  (Broadcast date: April 26, 2017)