The Lives of Writers

Michael talks with Lyd Havens about moving back to Boise, their recent book of poetry CHOKECHERRY, losing family to suicide, growing up too early, grief, writers in the family, finding the right word, finishing a thesis, writing in other forms, and more.Lyd Havens is the author of the chapbooks I Gave Birth to All the Ghosts Here (Nostrovia! Press, 2018) and Chokecherry (Game Over Books, 2021). Their work has previously been published in Ploughshares, The Shallow Ends, Tinderbox Poetry Journal, Autofocus,  and various other literary magazines.Podcast theme: DJ Garlik & Bertholet's "Special Sause" used with permission from Bertholet.

Michael talks with Rob Fromberg about his childhood in a family of alcohol, art, & autism, moving out to New York City alone as a teen, his new scene-driven fragmented memoir about it all, the role of autobiography across his work, the influence of his brother on his art & life, writing now more than ever, and more.Robert Fromberg is the author of the brand new memoir, How to Walk with Steve, from Latah Books, and recent prose of his has appear in journals, such as Hobart, Los Angeles Review of Books, Litro Magazine. In addition,he’s a frequent contributor for the Dilly Doun Review, where he writes about autism and creativity.Robert Fromberg is the author of the brand new memoir, How to Walk with Steve, from Latah Books, and recent prose of his has appear in journals, such as Hobart, Los Angeles Review of Books, Litro Magazine. In addition, he’s a frequent contributor for the Dilly Doun Review, where he writes about autism and creativity.Podcast theme: DJ Garlik & Bertholet's "Special Sause" used with permission from Bertholet.

Michael talks with David Kirby about his parents, the impact of early rock n roll on him, the course of his life in poetry, his new collection, the use of information in his poetry, the length and form of his poems, processes of drafting and revision, the difference between poem and essay, the use of humor in his work, and more.David Kirby's collection The House on Boulevard St.: New and Selected Poems was a finalist for the National Book Award in 2007. Kirby is the author of Little Richard: The Birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll, which the Times Literary Supplement of London called “a hymn of praise to the emancipatory power of nonsense.” His latest poetry collection is Help Me, Information. He teaches English at Florida State University.Podcast theme: DJ Garlik & Bertholet's "Special Sause" used with permission form Bertholet. 

Michael talks with Shawn Berman about sharing 350 square feet, starting The Daily Drunk, writing humor poems and essays about his life in pop culture, coming up with titles, writing in direct address, the influence of stand-up, his Adam Sandler obsession, 90's film comedies, 90's Nickelodeon, WWF Attitude, watching stuff during the pandemic lockdown, writing a YA novel, and more.Shawn Berman is the editor of The Daily Drunk, an online journal for humorous writing. You can find his own work published all over the internet and in his collection of poems, Mr. Funnyman, and also his collection of essays, At the Movies (Alien Buddha Press), both of which came out this year in print. Podcast theme: DJ Garlik & Bertholet's "Special Sause" used with permission from Bertholet.

Michael talks with Taylor Byas about the release of BLOODWARM, Twitter feeds becoming too much, saving yourself, writing about race and patriarchy through the personal, revising while drafting, finding the form for the content, erasure, Mama Byas, her forthcoming full-length with Soft Skull Press, lineated vs. prose poetry, and more.Taylor Byas is a Black poet and essayist. She is a PhD student and Yates scholar at the University of Cincinnati, and an Assistant Features Editor for The Rumpus. Her chapbook, BLOODWARM, is out now from Variant Lit (2021), and her debut full-length poetry collection, I Done Clicked My Heels Three Times, is forthcoming from Soft Skull Press in the Spring of 2023.Podcast theme: DJ Garlik & Bertholet's "Special Sause" used with permission from Bertholet.

Michael talks with D.T. Robbins about taking a break from drinking, his childhood, his divorce, his remarriage, publishing his first book of "poems," starting Rejection Letters, the persona at play on Twitter & in the book, the relationship of professional wrestling to it all, and more.D.T. Robbins lives in Southern California with his wife and two kids. He’s founding editor of Rejection Letters whose writing his been published all over the internet in journal such as Hobart, HAD, X-Ray, Maudlin House, Bending Genres, and No Contact. His first book, This Is What Happens When You Leave Me Alone, is out now from Rejection Letters Press.Podcast theme: DJ Garlik & Bertholet's "Favorite Sause" used with permission from Bertholet.

Michael talks with Lucas Mann about becoming a father after his third book, Reality TV, the different modes of his nonfiction work, the importance of friction in writing, his newest and upcoming work, whether fragmentary autobiographical literature is a gimmick (no), and more.Lucas Mann is the author of three books: Captive Audience: On Love and Reality Television, Lord Fear: A Memoir, and Class A: Baseball in the Middle of Everywhere. His essays have appeared in outlets such as the LA Review of Books, Guernica, BuzzFeed, Slate, Barrelhouse, TriQuarterly, and The Kenyon Review. He teaches creative writing at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and lives in Providence, Rhode Island with his wife and daughter.Podcast theme: DJ Garlik & Bertholet's "Favorite Sause" used with permission from Bertholet.

Michael talks with Matt Mitchell about moving to Columbus, getting into poetry after high school, Hanif Abdurraqib, writing The Neon Hollywood Cowboy & Grown Ocean & his next book, rock memoirs, listening to classics, Westerns, and more.Matt Mitchell is a poet and culture writer from Ohio. His music writing has been featured in Pitchfork, Paste, and Bandcamp, and his first collection of poems The Neon Hollywood Cowboy came out from Big Lucks earlier this year. His next collection, Grown Ocean, is available for preorder now from Word West.Podcast theme: DJ Garlik & Bertholet's "Special Sause" used with permission from Bertholet. 

Michael talks to Courtney Cook about borderline personality disorder in her life and the media, her path to publishing her first graphic memoir with Tin House, dealing with the vulnerability and secrets in autobiographical books in real life, and more.Courtney Cooks’s personal essays have been published by outlets such as The Guardian, The Rumpus, Hobart, Lunch Ticket, and Split Lip Magazine. And her graphic memoir, THE WAY SHE FEELS: MY LIFE ON THE BORDERLINE IN PICTURES AND PIECES, is out today from Tin House.Podcast theme: DJ Garlik & Bertholet's "Special Sause" used with permission from Bertholet.

Michael talks with Danielle Rose about her family of readers, coming to poetry from punk rock, competitive virtual racing, writing personal work at a distance, recent chapbooks, coming back to writing after a break, writing that's aware of itself, working with Greek myth, George Mallory, and much more.Danielle Rose lives in Massachusetts. She is the author of at first & then from Black Lawrence Press & The History of Mountains from Variant Lit. Her work can be found in publications such as Hobart, HAD, Palette, Sundog Lit, Autofocus, and more.Podcast theme: DJ Garlik & Bertholet's "Special Sause" used with permission from Bertholet.