The Lives of Writers

On today's episode of The Lives of Writers, Drew Hawkins interviews Maurice Carlos Ruffin.Maurice Carlos Ruffin is the author, most recently, of the historical novel, The American Daughters. He is also the author of The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You, which was longlisted for the Story Prize and was a finalist for the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence, and We Cast a Shadow, which was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award, the PEN Open Book Award, and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and International Dublin Literary Award. A recipient of an Iowa Review Award in fiction, he has been published in the Virginia Quarterly Review, AGNI, the Kenyon Review, The Massachusetts Review, and Unfathomable City: A New Orleans Atlas. Drew Hawkins is a writer and journalist in New Orleans. He's the producer and host of Micro, a podcast for short but powerful writing. You can find his work on NPR, The Guardian, Scalawag Magazine, HAD, and elsewhere.Today's episode is brought to you in part by the podcast Micro, where today you can hear Maurice read on the new episode, available wherever you listen to podcasts like this one.____________Full conversation topics include:-- book tour -- a previous life as a lawyer and restaurant-owner-- becoming a writer-- overcoming imposter syndrome-- paces of production and practice-- distraction as being useful-- the reading you do while writing-- approaching novels and/or stories-- New Orleans-- the new novel THE AMERICAN DAUGHTERS-- research-- knowing who you are -- writing as a man about women -- jumping through time  and sound--  POV-- freedom and loss-- a forthcoming book_______________Podcast theme music  by Mike Nagel, author of Duplex and Culdesac. Here's his music project: Yeah Yeah Cool Cool.The Lives of Writers is edited and produced by Michael Wheaton, author of Home Movies.

On today's episode of The Lives of Writers, Lena Crown interviews Richard Scott Larson.Richard Scott Larson is the author of  the memoir The Long Hallway  (UW Press). He has received fellowships from MacDowell and the New York Foundation for the Arts, and his creative and critical work has appeared in The Sun Magazine, Los Angeles Review of Books, Harvard Review, and other journals and anthologies.Lena Crown is a book editor for us at Autofocus Books. Her essays are published or forthcoming in The Rumpus, Guernica, Gulf Coast, Narratively, North American Review, The Offing, and elsewhere, and her poems have appeared in Bellevue Literary Review, The Boiler, Poet Lore, No Contact, and Variant Lit.____________Full conversation topics include:-- blocking out time to write-- doing residencies-- horror movies and mass-market fiction as a kid-- writing as a critic and with the NBCC-- the role of film in his life and the book-- a crisis of fiction-- memoir vs book-length essay-- the new memoir THE LONG HALLWAY-- gender, sexuality, and horror-- visibility and hiding queerness-- masks and Michael Myers in Halloween-- horror tropes appearing in memoir-- loneliness and observation-- film form-- fear and shame-- the Midwestern suburbs-- epiphany, revelation, and resolution (or lack of)-- examining our own cruelties-- writing about family-- the next book and gymnasts_______________Podcast theme music  by Mike Nagel, author of Duplex and Culdesac. Here's his music project: Yeah Yeah Cool Cool.The Lives of Writers is edited and produced by Michael Wheaton, author of Home Movies.

On today's episode of The Lives of Writers, Aaron Burch interviews Jason McCall.Jason McCall is the author of the essay collection Razed by TV Sets (Autofocus, 2024) and the poetry collections What Shot Did You Ever Take (co-written with Brian Oliu); A Man Ain’t Nothin’; Two-Face God; Mother, Less Child (co-winner of the 2013 Paper Nautilus Vella Chapbook Prize); Dear Hero, (winner of the 2012 Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize and co-winner of the 2013 Etchings Press Whirling Prize); I Can Explain; and Silver. He and P.J. Williams are the editors of It Was Written: Poetry Inspired by Hip-Hop. He holds an MFA from the University of Miami. He is a native of Montgomery, Alabama, and he currently teaches at the University of North Alabama.Aaron Burch is the author of the essay collection A Kind of In-Between and editor of How to Write a Novel: An Anthology of 20 Craft Essays About Writing, None of Which Ever Mention Writing, both from Autofocus Books. He's also the author of several other books, including the novel, Year of the Buffalo. He is currently the editor of Short Story, Long and the co-editor of WAS (Words & Sports) and HAD. ____________Full conversation topics include:-- a recent bout with cancer-- the rhythm of art and community-- the pleasures of teaching-- realizing you can write about your cultural interests-- getting into history and mythology and storytelling-- getting into poetry after fiction-- approaching writing as a fan -- sports and pop culture-- the new essay collection RAZED BY TV SETS-- the contradictions of fandom-- collective celebration-- playing with your offhand-- new work about John Henry_______________Podcast theme music  by Mike Nagel, author of Duplex and Culdesac. Here's his music project: Yeah Yeah Cool Cool.The Lives of Writers is edited and produced by Michael Wheaton.

In today's episode of The Lives of Writers, Sara Rauch interviews Julia Hannafin.Julia Hannafin is the author of the debut novel Cascade (Great Place Books, 2024). They also write for television.Sara Rauch is the author of the book-length essay XO, from us at Autofocus Books. She’s also the author of the story collection, What Shines from it, from Alternating Current Press. Her book reviews and author interviews have been featured in the LA Review of Books, Newcity Lit, Lambda Literary, The Rumpus, and elsewhere._____________Conversation topics include:-- writing in LA-- writing for screen and audio-- journaling as a kid-- truth in fiction-- Julia's first novel CASCADE-- expanding a short story-- the novel before the "first novel"-- quiet drama-- a young narrator with a thread of danger-- publishing as the first novel by Great Place Books-- sharks in the Farallon Islands-- researching the book-- predator/prey-- internal/external worlds-- desire, gender, identity, and place-- addiction, obsession, and denial-- time and pressure-- new work and ghosts_____________Podcast theme music provided by Mike Nagel, author of Duplex. Here's more of his project: Yeah Yeah Cool Cool.The Lives of Writers is edited and produced by Michael Wheaton.

On today's episode of The Lives of Writers, Joshua James Amberson interviews Jeff Alessandrelli.Jeff Alessandrelli is the author of several books, including the poetry collection Fur Not Light. His novel And Yet is out in April 2024 with Future Tense Books. He is also the director and co-editor of the small presses Fonograf Editions and Bunny Presse.Joshua James Amberson is the author of Staring Contest: Essays About Eyes (Perfect Day Publishing), How to Forget Almost Everything: A Novel (Korza Books), a series of chapbooks on Two Plum Press, as well as the long-running Basic Paper Airplane zine series. He lives in Portland, Oregon where he runs the Antiquated Future online variety store and record label.____________FULL CONVERSATION topics include:-- recording live in PDX-- past work in publishing and literary community-- the previous podcast The Steer-- the beginnings of Jeff's novel And Yet-- working in different forms of poetry and prose-- the collapse of SPD -- the issues at PANK that led to pulling his novel from print-- the reissue of the novel now with Future Tense Books-- revisiting a self from five years ago-- writing as a publisher____________Podcast theme music provided by Mike Nagel, author of Duplex. Here's more of his project: Yeah Yeah Cool Cool.The Lives of Writers is edited and produced by Michael Wheaton.

On today's episode of The Lives of Writers, Michael Wheaton interviews Zachary Pace.Zachary Pace is a writer and editor whose first book is I Sing to Use the Waiting: A Collection of Essays About the Women Singers Who've Made Me Who I Am (Two Dollar Radio, 2024), and whose writing has been published in the Baffler, BOMB, Bookforum, Boston Review, Frieze magazine, Interview magazine, Literary Hub, the Los Angeles Review of Books, the PEN Poetry Series, the Yale Review, and elsewhere.Michael Wheaton is the publisher of Autofocus Books and producer ofThe Lives of Writers. His essay Home Movies is out now from Bunny Presse.____________FULL CONVERSATION topics include:-- going into the office-- working in publishing -- challenges of living in NYC-- finding a subject-- moving to essay from poetry  -- early writing tied up in other media-- music as gateway into poetry-- the new essay collection I SING TO USE THE WAITING-- trouble-- other people as mirrors-- research in the writing process-- growing up on media pre-internet-- child psychology-- celebrating the self and others-- choosing essay subjects in a collection-- continuing to write about music and listening____________Podcast theme music provided by Mike Nagel, author of Duplex and Culdesac. Here's more of his project: Yeah Yeah Cool Cool.The Lives of Writers is edited and produced by Michael Wheaton.

On today's episode of The Lives of Writers, Sara Lippmann interviews Ben Tanzer.Ben Tanzer is the author of the short story collection UPSTATE, the science fiction novel Orphans, and the essay collections Lost in Space and Be Cool, and most recently the novel The Missing, which is out now from 7.13 Books. Among many other things, he also produces and hosts This Podcast Will Change Your Life.Sara Lippmann is the author of the novel Lech (Tortoise Books) and the story collections Doll Palace (re-released by 7.13 Books) and Jerks (Mason Jar Press). Her fiction has been honored by the New York Foundation for the Arts, and her essays have appeared in The Millions, The Washington Post, Catapult, The Lit Hub and elsewhere. ____________Full conversation topics include:-- Chicago/the Midwest & upstate NY-- small town insularity-- Ben's new novel The Missing-- growing up with cool parents-- resignation in fiction, not in life-- returning to the novel form-- time-- regimen-- Ben's father's influence on his creative life-- not being precious-- Ben and Sara meeting-- persistence and prioritizing yourself-- deciding to write and detaching from the results-- a new non-fiction project-- learning patience____________Podcast theme music also provided by Mike Nagel. Here's more of his project: Yeah Yeah Cool Cool.The Lives of Writers is edited and produced by Michael Wheaton.

On today's episode of The Lives of Writers, Jeff Alessandrelli interviews Claire Donato.Claire Donato is the author of Burial, a fiction novella, and The Second Body, a full-length collection of poems, and most recently Kind Mirrors, Ugly Ghosts, a collection of fiction. Currently, she works as Acting Chairperson of Writing at Pratt Institute, where she received the 2020-2021 Distinguished Teacher Award.   Jeff Alessandrelli is the author of several books, including the poetry collection Fur Not Light. His novel And Yet is being reissued this year by Future Tense Books. He is also the director and co-editor of the small presses Fonograf Editions and Bunny Presse.____________PART ONE topics include:-- writing desks and locations-- being a "legend of underground literature"-- starting to publish young-- a music background-- writing and not writing-- thinking about selling a book____________PART TWO topics include:-- Claire's new book Kind Mirrors, Ugly Ghosts--"fauxtofiction" and autofiction-- MFK Fisher-- cooking and co-ops-- friendships in literature-- friendships in adulthood-- psychoanalysis-- publishing with a bigger press_______________Podcast theme music  by Mike Nagel, author of Duplex and Culdesac. Here's his music project: Yeah Yeah Cool Cool.The Lives of Writers is edited and produced by Michael Wheaton.

On today's episode of The Lives of Writers, Michael Wheaton interviews Sean Enfield.Sean Enfield is the author of debut collection of essays, Holy American Burnout! (Split/Lip Press, 2023). He serves as an Assistant Non Fiction Editor at Terrain.org, and his own work has been published in Reed Magazine, Hayden’s Ferry, Witness Magazine, Tahoma Literary Review, and The Rumpus, among others.Michael Wheaton is the publisher of Autofocus Books and producer of The Lives of Writers. His essay Home Movies is out now from Bunny Presse.____________PART ONE, topics include:-- getting a PhD after a couple years off an MFA-- getting thrown into teaching and gardening-- getting into writing and music as a kid in Dallas____________PART TWO, topics include:-- the process of writing and publishing Holy American Burnout!-- dropping the façade and accidentally getting into non-fiction-- writing about the classroom-- information and news overload____________PART THREE, topics include:-- starting with form-- Baldwin-- de-emphasizing the nation state--writing while promoting____________Podcast theme music provided by Mike Nagel, author of Duplex and Culdesac. Here's more of his project: Yeah Yeah Cool Cool.The Lives of Writers is edited and produced by Michael Wheaton.

On today's episode of The Lives of Writers, Sara Rauch interviews Joshua Marie Wilkinson.Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Joshua Marie Wilkinson is a poet, novelist, and filmmaker. His debut novel, Trouble Finds You, was published by Fonograf Editions (2023). He is also the author of nine books of poetry, including Selenography, Swamp Isthmus, and Meadow Slasher. His work has appeared in Poetry, The Believer, Tin House, Pen America, and in nearly two dozen anthologies. He has edited several collections of essays, including Anne Carson: Ecstatic Lyre, Poets on Teaching, and The Force of What's Possible with Lily Hoang.Sara Rauch is the author of the book-length essay XO, from us at Autofocus Books. She’s also the author of the story collection, What Shines from it, from Alternating Current Press. Her book reviews and author interviews have been featured in the LA Review of Books, Newcity Lit, Lambda Literary, The Rumpus, and elsewhere.____________PART ONE, topics include:-- working as a therapist-- writing while raising a kid-- a previous life as a poet and teacher-- the move into writing fiction-- therapy and narrative-- growing up in and living again in the PNW-- early poetry books-- the disappearances of small presses-- not writing a "poet's novel"____________PART TWO, topics include:-- Joshua's first novel Trouble Finds You-- writing a "misguided" character--  a short story that kept getting longer-- plotting and telling a story-- suspense-- animals and pets in a narrative-- not having a smartphone-- other novels____________Podcast theme music provided by Mike Nagel, author of Duplex. Here's more of his project: Yeah Yeah Cool Cool.The Lives of Writers is edited and produced by Michael Wheaton.