From debut authors to Pulitzer Prize winners, Writers on Writing tackles a little of everything — novels, short stories, memoir, poetry, and more, as well as interviews with agents and publishers.
Unlike other shows dedicated to discussing books, we focus on the art, craft, and business of writing. Writers appreciate the opportunity to talk about the artistic elements of their job — the thousands of decisions that must be made to produce a manuscript. There’s no aspect of craft, creativity, and publishing we don’t explore.
We’ve hosted well over 1,500 authors on the show including Elizabeth Strout, S.A. Cosby, Ann Patchett, Amor Towles, and George Saunders. Expert advice from some of the industry’s top writers allows us to offer a show that’s been called “your own personal MFA program” (with no financial strain).
Host: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett
Host: Marrie Stone
Music and sound editing by Travis Barrett
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EPISODES
(2001 - present)
T. Jefferson Parker and Joan Schenkar
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett interviews T. Jefferson Parker, author of The Border Lords (Charlie Hood) and Marrie Stone interviews Joan Schenkar, author of The Talented Miss Highsmith: The Secret Life and Serious Art of Patricia Highsmith.
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(Broadcast date: January 5, 2011)
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(Broadcast date: January 5, 2011)
2nd Annual Agents Night - Pen on Fire Writers Salon
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett hosts literary agents Jill Marr, Jamie Weiss Chilton, and Sally van Haitsma at the Pen on Fire Writers Salon.
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(Event date: July 13, 2010)
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(Event date: July 13, 2010)
Pen on Fire Speaker Series: Merrill Markoe
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett welcomes Merrill Markoe, author of Nose Down, Eyes Up: A Novel, to the Pen on Fire Speaker Series at the Scape Gallery in Corona del Mar.
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Edwidge Dandicat
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett interviews Edwidge Dandicat, author of Create Dangerously: The Immigrant Artist at Work.
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(Broadcast date: October 20, 2010)
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(Broadcast date: October 20, 2010)
Betsy Lerner and Susan Straight
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett interviews literary agent and writer Betsy Lerner, author of The Forest for the Trees (Revised and Updated): An Editor's Advice to Writers and Susan Straight, author of Take One Candle Light a Room.
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(Broadcast date: October 27, 2010)
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(Broadcast date: October 27, 2010)
Nicole Krauss
Marrie Stone interviews Nicole Krauss, author of Great House: A Novel.
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(Broadcast date: November 17, 2010)
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(Broadcast date: November 17, 2010)
Linda Sue Park and Christian Lander
Marrie Stone interviews children and young adult writer Linda Sue Park, author of A Long Walk to Water and Christian Lander, author of Whiter Shades of Pale: Stuff White People Like, Coast to Coast, from Seattle's Sweaters to Maine's Microbrews.
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(Broadcast date: November 10, 2010)
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(Broadcast date: November 10, 2010)
Debra Ginsberg
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett interviews Debra Ginsberg, author of The Neighbors Are Watching.
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(Broadcast date: Nov 24, 2010)
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(Broadcast date: Nov 24, 2010)
Betsy Lerner
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett and Marrie Stone take listeners' questions for author, former editor and literary agent Betsy Lerner, author of The Forest for the Trees (Revised and Updated): An Editor's Advice to Writers.
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(Broadcast Date: December 1, 2010)
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(Broadcast Date: December 1, 2010)
Sharon Dogar and Roy P. Clark
Marrie Stone interviews Sharon Dogar, author of Annexed and Roy P. Clark, author of The Glamour of Grammar.
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(Broadcast date: October 13, 2010)
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(Broadcast date: October 13, 2010)
Amy Bloom and Hilary Davidson
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett and Marrie Stone interview Amy Bloom, author of Where the God of Love Hangs Out: Stories and Hilary Davidson, author of The Damage Done.
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(Broadcast date: October 2010)
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(Broadcast date: October 2010)
Dennis Palumbo and Daniel Pyne -- Pen on Fire Writers Salon
The Pen on Fire Writers Salon presents Dennis Palumbo, author of Mirror Image and Daniel Pyne, author of TwentyNine Palms.
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(Event date: September 14, 2010)
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(Event date: September 14, 2010)
Kim Dower and Kate Gale
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett interviews Kim Dower, literary agent and author of Air Kissing on Mars and Kate Gale, managing editor of Red Hen Press, poet, and a recent two-term president of PEN USA.
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(Broadcast date: November 3, 2010)
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(Broadcast date: November 3, 2010)
Daniyal Mueenuddin and Shawna Ryan
Marrie Stone interviews Daniyal Mueenuddin, author In Other Rooms Other Wonders and Shawna Ryan, author of Water Ghosts.
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(Broadcast date: August 4, 2010)
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(Broadcast date: August 4, 2010)
Sara Gruen and Dennis Palumbo
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett and Marrie Stone interview Sara Gruen, author of Ape House and Dennis Palumbo, author of Mirror Image.
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(Broadcast date: September 29, 2010)
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(Broadcast date: September 29, 2010)
Claudia Dreyfus and Jeff Lindsay
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett interviews Claudia Dreyfus, author of Higher Education? How Colleges Are Wasting Our Money and Failing Our Kids and What We Can Do About It and Jeff Lindsay, author of Dexter is Delicious.
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(Broadcast date: September 15, 2010)
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(Broadcast date: September 15, 2010)
Greg Breining and Literary Agent Jill Marr
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett interviews Greg Breining, author of Super Volcano: The Ticking Time Bomb Beneath Yellowstone National Park and literary agent Jill Marr.
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(Broadcast date: April 28, 2010)
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(Broadcast date: April 28, 2010)
Novella Carpenter
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett interviews Novella Carpenter, author of Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer.
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(Broadcast date: July 8, 2010)
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(Broadcast date: July 8, 2010)
Speaker Series: Susan Straight and Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum
Susan Straight, author of A Million Nightingales, Highwire Moon and the forthcoming Take One Candle Light a Room (October 2010) and Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum, author of Ms. Hempel Chronicles and Madeleine is Sleeping appear at the Pen on Fire Speaker Series at the Scape Gallery in Corona del Mar on October 27, 2009.
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(Broadcast date: October 27, 2009)
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(Broadcast date: October 27, 2009)
Mary Roach and Jane Vandenburgh
Marrie Stone interviews Mary Roach, author of Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void and Jane Vandenburgh, author of Architecture of the Novel: A Writer's Handbook
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(Broadcast date:August 18, 2010)
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(Broadcast date:August 18, 2010)