Yann Martel and Tessa Hadley on with Marrie Stone

International bestselling author Yann Martel (Life of Pi) talks about his latest novel, The High Mountains of Portugal.  He shares his deep interest in the subject of faith and grief, talks about playing the form of the novel, and writing in the aftermath of success.

In the second half, Tessa Hadley joins to discuss her latest work, The Past.  She talks about the origins of her stories, why families and houses create compelling fiction, her work at The New Yorker, and her long road to success.




Download audio.

(Broadcast date: February 10, 2016)

Rachel Cantor and Tracy Robert with Nicole

Novelist Rachel Cantor, author of Good on Paper, talks to co-host Nicole Nelson about the finer points of the art of translation, her approach to writing complex child characters, and the benefits of taking advantage of artists' colony residency opportunities. Then Tracy Robert, author of the novel Flashcards and The Curse of Ambrosia, talks about the role of setting in her work, her experience following her story into a dystopian world, and her advice to embrace messiness, recognizing it as a prerequisite for creating art.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: February 3, 2016)

Jean Thompson and Michael Czyzniejewski

Novelist and short story maven Jean Thompson joins Marrie Stone to give decades worth of writing advice and share a preview of her forthcoming novel, due in June 2016.  Jean discusses finding the telling details, how to approach new work, when to abandon things that aren't working, and much more.  Jean in the author of six novels and six short story collections.  Her collection Who Do You Love was a finalist for the National Book Award.

In the second half, writer and professor Michael Czyzniejewski joins to talk about his collection, I'll Love You For the Rest of My Life: Break-up Stories.   He also shares his awesome blog, Story 366, where Mike reviews a new short story every day in 2016.  Check it out.  He is full of wonderful writing advice, as well as some incredible story recommendations.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: January 27, 2016)

Ryan Gattis and Jen Beagin

Ryan Gattis, author of All Involved, talks to Nicole Nelson about the energy in his work discovered by writing in first person, the challenge of authenticity, and the way talking to people -- and really listening -- can be as useful as getting an MFA. Then debut novelist Jen Beagin, author of Pretend I'm Dead, talks about her preference for third person (even when journaling), how she uses dialogue as a point of entry to a story, and the importance of knowing your inner critic's sleeping habits, so that you can build your writing practice around those hours.

Download audio.

Ryan's TedX talk "Pain and Art: Write What you Honestly Know."

(Broadcast date: January 20, 2016)

Eric Weiner and Sari Wilson

Eric Weiner, author of The Geography of Genius, joins Marrie Stone to offer ideas about sparking creativity.  While we can't all be geniuses, we can all benefit from techniques that stimulate genius ideas.  From walking to collaborating, traveling to drinking a little, there are a number of practices writers and artists can use to further their craft.

In the second half, Sari Wilson talks about her debut novel, Girl Through Glass.  Drawing on inspiration from her own youth, Sari discusses why certain subjects won't leave writers alone, how ballet helped and hurt her as a writer, the conflicts between the corporeal woman and the spiritual woman, and the best advice Grace Paley ever gave her.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: January 13, 2016)

Wendy Lesser and Kevin Hazzard on Writers on Writing

Wendy Lesser, editor of The Threepenney Review and author of Why I Read, and Kevin Hazzard, author of A Thousand Naked Strangers: A Paramedic's Wild Ride to the Edge and Back talk with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about the art and business of writing--what else?

 Download audio.

(Broadcast date: Jan. 6, 2016)

Marie Lu and Ellen Hopkins

New York Times bestselling young adult authors Marie Lu, The Rose Society, and Ellen Hopkins, Traffick, join Marrie Stone.  They talk about writing in a series, deplorable characters, writing banned books, and more.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: December 30, 2015)

Our annual Christmas show, with readings and music. Readers: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, Jill Amadio, and Mike Conlon. Readings of traditional, classic, and contemporary Christmas writing.

Download audio. 

(Broadcast date: Dec. 23, 2015)

Bruce Bauman and Sanderia Faye with Nicole Nelson

Novelist Bruce Bauman, author of Broken Sleep joins Nicole Nelson to talk about writing dialogue, balancing tragedy with humor, and the good that can come of letting your characters take control.

In the second half, debut novelist Sanderia Faye, author of Mourner's Bench talks about finding the voice for her story in the form of eight-year-old Sarah, the surprises she found when researching the Civil Rights era history of her home town in Arkansas, and the importance of having confidence and especially to, as her teachers advised her along the way, "keep writing."


Download audio


(Broadcast date: December 16, 2015)

Anthony Marra and Karen Bender on with Marrie Stone

Anthony Marra, author of the collection The Tsar of Love and Techno, joins Marrie Stone to talk about his draw to Russia and Chechnya, the importance of humor, writing to music, the short story form, and more.

In the second half, Karen Bender shares her new collection, Refund.  She talks about living in New York after 9/11, parenting, money, aging and lots of tips and tricks on craft.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: December 2, 2015)

Lisa Gornick and Elizabeth Tallent on Writers on Writing

Lisa Gornick, author of Louisa Meets Bear, joins Marrie Stone to talk about whether her book is novel or linked short stories.  She talks about structure, character, revision, and all the things necessary to write effective novels and short story collections.

In the second half, short story writer Elizabeth Tallent returns with her first collection in over two decades.  She talks about Mendocino Fire, how her writing has changed over time, and more.

 Download audio. 

(Broadcast date: October 28, 2015)

Ann Beattie and Ron Rash

Short story author Ann Beattie, The State We're In: Maine Stories, joins Marrie Stone to talk about why Maine, although home, remains a mystery to her.  She discusses compelling women, the danger of linked short stories, and more.

In the second half, Ron Rash returns to the show to discuss his latest novel, Above the Waterfall.  He shares his thoughts on the importance of place, redemption, and his reluctance about embracing the "southern writer"  label. 

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: October 21, 2015)

Colum McCann and John Freeman on Writers on Writing

Colum McCann joins Marrie Stone to talk about his latest novella and short story collection, Thirteen Ways of Looking.  He talks about his attack in New Haven, how it's impacted his writing, what remains important to him, and what single novel he returns to again and again.

In the second half, John Freeman talks about editing the anthology, Tales of Two Cities, The Best and Worst of Times in Today's New York.  He discusses the NY housing crisis, the juxtaposition of wealth in NY, treating people with dignity, and how homelessness can divide a family.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: November 18, 2015)

Novelists Nina Revoyr and Katherine Taylor

Novelists Nina Revoyr, author of LOST CANYON, and Katherine Taylor, author of VALLEY FEVER, talk with Barbara about having patience as a writer, writing hundreds of pages and discarding them, finding the voice of the novel and more.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: Nov. 11, 2015)

Lauren Groff and Garth Risk Hallberg on Writers on Writing

Lauren Groff, author of the National Book Award-nominated novel, Fates and Furies, talks to Nicole Nelson about how she came to realize she was writing one book, and not two, about the tale of a marriage. She also discusses her approach to tackling plot, and the importance of staying with your work. In the second half, debut novelist Garth Risk Hallberg, author of City on Fire, talks about being drawn to the Victorian novel, the art of bringing chapters to a close, and how when something isn't working it means that either you shouldn't do it, or you should do more of it.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: November 4, 2015)

Barry Yourgrau and Sasha Abramsky

Barry Yourgrau, author of Mess: One Man’s Struggle to Clean Up His House and His Act with Nicole Nelson about "writing short"in the distractible age of the Internet, grinding your mind until you get to the place where things flow, and how even as a confessional writer of fiction, when that mask is removed and he is telling his own story, he found writing a memoir scary.

Then Sasha Abramsky, author of The House of Twenty Thousand Books talks about how telling this personal story was different from his other journalistic projects, how he came upon the structure for the book, and  the importance of letting your guard down, having confidence to take chances with the language and ultimately working to put your personal stamp on your writing.

Download audio.
(Broadcast date: October 14 2015)

Michelle Huneven and Tracy Daugherty on Writers on Writing

Michelle Huneven, author of Off Course and Tracy Daugherty, author of the Last Love Song, a biography of Joan Didion, talk with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about their new books and the art and business of writing.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: Oct 7, 2015)

Karen Joy Fowler & Bonnie Jo Campbell

Karen Joy Fowler talks with Marrie Stone about the re-release of her short story collection, Black Glass: Short Fictions.  She discusses her pull toward science fiction, how her interests have changed, and why she believes the sibling relationship is one of the most compelling.

In the second half, Bonnie Jo Campbell introduces her latest collection, Mothers, Tell Your Daughters.   How did the title story come to be?  What is her pull toward bleak landscapes?  How long is too long to work on a short story?  When does she abandon a project?  (The answers may surprise you.)

Download audio. 

 (Broadcast date: September 23, 2015)

Jillian Lauren and Jonathan Galassi

Barbara talks with memoirist Jillian Lauren, author of Everything You Ever Wanted. 
During the second half, Nicole Nelson talks to Jonathan Galassi, President and Publisher of FSG and debut novelist, about his new book Muse.

Download audio. 
(Broadcast date: September 30, 2015)

Jillian will be a featured author at the Pen on Fire Speaker Series and Salon in Corona del Mar on October 13. 

Carol Higgins Clark and Daniel James Brown

Mystery darling Carol Higgins Clark joins Marrie Stone to talk about compelling characters for a series, generating new ideas, the structure of the genre, and drawing from real life in her writing.

Carol is a keynote speaker at the OC Sisters in Crime, Ladies of Intrigue event on Saturday, October 3rd, 2015 in Huntington Beach.  More information can be found here.

In the second half, Daniel James Brown discusses adapting his narrative nonfiction book Boys in the Boat for young audiences.  He talks about writing in the aftermath of success, what was required for the adaptation, why the book resonated with a wide audience, and his process for organizing vast amounts of research.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: September 9, 2015)