Nancy Rommelmann talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Nancy Rommelmann, author of To the Bridge: A True Story of Motherhood and Murder (Little A) talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about the book, from idea to publication, where stories originate,   how covering dark topics affects her as a writer and a mother, and more.

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 (Broadcast date: Aug. 22, 2019)

John McNally on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Author John McNally joins Marrie Stone for the full hour to talk about his latest book, The Promise of Failure: One Writer's Perspective on Not Succeeding. John discusses the important (and very real) role of rejection in a writer's life and offers advice and encouragement for writers at every stage of their career. From revision to subtext, from the importance of writing each day to the value of taking risks, John's accessible style and extensive experience are invaluable to any new or established writer.

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(Broadcast date: August 15, 2018)

Victoria Patterson on the Short Story on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Novelist and short story writer Victoria Patterson joins Marrie Stone for the full hour to talk about her latest collection, The Secret Habit of Sorrow.Victoria talks about her love/hate relationship with Orange County, addiction, and the geographical terrain of her fiction. She also provides practical advice on the craft and living in the world as a writer.

As an added bonus, KUCI intern Kerry sits in on the show and they discuss the collection's cover art, which Kerry happens to have tattooed on her rib cage. A discussion of spirituality, mythology and religion ensures.

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(Broadcast date: August 8, 2018)

Memoirists Beck Dorey-Stein and Alliie Rowbottom on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

White House stenographer Beck Dorey-Stein joins Marrie Stone to talk about her memoir, In the Corner of the Oval. She talks about her time in the Obama White House and the lessons President Obama imparted about writing, storytelling, and the power of words. She shares her wisdom for being vulnerable on the page, her commitment to copious notes, and the benefits of writing in the immediate aftermath of an intense event.

In the second half, Allie Rowbottom joins to talk about her memoir, Jell-O Girls: A Family History. She discusses the urgency of telling her mother's story against the backdrop of feminism, and the weight of her family's inheritance of the Jell-O fortune. In part memoir, history, feminist philosophy and more, Allie talks about how she wove all those threads, avoided being didactic, and organized the massive amount of research she accumulated.

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(Broadcast date: August 1, 2018)

Melissa Stephenson and Elizabeth Rosner on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Memoirists Melissa Stephenson, author of Driven, and Elizabeth Rosner, author of Survivor Cafe, talk with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about the art, craft, and business of writing their books.

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 (Broadcast date: July 25, 2018)

Patt Morrison and Amy Wallen on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett talks with Patt Morrison, author of Don't Stop the Presses! and Amy Wallen, author of the memoir, When We Were Ghouls.

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(Broadcast date: July 18, 2018)

Gabriel Houck and Caeli Wolfson Widger on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Short story writer Gabriel Houck shares his debut collection, You or a Loved One. Gabe talks with Marrie about beginnings, endings and first sentences. He shares insights on how revealing ourselves through fiction, as opposed to essays, is often easier. He deconstructs a few of his stories from initial kernel of an idea, throughout the revision process, and all the artistic decisions he made along the way. He talks about weaknesses and overcoming them, literary influences, and so much more.

In the second half, Caeli Wolfson Widger joins to talk about her novel, Mother of Invention. Caeli talks about the origins of her ideas, how to construct (and adhere to) a coherent set of rules for novels set in alternate realities, as well as her research process. Caeli shares how she grapples with difficult characters, how to sustain a reader's intrigue, and much more.

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(Broadcast date: July 11, 2018)

Editor and Bloomsbury Press publisher Peter Ginna, author of What Editors Do: The Art, Craft, and Business of Editing, talks about what goes into the acquisition of a title, what editors look for, the changes in publishing, and more.

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(Broadcast date: July 4, 2018)

Alexander Chee on Writers On Writing, KUCI-FM

Novelist and essayist Alexander Chee joins Marrie Stone for the hour to talk about his latest collection of essays, How to Write an Autobiographical Novel. He discusses the important distinction between writing for therapy versus writing for publication. He discusses the pitfalls of readers' interest in what is "true" and autobiographical about a writer's work. And he deconstructs a few essays from point of origin to completion.

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(Broadcast date: June 27, 2018)

Abbi Waxman and Kirstin Chen on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Marrie Stone chats with the very funny Abbi Waxman, author of Other People's Houses. They talk about the differences between British and American humor and values, and the ways in which problems in other people's marriages can affect our own. Abbi shares how her prior career in copywriting and advertising helps her fiction, and how life experiences can be fodder for her books.

In the second half, Kirstin Chen joins to discuss her latest novel, Bury What We Cannot Take. She discusses writing about a time and place not her own, working with unsympathetic characters, the lessons we can take from history, and more.

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(Broadcast date: June 13, 2018)

Rebecca Makkai on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Rebecca Makkai, author of The Great Believers, joins Marrie Stone for the full hour to talk about her pull towards the AIDS epidemic in 1980s Chicago. She talks about the unexpected origins of the novel, her massive amount of research, and the ways empathy can only take a writer so far. She shares techniques for getting inside a character's skin, managing momentum, and more.

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(Broadcast date: June 20, 2018)

Sue Halpern and Curtis Sittenfeld on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Sue Halpern, author of Summer Hours at the Robbers Library, joins Marrie Stone to talk about the healing power of libraries and the unlikely friendships made there. They chat about the importance of telling the story only you can tell, allowing the story to tell the writer what it needs, and working with different voices inside a single novel.

In the second half of the show, guest host Nicole Nelson talks to Curtis Sittenfeld, author of the new story collection You Think It, I'll Say It about the appeal of characters who are "smart but wrong," letting plot drive characterization, treating endings as an opportunity to open another door, and more.

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(Broadcast date: June 6, 2018)

Christina Lynch and Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Christina Lynch, author of The Italian Party and memoirist Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich, author of The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir, spend this penultimate day of May talking about their work with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on Writers on Writing, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

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 (Broadcast date: May 30, 2018)

Richard Bausch on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Novelist and short story master Richard Bausch spends the full hour with Marrie Stone talking about his latest collection, Living in the Weather of the World. He talks about his early influences in writing, his connection to poetry, and his approach to the short story. Along the way, he dissects some of the stories in his collection, from first spark to final edit. All the while, he shares his wisdom, recites a little poetry, and even renders the last few stanzas of a song.

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(Broadcast date: May 23, 2018)

Claire Fuller and Mark Sarvas on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Claire Fuller, author of Swimming Lessons, joins Marrie Stone to chat about her novel, her later-in-life journey to writing, her process and advice. She discusses ways writers can survive the first draft, her revision process, and the intimacy of tucking memorabilia away inside books.

Mark Sarvas joins in the second half to discuss his novel, Memento Park. He talks about his research process, how some ideas are made to wait until the right time, dealing with elusive characters, and his love of playing with time in a novel's structure. More information can be found about Mark at his website. He's also on Twitter and Facebook.

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(Broadcast date: May 16, 2018)

The Leisure Seeker author Michael Zadoorian on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Novelist Michael Zadoorian, author of The Leisure Seeker talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about his novel (recently made into a film with Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland).

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(Original broadcast date: March 31, 2010)

Novelist Lisa See on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM in Irvine

Novelist Lisa See, author of the novel, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett for the entire hour about her book, how it came to be, Pu'er tea, and the Akha culture. They also discuss her mother, the late great writer, Carolyn See.

The station is in the midst of their annual fund drive. If you've enjoyed the show and listen to it or to the podcast, consider donating. Any amount will do. You can donate online at KUCI.org or call 949 824 5824 if you'd like a premium. Remember to say Writers on Writing is the show you listen to. This year the show is 20 years old and all that time we have volunteered. Thanks so much for helping out.

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(Broadcast date: May 9, 2018)

Novelists Rachel Khong and Julia Fierro on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Rachel Khong, author of Goodbye, Vitamin, and Julia Fierro, author of The Gypsy Moth Summer join Barbara DeMarco-Barrett to discuss their novels and the art, craft, and business of writing.

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 (Broadcast date: April 11, 2018)

Luis Alberto Urrea on Writers on Writing with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett

Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels, talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about his current wondrous novel, as well as the art, craft, and business of writing.

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(Broadcast date: April 25, 2018)

Joan Silber on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Joan Silber, author of Improvement, joins Marrie Stone for the full hour. Improvement recently won the 2018 PEN/Faulkner Award for fiction, as well as the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction.

Silber discusses the importance of travel on her work, cultural appropriation in fiction, finding one's voice, humor, the "kaleidoscopic story cycles" of her novels, metaphor, revision and more.

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(Broadcast date: April 18, 2018)