Alexis Schaitkin on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Debut novelist Alexis Schaitkin joins Marrie Stone for the full hour to talk about Saint X.

Alexis unveils the inspiration behind the story, and how her curiosity about tourism and the tension between tourists and locals drives her characters. She shares her exhaustive research process, her insights into writing from the perspective of other cultures, and finding culturally sensitive readers. Alexis also reveals former professor Deborah Eisenberg's lens through which she evaluates effective writing, as well as a unique twist on the old writing adage about "killing your darlings." It's a rich hour full of wonderful insights.

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(Broadcast date: February 19, 2020)

Freelance Journalist & Foreign Correspondent William Wheeler on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Foreign correspondent and filmmaker William Wheeler is the author of State of War: MS-13 and El Salvador’s World of Violence. He’s also the producer of the Showtime documentary “The Trade” and the Emmy nominated film, “Who Shot the Sheriff,” about the Cold War assassination attempt on Bob Marley.

Bill joins Marrie Stone for the full hour to talk about his reporting on MS-13 and the life of a journalist in general. He shares his insights on putting together a compelling, well-researched, and impartial story, the future of journalism, how the industry has changed, and more.

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(Broadcast date: February 5, 2020)

Literary agent Danielle Svetcov and crime writer Matt Coyle

Literary agent, Danielle Svetcov, also author of Parked, and crime writer Matt Coyle, author of Lost Tomorrows, talk with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about agenting and writing.

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 (Broadcast date: Jan. 15, 2020)

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Alexander Weinstein on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Alexander Weinstein, author of the 2016 dystopian short story collection Children of the New World, returns to talk with Marrie Stone about his latest collection, Universal Love.

In the near-distant future—one where technology has taken the next predictable steps—characters reckon with what it means to love, to kill, to be intimate, and to be human in an age when they're wholly invested in inhabiting a digital world. Fans of Black Mirror will love this collection.

In addition to sharing the inspiration and backstories behind many of the pieces, Alexander shares mounds of writing wisdom and advice.

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(Broadcast date: January 29, 2020)

Julie Zuckerman and Annalee Newitz on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Short story author Julie Zuckerman, author of The Book of Jeremiah, joins Marrie Stone to share her novel in stories. Julie talks about drawing inspiration and structure from Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kittridge, how she structured the collection and the stories within, working with a small press (Press 53), and how a simple writing prompt unlocked Jeremiah Gerstler's complex character.

In the second half, Annalee Newitz joins to talk about their latest novel, The Future of Another Timeline. They talk about how their science background feeds their fiction, what fiction can accomplish that nonfiction cannot, dealing with the complexities of time travel, and much more.

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(Broadcast date: January 22, 2020)

Alix Kates Shulman on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Nearly 50 years after it first shocked readers nationwide, Alix Kates Shulman's, Memoirs of an Ex-Prom Queen is still being hailed as a feminist classic. Inspired by the iconic protest of the 1968 Miss America Pageant, and called by the Oxford Companion to Women's Writing "the first important novel to emerge from the Women's Liberation Movement," the 1972 book continues to hit home with its comic portrayal of growing up female in a man's world in white middle-class pre-feminist America. The book was re-released last year. At 87, Alix is still writing, speaking, and taking her message to the streets.

Alix talks about writing those daring sex scenes, her own terrifying illegal abortion, how fiction can change minds, and the slow but effective changes brought about by wave after wave of the women's movement.

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(Broadcast date: January 8, 2020)

Poet Michael Miller on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Poet Michael Miller joins Marrie Stone for an hour of poetry and reflection on New Year's morning. He talks about his retrospective collection, Tea and Subtitles: Selected Poems 1999-2019, many addressing beginnings, endings, and New Year's Day itself.

Michael discusses his life-long love of the form, how journalism aids his poetry, assembling the writer's toolbox, and the many poets who he recommends as accessible and necessary reads.

Michael will appear at the LA Times Festival of Books on the poetry stage in April.

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 (Broadcast date: January 1, 2020)

Pulitzer Prize Winning Poet Stephen Dunn

Stephen Dunn, Pulitzer Prize winning poet, talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about his latest volume, Pagan Virtues. (There are a few audio challenges, but keep listening. It's worth it.)

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(Broadcast date: Dec. 4, 2019)

Beau L'Amour & Robin Cook join Marrie Stone on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Louis L'Amour, father of the western and frontier novel, passed in 1988 leaving behind 89 novels, 14 short story collections, and mounds of unfinished manuscripts. His son, Beau L'Amour, continues his legacy by finishing many of his novels and short stories and adding notes, history, and backstory. He shares his latest, Lost Treasures Volume II, as well as his father's writing process, his relationship with Ray Bradbury, and more.

Robin Cook, father of the medical thriller genre, joins in the second half to share his latest novel, Genesis. During his time in the navy, and after completing his medical training, Robin came on the writing scene in the 1970s with the novel Coma. Now, 35 novels later, he still thrills readers with his uncanny sense of where medical technology is heading, the radical advances and attendant consequences we're making, and how his longstanding and beloved characters deal with them.

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(Broadcast date: December 18, 2019)

Tim O'Brien on Writers on Writing, KUCI

Tim O'Brien, National Book Award winning novelist and iconic author of The Things They Carried, joins Marrie Stone to talk about his latest—and last—book.

Dad's Maybe Book is at once a memoir, a love letter to his young sons, a meditation on war, a writing guide for writers, a history lesson, a literature lesson, and swan song to his fans. (Don't let the title or cover fool you . . . this book packs a meaty punch that extends well beyond fatherhood).

Tim shares his enduring struggles with writing, with memory, and with his own father.

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(Broadcast date: December 11, 2019)

THIS LAND author Christopher Ketcham on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Christopher Ketcham, author of the new nonfiction book, This Land: How Cowboys, Corruption, and Corruption are ruining the American West, talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett for the entire hour about the book that Outside magazines says, "...brings the fighting spirit and conservation vision of great writers like Edward Abbey, Rachel Carson, and Bernard DeVoto into the 21st century.” 

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(KUCI-FM broadcast date: Nov. 27, 2019)

You can reach Barbara at penonfire at earthlink dot net. Subscribe to the Writers on Writing podcast at iTunes and Stitcher.

Jeanne Blasberg on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Novelist Jeanne Blasberg joins Marrie Stone for the full hour to discuss her latest, The Nine. She shares how her work in finance and spreadsheets aids her writing, about Grub Street's Novel Generator, NaNoWriMo, the unique opportunities afforded by She Writes Press, finding your unique niche as writer, and much more.

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(Broadcast date: November 20, 2019)

Cathleen Schine on "Writers on Writing," KUCI-FM

Cathleen Schine, author of The Grammarians and 10 other novels, joins Marrie Stone for the full hour to talk about creativity, how writing grows harder over time, her love of words and language and dictionaries, why she felt inspired by the relationship between Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren, and so much more.

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(Broadcast date: November 13, 2019)

Walter Mosley, with his new book Elements of Fiction, on KUCI-FM

Walter Mosley, author of the new book on writing, Elements of Fiction, and 40 other books, mostly novels, talks with Barbara about plotting (or not), rewriting, writing for TV, MFA programs, and much more.

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(Broadcast date: Nov. 6, 2019)

Tom Perrotta Discusses Sex and Mrs. Fletcher on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM in Irvine, CA

Tom Perrotta, author of Mrs. Fletcher, joins Marrie for the entire hour to talk about sex in the new millennium, whether technology can affect desire, how male writers can effectively access the female point of view, writing through the various stages of life, humor, and much more.

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(Broadcast date: October 11, 2017)

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed on this program do not reflect those of KUCI, its management, or the UC Board of Regents. For more information on this talk show, or other talk shows, visit our website at www.kuci.org. 

Aris Janigian and Robert Kerbeck on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Novelist Aris Janigian joins Marrie Stone to talk about the latest novel in his "Waiting" trilogy, Waiting for Sophia at Shutters by the Beach. A challenging and thought-provoking novel about the #metoo movement and sexual harassment on college campuses, Aris discusses the many trials and difficulties he encountered while writing it (including a stolen manuscript). He also talks about being the author of six novels (and spending significant time on the LA Times bestseller list), all without an agent. Aris will be appearing at Book Soup in December to launch the book. More information about the event can be found online as the date approaches.

In the second half, Robert Kerbeck joins to discuss Malibu Burning: The Real Story Behind LA's Most Devastating Wildfire. Robert and his wife successfully saved their home from the Woolsey fire last year. Their neighbors were not so lucky. Robert conducted extensive interviews and organized the book as a series of compelling vignettes, highlighting the many tragic, shocking, and poignant stories that emerged from this devastating fire. He shares insights about what homeowners can do to be prepared, and the surprising aftermath of the fire's destruction. Check out Robert's website for information about his many appearances scheduled in and around Los Angeles.

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(Broadcast date: October 30, 2019)

Noir crime writer Steph Cha, Your House Will Pay

Steph Cha, author of Your House Will Pay, her fourth novel (first stand-alone), was my guest for the entire hour, talking about writing crime fiction, specifically noir, finding your voice through reviewing on Yelp, and much more.

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(Broadcast date: Oct. 23, 2019)

Kate Braverman, from the archives of Writers on Writing

I knew Kate a few ways: through my show where she was a guest three times. The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, where she sat on my panel. And a writing project for which she generously wrote an essay on spec (not yet unpublished). She wrote one of my favorite short stories: "Tall Tales from the Mekong Delta." It's in the fantastic collection, Squandering the Blue, as well as widely anthologized and googleable.

Here are the shows:

  Martin J. Smith, co-author of Oops : 20 Life Lessons from the Fiascoes That Shaped America, and Kate Braverman, author of Frantic Transmissions to and from Los Angeles.

Download audio. The show begins at 24:30.
(Broadcast date: Mar. 16 2006)


Kate Braverman, author of The Incantation of Frida K.
(This one you have to click on her name to access audio.)
(Broadcast date: May 22, 2003)


Kate Braverman, author of Lithium for Medea.
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(Broadcast date: Sep 18, 2002)

Elizabeth Strout and Lise Funderburg on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM

Elizabeth Strout returns with Olive, Again, a newly released collection that picks up where Olive Kitteridge left off. Elizabeth joins Marrie Stone to talk about how Olive reasserted herself, how the world has changed around her, and how Elizabeth managed to leave a porous space around Olive (and her other characters) so readers might insert their own experiences into the narrative.

In the second half, Lise Funderburg shares her anthology, Apple, Tree: Writers on their Parents. She talks bout the relationship middle-aged adults have with their parent's legacies, how she chose this special crop of authors, and gives a mini-class on the essay form and what makes an essay work.

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(Broadcast date: October 16, 2019)

Poet Grant Hier on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM at UC-Irvine

Poet Grant Hier, professor at Laguna College of Art and Design, and author of Similitude, The Difference Between, and co-author with John Brantingham of California Continuum, joins Barbara DeMarco-Barrett for what turned out to be a masters' class in writing poetry. You don't have to be a poet or have any interest in writing poetry, to get something out of this show. And no matter what you write, reading poetry will only make you a better writer.

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(Broadcast date: Oct. 9, 2019)