LitCit: Antioch's Literary Citizen Podcast

Lit Cit explores the multi-faceted life of a writer in today’s literary community through insightful interviews with authors, editors, agents, and all of the people who help make writing happen. The podcast is produced and run by members of Antioch Los Angeles’ MFA Creative Writing program.

Antioch LitCit #53 Jessica Johns 11/10/2024

Antioch LitCit #53 Jessica Johns On this episode of , host Caren McDonald chats with author, . They discuss Johns' debut novel, , the power of community, and the importance of learning your inner wisdom. This episode was produced by Bo Thomas Newman and mastered by Beth Dewey. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/33696162

Antioch LitCit #52 Ken Liu 10/23/2024

Antioch LitCit #52 Ken Liu On this episode of Antioch MFA program's , host Keshia Nash-Johnson chats with guest , author of the Dandelion Dynasty fantasy series, which inludes the novel , and the award-winning shortstory collection, The Paper Menagerie. They discuss his creation and use of the genre Silkpunk, his writing process, his literary influences, and the way his speculative fiction engages with his readers. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo, and mastered by Elyse Jackson Williams, Ian Rodriguez, and Bo Thomas Newman. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/33586562

Antioch LitCit #51 Lynn Ferguson 09/23/2024

Antioch LitCit #51 Lynn Ferguson On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Amalia Mora chats with Lynn Ferguson, a self described "mongrel of the arts," whose career spans TV, radio, film, and stage. They discuss Lynn's work as a writer and storyteller, self-forgiveness as a cure for writer's block, and why creating connection-often through the use of humor-motivates her writing. They talk about her debut collection of essays, Notes From The Valley, and they also share a lot of laughs-about cavemen, cults, and two things Lynn has fallen in love with: her dog, Arthur, and her new trailer named Bertha. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo, and mastered by Ian Rodriguez and Bo Thomas Newman. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/33145177

Antioch LitCit #50 Angela Harvey 08/29/2024

Antioch LitCit #50 Angela Harvey On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Paula Williamson chats with guest and screenwriter, Angela Harvey. Angela reveals her unconventional path into television writing. She discusses her success in the stories of the supernatural, her exploration of race, religion and politics, and her excitement about the depiction of Black rural life onscreen. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Beth Dewey. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/32618117

Antioch LitCit #49 Shannon C. F. Rogers 06/14/2024

Antioch LitCit #49 Shannon C. F. Rogers On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's , host chats with guest , winner of the 2024 APALA Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature and author of the debut YA novel, . In this interview, Shannon discusses her upbringing in Albuquerque, her experience as a playwright, her Filipino-American identity, themes of grief and self-discovery in her cinematic writing, and her publishing journey with her first novel. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Jasmine Gipson and . /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/31742107

Antioch LitCit #48 Kimberly King Parsons 05/31/2024

Antioch LitCit #48 Kimberly King Parsons On this episode of , host chats with guest , author of two works including her recent debut novel, . In this interview, Kimberly shares her journey as a writer, the differences between crafting short-stories and novels, and how motherhood and psychedelia play a central part in We Were the Universe. This episode was produced by Ian Rodriguez and mastered by Jasmine Gipson and Bo Thomas Newman. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/31530377

Antioch LitCit #47 Ana Maria Spagna 05/17/2024

Antioch LitCit #47 Ana Maria Spagna On this episode of , Caren McDonald chats with guest a writer, teacher, and former backcountry trails worker. They discuss Spagna’s newest book, , and the power of reframing narrative and honoring other people’s stories. They also talk about the importance of imagination for nonfiction writers, the benefits of working on multiple projects at once, and the joys of writing the MFA critical paper. This episode was produced by Ian Rodriguez and mastered by Caren McDonald. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/31336372

Antioch LitCit #46 Isabel Yap 04/12/2024

Antioch LitCit #46 Isabel Yap On this episode of LitCit, host Keshia Nash-Johnson engages author in a discussion about her breakout short story collection . Isabel talks about fanfiction as a sandbox for a writer’s growth, the value of cultural mythology in her stories, monsters and the monstrous parts of humanity, death and its weight in her writing, the musicality of prose, and her forthcoming books. This episode was produced by Kenzy El-Mohandes and mastered by Keshia Nash-Johnson. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/30743498

Antioch LitCit #45 Hanz Wasserburger 03/15/2024

Antioch LitCit #45 Hanz Wasserburger On this episode of Antioch MFA Program’s LitCit, host chats with screenwriter . Hanz discusses his journey from lawyer (assistant attorney general in the Civil Medicaid Fraud Division) to screenwriter (A Tale of Two Coreys, Second Impression). This interview was conducted shortly after the 2023 Writers Guild of America Strike, and was produced and mastered by Jacqueline Rose. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/30383953

Antioch LitCit #44 Gayle Brandeis 02/16/2024

Antioch LitCit #44 Gayle Brandeis On this episode of LitCit, host chats with guest about her latest book (2023). Gayle discusses her favorite childhood authors, why writers are afraid to write about illness, what it means to write a "bonus book," and her new "novel in multiverse" in which Lilith embodies Marilyn Monroe! This episode was produced by Kenzy El-Mohandes and mastered by Elyse Jackson-Williams. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/29947313

Antioch LitCit #43 Ross Brown 01/19/2024

Antioch LitCit #43 Ross Brown On this episode of LitCit host talks to screenwriter about his journey from second assistant director to television writer to executive producer and creator of three different network shows. If you remember Webster, The Facts of Life, and Step By Step, among others, you’re in for a treat! This interview was conducted shortly before the 2023 Writers Guild of America Strike. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Thomas Huisking. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/29475788

Antioch LitCit #42 Iwalani Kim 12/08/2023

Antioch LitCit #42 Iwalani Kim On this episode of LitCit, Ian Rodriguez chats with guest an associate agent at Sanford J. Greenberger Associates. They discuss what makes a story moving and Iwalani's pathway from slam poetry to becoming an agent, giving her fresh insights. They also talk about how works have literary value with evocative characters and bring words from two of Iwalani's favorite books, and . This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Ian Rodriguez. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/28884963

Antioch LitCit #41 Kavita Das 11/02/2023

Antioch LitCit #41 Kavita Das On this episode of LitCit, host Diana Hardy chats with guest . Kavita Das discusses writing for social change in her book . Das explores the importance of representation and the barriers she faced while writing , the life story of Grammy-nominated Hindustani singer Lakshmi Shankar. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Diana Hardy and Beth Dewey. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/28402148

Antioch LitCit #40 Toni Ann Johnson 09/29/2023

Antioch LitCit #40 Toni Ann Johnson On this episode of LitCit, host Kevin Cummins chats with guest Toni Ann Johnson: playwright, screenwriter, and author of five books including her most recent, . In this interview, Toni Ann shares stories of her New York upbringing, discusses how race and lightness intersect, and tells us why she values James Baldwin. This episode was produced by Samantha Rahmani and mastered by Ian Rodriguez. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/28121525

Antioch LitCit #39 Vanessa Hua 08/25/2023

Antioch LitCit #39 Vanessa Hua On this episode of LitCit, host Michelle Yee chats with guest Vanessa Hua, author of three books including her most recent, . In this interview, Vanessa shares stories about her beginnings as a writer, why she went back to school for an MFA, and how Forbidden City took fourteen years to become published. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Michelle Yee. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/27753966

Antioch LitCit #38 Toni Jensen 07/28/2023

Antioch LitCit #38 Toni Jensen On this episode of LitCit, host Irvina Kanarek chats with guest Toni Jensen about her Memoir, (2020) which includes her personal experiences with gun violence, domestic violence, and living as a white-presenting indigenous person. Jensen also shares her thoughts about combating racism in the classroom, what it truly means to be labeled a ‘difficult woman’, her writing process, gentrification, and Gen Z. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Irvina Kanarek. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/27516309

Episode #37: Diana Khoi Nguyen 06/16/2023

Episode #37: Diana Khoi Nguyen On this episode of LitCit, host Maggie Lam chats with guest Diana Khoi Nguyen about their beginnings as a poet, philosophies in teaching, and techniques used in creating their debut poetry collection . Diana reads “Triptych” and shares stories and tips around self-care when writing about trauma and grief. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Maggie Lam. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/27144216

Antioch LitCit #36: Ellen O'Connell Whittet 05/26/2023

Antioch LitCit #36: Ellen O'Connell Whittet On this episode of LitCit, host Mikaela Ryan chats with guest Ellen O’Connell Whittet, who is the author of the memoir (2020), and a co-host of the podcast, . Mikaela and Ellen discuss unlearning childhood lessons about the body and femininity, studying with Jo Ann Beard, honing the tiny expert, balancing motherhood with teaching and writing, and creating a literary community. This episode was produced and mastered by Kenzy El-Mohandes. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/26876916

Antioch LitCit #35 Aminah Mae Safi 04/07/2023

Antioch LitCit #35 Aminah Mae Safi Host Michael Sedillo talks to young adult author about her newest novel, (2022), a combination of historical fiction about the Third Crusades and a retelling of Robin Hood. Aminah discusses identity, representation, diversity in literature, and her life as a writer. This episode was produced by Samantha Rahmani and mastered by Michael Sedillo, students of the . /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/26448918

Antioch LitCit #34 Shruti Swamy 03/03/2023

Antioch LitCit #34 Shruti Swamy Host Diana Hardy talks to author Shruti Swamy about her short story collection, , and novel, . Shruti Swamy discusses her experience launching two books back-to-back during the pandemic, motherhood and creativity, punctuation, her influences, and what she's working on now. This episode was produced by Samantha Rahmani and mastered by Diana Hardy. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/26061756

Antioch LitCit #33 HarperCollins Union 02/18/2023

Antioch LitCit #33 HarperCollins Union Host speaks with , an editorial assistant at HarperCollins and proud member of the HarperCollins Union, about the recent HarperCollins Union strike. As of the date of this episode’s release, the union and HarperCollins have reached an agreement, and union members returned to work on February 21st. Check out HarperCollins Union (@hcpunion) on , , and for more. Episode edited by Samantha Rahmani and produced by Kenzy El-Mohandes. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/25973313

Antioch LitCit #32: Guadalupe García McCall 01/13/2023

Antioch LitCit #32: Guadalupe García McCall Host Michael Sedillo talks to author about her speculative 2022 YA novel, . Gudalupe García McCall discusses representation of Latinx youth in YA literature, culture, family, teaching young people, writing speculative fiction, and her forthcoming collaboration with David Bowles, . This episode was produced by Samantha Rahmani and mastered by Michael Sedillo. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/25532721

Antioch LitCit #31 Janet Rodriguez 12/09/2022

Antioch LitCit #31 Janet Rodriguez Host Diane Gottlieb discusses ’s memoir . Rodriguez discusses the mixed-race experience, matriarchs, memoir as legacy, and the importance of telling our most necessary stories. This episode was produced by Samantha Rahmani and mastered by Michaela Emerson. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/25219434

Antioch LitCit #30 Nikki Darling 11/18/2022

Antioch LitCit #30 Nikki Darling Host Kenzy El-Mohandes speaks with author Nikki Darling about her 2018 novel, , and her forthcoming books–a collection of essays and poetry called The Call is Coming from Inside the House, and a horror novel set in mid-century Los Angeles called Dark Blue Manner. Darling discusses new narrative, growing up in Los Angeles, fandom, obsession, Madeline Miller, Stephen King, Hanya Yanagihara, and Greek mythology. This episode was produced by Samantha Rahmani and mastered by Kenzy El-Mohandes. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/25066854

Antioch LitCit #29 Paul Tran 09/30/2022

Antioch LitCit #29 Paul Tran Host Maggie Lam engages poet in a discussion about the intentionalities behind writing about trauma, their process of self-inquiry as poetic investigation, and what freedom / survival means to them. Paul shares stories from their roots in spoken word poetry, anecdotes of being in community with queer poets of color, and lessons passed down from mentors such as , , and . Paul reads “Lipstick Elegy”, recently featured in , from their debut collection . /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/24525888

Antioch LitCit #28 Mitali Perkins 07/22/2022

Antioch LitCit #28 Mitali Perkins Host Samantha Rahmani speaks with author about her book , a study of classic children’s literature. Perkins discusses her journey as a children’s author, the need for multistoried experiences for children, the navigation of problematic and harmful works with young readers, and ways to critically examine bias in our own reading and writing practices. Episode mastered by Samantha Rahmani. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/23814566

Antioch LitCit #27 Victoria Patterson 06/17/2022

Antioch LitCit #27 Victoria Patterson Host Lee Takemoto speaks with author about her story collection, , the sinister side of growing up in Newport Beach, teaching, journaling, activism, and the green flash that sometimes occurs at sunset. Episode mastered by Kenzy El-Mohandes. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/23326208

Antioch LitCit #26 Dan Bellm 05/27/2022

Antioch LitCit #26 Dan Bellm Host speaks with translator and poet about his translation of Balam Rodrigo’s , forthcoming from this summer 2022. Bellm discusses teaching the Art of Translation course at Antioch, his work as an interpreter, and experiences as a poet and translator. Bellm reads his translation of from Balam Rodrigo’s Central American Book of the Dead, as well as his poems “She Waits” from and the title sonnet from . Episode produced and mastered by Michaela Emerson and Samantha Rahmani. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/23250401

Antioch LitCit #25 Anna Dorn 04/15/2022

Antioch LitCit #25 Anna Dorn Host Kenzy El-Mohandes speaks with author about her forthcoming novel, . Dorn discusses her character development process, vulnerability, projection, and her works of poetry. This episode was produced by Samantha Rahmani and mastered by Kenzy El-Mohandes. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/22806641

Antioch LitCit #24 Crystal Hana Kim 03/04/2022

Antioch LitCit #24 Crystal Hana Kim Host Samantha Rahmani speaks with author about her novel . Kim discusses polyphonic stories, writing character, research in historical fiction, audience and representation,and intergenerational narratives of trauma and hope. This episode was mastered by Samantha Rahmani. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/22326362

LitCit: Antioch's Literary Citizen Podcast

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