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 #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

Antioch LitCit #23 Chris Feliciano Arnold 01/28/2022

Antioch LitCit #23 Chris Feliciano Arnold Host Barbara Platts chats with about his book . Arnold talks about his travel and research for the book, as well as teaching and the writing life. This episode was produced and mastered by Kenzy El-Mohandes. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/21928751

Antioch LitCit #22 Jenny Qi 01/07/2022

Antioch LitCit #22 Jenny Qi Lee Takemoto sits down with Jenny Qi as they talk about her new book of poetry, Focal Point. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/21700985

Antioch LitCit #21 Mary Gaitskill 12/17/2021

Antioch LitCit #21 Mary Gaitskill Host Lisa Locascio Nighthawk chats with novelist Mary Gaitskill about her latest book "The Devil’s Treasure." /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/21511955

Antioch LitCit #20 Farah Ali 11/26/2021

Antioch LitCit #20 Farah Ali Host Ahsan Butt in conversation with guest Farah Ali about her debut collection People Want to Live, estrangement as a fundamental human condition, and getting to the “why behind the why” of her characters. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/21235031

Antioch LitCit #19 Anne Liu Kellor 11/05/2021

Antioch LitCit #19 Anne Liu Kellor Host Kevin Cummins engages author Anne Liu Kellor about her path to publishing her memoir Heart Radical: A Search for Language, Love, and Belonging. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/21058757

Antioch LitCit #18 Lauren Tarshis 09/24/2021

Antioch LitCit #18 Lauren Tarshis Host Louise Rozett in conversation with children’s author Lauren Tarshis about her popular I SURVIVED series. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/20582378

Antioch LitCit #17 Sharman Apt Russell 09/03/2021

Antioch LitCit #17 Sharman Apt Russell Host Julie Sugar in discussion with guest Sharman Apt Russell about her latest book on the hopeful state of childhood malnutrition. /episode/index/show/antiochlitcit/id/20307914

LitCit: Antioch's Literary Citizen Podcast

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