The Written Scene

Writers, creators, and anyone involved in the literary scene discuss path, process, and craft.

Episode 111 Teaser: Patrick Stewart 05/19/2026

Episode 111 Teaser: Patrick Stewart If you were to ask the CEO of the , , what roles a library plays in a community, it's more than just a building with books. Much more. Please enjoy this brief teaser with Patrick ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/41326215

Episode 110: Debbie Wastling 05/12/2026

Episode 110: Debbie Wastling It's one thing to be excited about the arts. For author and historian , it's a passion, and you can hear it in every word. In this episode of , Debbie talks about having famous relatives in the arts back in the early 20th century, a brief geography and history lesson, mixing her love of music into her books and stories, famous writers from her childhood home, how her music writing is storytelling, not shying away from politics, the ways the railroad system in every country is historically relevant, trying to remain historically accurate in her novels, the evolution of her art after moving from England to Los Angeles, how knowing Shakespeare helps her write historical fiction, experiencing Shakespeare and other theater productions in Ashland, OR, writing poetry to understand and process feelings at an early age, reading out loud the things we write, learning discipline in writing through theater, writing grants for music education, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/41239855

Episode 110 Teaser: Debbie Wastling 05/05/2026

Episode 110 Teaser: Debbie Wastling For historical fiction author , her childhood experiences with libraries and powerful teachers makes giving back to libraries and schools very easy. Please enjoy this teaser with Debbie ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/41151480

Episode 109: Gene Desrochers 04/28/2026

Episode 109: Gene Desrochers Whether you're running a tennis club or a practicing lawyer, all of it matters if you want to write. For author , this is especially true. In this (long) episode of , Gene discusses growing up in a historical building and landmark, losing your virginity in weird and creepy places, writing about where we used to live instead of where we currently live, using story location as a character, the ways where you grow up factors into the writer inside, switching back and forth between writing novels and short stories, having low daily word count writing goals, when you get in your own way of writing a story, the ways legal trials are all about telling a better story, why it's fun to be on a jury, what different jobs in life can do for a writer's skillset, lessons tennis can teach you about yourself and your writing, how restrictions in a story can make for a better story, and so much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/40991695

Episode 109 Teaser: Gene Desrochers 04/21/2026

Episode 109 Teaser: Gene Desrochers They say to write what you know. For author , it was the loss of a childhood friend—an event he didn't know about until he was much older—that eventually became the kernel of his books. Please enjoy this teaser with Gene ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/40898800

Episode 108: LaDaryn Lockett 04/14/2026

Episode 108: LaDaryn Lockett For author and environmentalist , the world of writing has unlocked a joy of storytelling he didn't know existed at first. In this episode of , LaDaryn talks about finding the joy of Dungeons & Dragons in a college dorm basement, using ChatGPT but also making sure to give back in a more human manner, finding early influences in stories involving animals, writing to preserve positive growth as a person, not knowing where story concepts come from but still writing them anyway, the reward of challenging storytelling, how reading and writing should be habits for authors, telling stories that aren't about identity and encountering expectations that come with being a Black author, his love of reading and writing Germanic folklore, marrying his love of the environment and writing adventure stories, writing about animals in a way that doesn't further any harmful human behaviors toward them, getting out of your comfort zone to be less fearful about other things in life, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter but clicking or tapping . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/40791680

Episode 108 Teaser: LaDaryn Lockett 04/07/2026

Episode 108 Teaser: LaDaryn Lockett Saying yes to an invitation into someone's basement can come with some risk. Fortunately, for author and environmentalist , it worked out well. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/40751410

Episode 107: Daniela Sow 03/31/2026

Episode 107: Daniela Sow Poet and professor has always written poetry. It was in her 20's when she discovered the power of performance poetry. In this episode of , Daniela discusses the value of having another person help organize poems in a book, the high and lows (and delusions) of submitting for publication, knowing her poetry collection needed the right home, how Dean Koontz got her in trouble as a kid, writing fiction before poetry, the role of place in her recent collection of poetry, her MFA experience at San Diego State University, having a mentorship in writing, what a dedicated weekly writing session does for a writer, writing performance poetry long after first writing poetry for the page, the ways spoken word poetry helped her build community, slam poetry pros and cons, not censoring herself or shying away from tough subjects, the powerful impact poet Jim Moreno had in San Diego on not only individuals but also the community as a whole, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also sign up to receive our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/40660090

Episode 107 Teaser: Daniela P. Sow 03/24/2026

Episode 107 Teaser: Daniela P. Sow Sometimes all it takes is one acceptance to to generate a little hope and drive. For author and professor , this was certainly the case. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/40572050

Episode 106: Taylor Hollingsworth 03/17/2026

Episode 106: Taylor Hollingsworth Everyone has their own level of what they'd call success. Musician makes a living playing guitar on stage, a level of success he's both proud of and humbled by. In this episode of , Taylor talks about how he creates his sound on stage, the difference in possibilities between electric and acoustic guitars, choosing to perform solo after playing decades with a band, what the genre term psychobilly means, playing both big and small stages, making sure you expand your knowledge of other art being made, his love of pre-1960s music, getting into kid lit thanks to his mother who wrote kid lit, being surprised at how much he enjoys Harry Potter, the role of musicians in depicting history and human behavior, discovering the heart of the song during the writing process, when people you admire turn out to have faults that are hard to ignore, how perhaps we've overcorrected, writing while out on the road, the ways modern technology has changed the music industry, and surprisingly more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also join our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/40407215

Episode 106 Teaser: Taylor Hollingsworth 03/10/2026

Episode 106 Teaser: Taylor Hollingsworth Just as it can be with writing and finding a voice, musician discovered his sound by figuring out what most people were NOT doing and experimented with that. Please enjoy this teaser with Taylor ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/40356985

Episode 105: Deborah Holt Larkin 03/03/2026

Episode 105: Deborah Holt Larkin If you're an author, surely you've heard the "write what you know" advice. For author and retired educator , she knew quite well the story that gripped her town as a child, and also her father's career as a journalist. In this episode of , Deborah discusses how she's always been a reader and how that helps determine what's a good book, using her writing talents to write grants, why early on the idea of writing a book was a fleeting thought here and there, the usefulness of having a journalist for a father who kept everything, what was easy or difficult to write a book, learning how to be a better writer with each draft, encountering self-doubt during the writing process, how a read and critique group can keep us on task, providing feedback more to help a story than to change it, the ways age can play a role in getting published, what a shopping agreement is for screenplays, how swimming competitively helped her market the book, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/40289540

Episode 105 Teaser: Deborah Holt Larkin 02/24/2026

Episode 105 Teaser: Deborah Holt Larkin For author , a fatal crime in her neighborhood when she was a child became a catalyst to understand crime and protect herself, as well as write about it later in life. Please enjoy this brief teaser with Deborah ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/40190400

Episode 104: Melissa McKinstry 02/17/2026

Episode 104: Melissa McKinstry This episode is our four year anniversary of . Thank you to those that have been listening for a while. To those that are new here, welcome. You have a lot of great conversations about writing to catch up on. Speaking of great conversations... When it comes to making sure writers and non-writers alike feel comfortable and find joy in the arts community, author and community organizer plays a significant part in making sure that happens. In this episode of The Written Scene, Melissa discusses being the first author in an inaugural author residency, why it's been so fulfilling to have a quarterly arts event, holding events at small spaces vs. large spaces, the influence her grandfather and his book collection had on her reading path, memories of Bookmobiles when we were kids, how her rural upbringing impacted her writing, getting her MFA later in life, the ways her son was her biggest inspiration, learning to write about emotionally laden experiences without sentimentality, imitation as a way to learn and understanding craft, always having music on in the house, the accountability of having weekly writing sessions with other writers, and more. The next Poet Tree Productions reading and music event is Sunday, February 22nd, from 1pm to 4pm at Meraki in the South Park neighboorhood. Poetry, prose, jazz, food, and local artisans. Expect a fantastic afternoon and if you see me there, say hi. Get your tickets . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/40126560

Episode 104 Teaser: Melissa McKinstry 02/10/2026

Episode 104 Teaser: Melissa McKinstry For author , the spark to host her own poetry and jazz series came from an inaugural author residency where, while it still holds a dear place in her heart, the rules were still being ironed out. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/40043495

Episode 103: Julia Lemke 02/03/2026

Episode 103: Julia Lemke For author and poet , discovering the healing and connecting nature of poetry changed the course of her writing career. In this episode of , Julia talks about how a spiritual epiphany guided her and its effect on her book, loving the library as a kid and how many books she could check out, reading books as a child that are now banned, majoring in Packaging in college and what that really is, the muscle memory of creation as a kid and how it changes as we age, accepting the feeling of not knowing what's next after completing a large project, finding relevancy in a fast paced society, why we can't create if we're not living our lives too, the kind of stories that stick with her, how having patience when writing can pay off, why your reader won't figure out what you're saying if you don't know either, leveling up as a poet, the ways performing poetry improves your writing, and much more. If you enjoyed this convo, please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter which you can subscribe to by clicking or tapping . Music: Addis Ababa /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/39973770

Episode 103 Teaser: Julia Lemke 01/28/2026

Episode 103 Teaser: Julia Lemke For author , poetry felt inaccessible. Fortunately, all it took was finding her voice to unlock and open doors. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/39904700

Episode 102: Janell Strube 01/20/2026

Episode 102: Janell Strube Author may also work as a tax accountant but her extensive use of spreadsheets made writing much easier. In this episode of , Janell talks about the writing lessons learned from going down rabbit holes, being the kid with their nose in the book instead of playing, viewing writing as feeding and nourishing people, the power of realizing and also believing you're a writer, having a day job that competes with time to write, zooming out to see just how much we've written over time, volunteering within a writer community and how that benefits us, developing thick skin through critique groups, using objects to tell a story, having a specific office just for writing, the lesson of less is more when writing a love scene, why bookstores survive in a digital world, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click to subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter of upcoming guests, events, and more. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/39785845

Episode 102 Teaser: Janell Strube 01/13/2026

Episode 102 Teaser: Janell Strube Not all teachers are good. But even the bad ones can be motivating, just as it was for author and memoirist . Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/39672265

Episode 101: Barbara Carlton 01/06/2026

Episode 101: Barbara Carlton Author led a previous life as an architect, a job she's now retired from, but a job that was very much like writing a novel. In this episode of , Barbara talks about the fortune of having a good publisher, how her love of music played a role in her writing, writing like you're in a mine with only a headlamp, reading kid lit just fo the joy of reading it, why taking a lot of writing classes can prevent the enjoyment of specific genres, the fear of "now what?" after finishing a novel you've worked on for many years, cross-fertilizing by writing different genres, how writing at an older age can benefit a story, when travel is both good and unnecessary for writing, having so large of a sinlge draft that it must be broken up into four different books altogether, and much more. If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter which you can subscribe to by clicking or tapping . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/39607960

Episode 101 Teaser: Barbara Carlton 12/30/2025

Episode 101 Teaser: Barbara Carlton For author , the inspiration for her novel, as it can be for many authors, was right there on her own street. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/39553590

Episode 100: Matt Bell 12/23/2025

Episode 100: Matt Bell When it comes to writing, there's no shortage of joy of the process in author and professor , and it's obvious from the smile you can hear in his voice when he talks about it. In this momentous episode (100!) of , Matt discusses growing up in a family of environmentalists and its impact on his writing, the joy of maintaining consistency in a story, creating an outline after the first draft, not being nostalgic with past drafts of stories, finding 30 year old anthologies with now well-established authors, becoming a writer later in life and its advantages, how the only control a writer has is to keep writing, the benefits authors will accumulate while also teaching, what working non-writing jobs will do for your future writing job, having characters with no names and what that does both to and for a story, handling rejection and using baseball statistics for perspective, and so much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. To subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter, click or tap . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/39498380

Episode 100 Teaser: Matt Bell 12/16/2025

Episode 100 Teaser: Matt Bell For author and professor , writing a novel can be a great starting point to understand and maybe even conquer anxieties and fears. After enjoying this brief teaser ahead of next week's full episode of , please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/39401540

Episode 99: Taylor Garcia 12/09/2025

Episode 99: Taylor Garcia When it comes to writing, to author it's more than just a thing we do. It's a career, albeit just a really enjoyable one. In this episode of , Taylor discusses the potential reasons why men are reading less fiction, growing up in a matriarchal family environment, having a healthy dose of life for storytelling purposes, a cruel suggestion from a grad school professor, seeing the world as a story, working non-creative jobs, finding a love of editing and feedback, ironic redemption for a character, letting ideas marinate for a long time before writing, bringing things together in a story that don't typically belong together, handling multiple writing projects at the same time, the pedestrian Bud Light nature of stories and shows, writing whenever and wherever you can, and so much more. Make sure to get your copy of Taylor's book, "" which you can find at my favorite bookstore in town, . Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/39269370

Episode 99 Teaser: Taylor Garcia 12/02/2025

Episode 99 Teaser: Taylor Garcia According to author , as cruel as it can be, having a higher and formal level of writing education can help not just your writing craft but also explain why the greats are the greats. If you enjoyed this teaser, please be sure to subscribe ahead of next week's full episode of . Share, rate, and review, if you're feeling extra helpful. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/39205025

Episode 98: Jeeyoon Kim 11/25/2025

Episode 98: Jeeyoon Kim For pianist and author , the artist's job is to create a bridge to their art. Because of this, her piano performances are an engaging, multi-media experience. In this episode of , Jeeyoon talks about how her newsletter inspired her recent book, implementing storytelling into her piano concerts, giving readers a reason to take a breath after each chapter of her book, discovering a love of jazz later in life, requiring patience when listening to classical music, what a doctorate degree teaches us about what we know and don't know, the educator's mindset, learning to hibernate and learn before performing, an artist's susceptibility to tall into the comparison trap, how writing music is similar to writing words, why we're better people the closer we are to nature, the ways the sense of awe can be healing, and much more. Grab your copy of Jeeyoon's book at your local bookshop not named Amazon. Need a suggestion that has the book? Try one of my favorites, in La Jolla. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/39111025

Episode 98 Teaser: Jeeyoon Kim 11/18/2025

Episode 98 Teaser: Jeeyoon Kim For pianist and author , connecting with her newsletter readers formed a deeper, more real relationship with others, and puts her work in perspective. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of with Jeeyoon. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/39052025

Episode 97: Carl Vonderau 11/11/2025

Episode 97: Carl Vonderau 's path to novel writing took him through the dark streets of a banking career, which can be the perfect place to find a good villain. In this episode of , Carl opens up about revisiting hard scenes that are part truthful, having the willingness to fail as a poet on public stage, understanding the minds of criminals, making up ghost stories as a kid, learning fast how good people can be at their craft, not being ready to put in the effort into being a writer, finding poetry in fiction, reading books that require interpretations, writing the hero's arc and giving morality to villains, craving empathy and connection with a character, being impacted as the writer as much as the reader is, preferring to write longer stories over short stories, why the first draft of his first scene is always written by hand, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and every episode of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by tapping or clicking . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/38987135

Episode 97 Teaser: Carl Vonderau 11/04/2025

Episode 97 Teaser: Carl Vonderau Authors often draw from what we have lived. In author 's book, , he had to do the same, and it wasn't always easy. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of . You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/38898905

Episode 96: Natasha Tynes 10/28/2025

Episode 96: Natasha Tynes For author and writing coach working for yourself is important. However, getting used to the feast or famine part of the job took some time. In this episode of , Natasha talks about taking breaks between writing and other projects, getting her publishing start in journalism, feeling like there's no time to celebrate publications, choosing your creative path and not having creative freedom when working for others, the different struggles she encounters with authors early on on their path, knowing and accepting writing isn't a magical bolt of lightning but instead is actual work, using the , leaving bread crumbs when struggling for the next writing session, the mise en place of writing, how to stay away from information dumps in fiction, having to first and foremost believe you have a story to tell, and so much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/38783520

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