The Process with Jude Brewer

Anna and John are different in as many ways as they are similar. Especially when it comes to cookies and hamburgers. Street interviews by Christopher Olin. Music by John Fio. Artwork by Allison Conway. Sources: Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor, by Kim Kelly Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A young man finds a second home, and discovers a higher calling. Transcripts can be found at cooperatewiththeprocess.com Street interviews by Christopher Olin. Music by John Fio. Artwork by Allison Conway. Sources: The War Came To Us: Life and Death in Ukraine, by Christopher Miller The Trilateral Process: The United States, Ukraine, Russia, and Nuclear Weapons Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I think there's a reason why we get into careers that we get into. And I'm not just like making a generalization, but I'm sure that there's a lot of fighters out there that had a really hard childhood." That’s Kimberly Shannon Murphy, she’s Hollywood’s go-to stunt double for premier silver screen actresses. If you’ve seen a movie or a TV show made in the last 20 years, chances are you’ve seen Kimberly without even knowing it. This story contains child abuse. But that is not what it's about. This is a story of survival, hope and healing. If you are experiencing sexual assault, you do not have to suffer alone. You can talk to someone for confidential 24/7 support by calling 1-800-656-4673. And for the 24/7 child abuse hotline, call 1-800-4-A-child, that’s 1-800-422-4453. If you know someone who is experiencing abuse, or if you suspect abuse, please don’t wait. Music created for this show by John Fio. Show artwork by Allison Conway. Transcripts available at cooperatewiththeprocess.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BANKWAVE is a narrative driven simulator developed during Ludum Dare, an international game jam competition, by indie game company Frabjous Studios. This episode of The Process explores collaboration through the rise of game jams, BANKWAVE's development, the development of the game's engine created by Hajime Hoshi, and finally the role of game testers. Learn more about Alex Mills and his team Frabjous Studios here. The song at the beginning and end of this episode was created for the show by John Fio. Show artwork by Allison Conway. Transcripts available at cooperatewiththeprocess.com Sources: Game Engines as an art form, Hajime Hoshi Why Ludum Dare is so important to indie developers, Vice Video games can never be art, Roger Ebert Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Before you have a kid. I feel like you're sort of going up a roller coaster and you've never been on a roller coaster before and you just like you feel that you're inching towards the top and you just don't know what to expect. And that's kind of like writing a book. I mean, I feel like you shouldn't know what's coming when you enter in a book." - Andrew Lipstein, author of THE VEGAN. Show artwork by Allison Conway. Transcripts available at cooperatewiththeprocess.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more at cooperatewiththeprocess.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tommy Davidson reads an excerpt from "Living in Color," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Tommy Davidson started his career as a stand-up comedian in Washington DC, and since then, he's done it all. His standup career has led him to share bills with the likes of Patti LaBelle and Kenny G, and he was a cast-member on the hit show "In Living Color," also starring Jamie Foxx, Jim Carrey, and Damon Wayans. He's done three specials for Showtime and appeared on Disney's "The Proud Family" and Spike Lee's "Bamboozled." His book, "In Living Color," released in 2020, details his journey in show business and how he found success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Abraham reads an excerpt from "Age of Ash," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Daniel Abraham is the author of the critically acclaimed "Long Price Quartet," "The Dagger and the Coin series," and the "Kithamar Trilogy." He writes with Ty Frank as James S.A. Corey, and as MLN Hanover. He has been nominated for the Nebula and World Fantasy awards, and won the Hugo award and International Horror Guild award. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imogen Binnie reads an excerpt from "Nevada," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Imogen Binnie is the author of the novel "Nevada," which won the Betty Berzon Emerging Writer Award and was a finalist for the 2014 Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Fiction. In 2022, "Nevada" was reissued by FSG Books. A writer for several television shows and a former columnist for Maximum Rocknroll, she lives in Vermont with her family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vauhini Vara reads an excerpt from "The Immortal King Rao," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Vauhini Vara started as a journalist, working as a technology reporter at the Wall Street Journal and later launching, editing and writing for the business section of the New Yorker’s website. Since then, her writing has also appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, Harper’s, The New Republic, Businessweek, Fortune, and elsewhere. She is a contributor to Wired and can sometimes be found working as a story editor at the New York Times Magazine. She has also edited for the website of the Atlantic and for the nonprofit Fuller Project. Her debut novel, "The Immortal King Rao" (W.W. Norton), is an American Booksellers Association Indies Introduce selection, and New York Magazine’s Vulture, Esquire, Oprah Daily, the Times of India, and the Observer are among some publications that named it one of their most-anticipated books of the year. Her story collection, "This is Salvaged," is due out in 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Benjamín Labatut reads an excerpt from "When We Cease to Understand the World," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Benjamín Labatut is a Chilean author born in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, in 1980 who spent his childhood in The Hague, Buenos Aires and Lima, before settling in Chile. His first book of short stories, "Antarctica" starts here, won the 2009 Caza de Letras Prize in Mexico, and the Santiago Municipal Prize, in Chile. His second book, "After the Light," consists of a series of scientific, philosophical and historical notes on the void, written after a deep personal crisis. "When We Cease to Understand the World" was published in September 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Chaon reads an excerpt from his new book "Sleepwalk," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Dan Chaon is the author of three novels: "You Remind Me of Me," "Await Your Reply," and "Ill Will." He's also published three short story collections and has been featured in several anthologies, including "Best American Short Stories" and "The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses." Caregiver's (Lindsey Bitson) new track Everything was released in 2021 and her new album is set for release in 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Antoine Wilson reads from his new book "Mouth to Mouth," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Antoine Wilson is the author of the novels "The Interloper" and "Panorama City," and his new novel "Mouth to Mouth" is out from Avid Reader (Simon & Schuster) in the US and Canada, and from Atlantic Books in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. His writing has appeared in The Paris Review, Quarterly West, and Best New American Voices, among other publications. He is a contributing editor at A Public Space. He has received the Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellowship at the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing and the San Fernando Valley Award for Fiction, and has been a finalist for The National Magazine Award, the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association Book of the Year Award, and the Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Award. He has taught writing at the University of Iowa, the University of California San Diego, the University of California Los Angeles Extension Writers’ Program, Stanford Continuing Studies, and the Otis School of Art and Design. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Sherrell reads excerpts from his book "Warmth," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Daniel Sherrell is a climate movement organizer who has led successful campaigns to phase out coal-fired power plants, divest millions of dollars from the fossil fuel industry, and pass a Green New Deal bill for New York State. He is currently the Campaign Director for the Climate Jobs National Resource Center, where he is working with the American labor movement to tackle the climate crisis, reverse income inequality, and win millions of unionized clean energy jobs. He is the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship in creative writing and has been awarded residencies at the Mesa Refuge and J.M. Coetzee Centre for Creative Practice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephanie Foo reads an excerpt from "What My Bones Know," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Stephanie Foo is a former producer for This American Life and Snap Judgment, and has worked on podcasts for The Cut, Nancy, Reply All and 99% Invisible. She currently produces audio pieces and has had her work featured in The New York Times and Vox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Phil Klay reads his essay "The Citizen-Soldier: Moral Risk and the Modern Military," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Phil Klay is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. His short story collection, "Redeployment" won the 2014 National Book Award for Fiction and the National Book Critics' Circle John Leonard Prize for best debut work in any genre, and was selected as one of the 10 Best Books of 2014 by The New York Times. His nonfiction work won the George W. Hunt, S.J., Prize for Journalism, Arts & Letters in the category of Cultural & Historical Criticism in 2018. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, The New Yorker, and the Brookings Institution's Brookings Essay series. He currently teaches fiction at Fairfield University. His debut novel, Missionaries, was released in October 2020 with Penguin Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kim Kelly discusses her book "Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Kim Kelly is a labor columnist at Teen Vogue, contributor to the Baffler, correspondent for Means Morning TV, and freelance contributor to all manner of other publications. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Guardian, Esquire, GQ, Rolling Stone, the Nation, and NPR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anna Sale talks about her book "Let's Talk About Hard Things," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Anna Sale is a journalist, author and interviewer, likened to "a therapist at happy hour" by The New York Times. She hosts "Death, Sex & Money," the award-winning interview podcast from WNYC Studios, and her book, "Let's Talk About Hard Things," is available now.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Melissa Chadburn reads from her essay "The Throwaways," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Melissa Chadburn’s writing has appeared in The LA Times, NYT Book Review, NYRB, Longreads, Paris Review online, and dozens other places. Her essay on food insecurity was published in "Best American Food Writing 2019." She’s done extensive reporting on the child welfare system and appears in the Netflix docuseries "The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez." Her debut novel, "A Tiny Upward Shove," is forthcoming with Farrar, Straus, & Giroux. She is a Ph.D. candidate at USC’s Creative Writing Program. Melissa is a worker lover and through her own work and literary citizenship strives to upend economic violence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Lipstein reads excerpts from "Last Resort," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Andrew Lipstein is a writer based in Brooklyn. His debut novel "Last Resort" is out now from Farrar, Straus & Giroux in the US, and Weidenfeld & Nicolson in the UK. His second novel will be published in 2023, also by FSG and W&N. He also works on the product design team at Kabbage, a fintech startup, and was previously at Meural, an art tech startup and his writing has appeared in Interview, the Los Angeles Review of Books, The Brooklyn Rail, The Millions, VICE, McSweeney's, The Rumpus, Electric Literature & more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tommy Tomlinson reads an excerpt from "The Elephant in the Room: One Fat Man's Quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Tommy Tomlinson has written for publications including Esquire, ESPN the Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Forbes, Garden & Gun, and many others. He spent 23 years as a reporter and local columnist for the Charlotte Observer, where he was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in commentary, and he is currently working on a new book about the Westminster Dog Show. He is also the host of the podcast “SouthBound” at WFAE, Charlotte’s NPR news station, and he also does weekly commentaries for the station. He has taught at colleges, workshops and conferences across the country. He’s a graduate of the University of Georgia and was a 2008-09 Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel A. Olivas reads an excerpt from "How to Date a Flying Mexican," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Daniel A. Olivas is the author of ten books and editor of two anthologies. His latest books are "How to Date a Flying Mexican: New and Collected Stories," "The King of Lighting Fixtures: Stories," and "Crossing the Border: Collected Poems." Widely anthologized, Daniel has also written for the New York Times, Los Angeles Review of Books, The Guardian, La Bloga, BOMB, High Country News, Huffington Post, Alta Journal, Los Angeles Times, El Paso Times, and the Jewish Journal. Daniel is also a playwright. He is a member of the Dramatist Guild, and his first full-length play, "Waiting for Godínez," was selected for the Playwrights' Arena Summer Reading Series in 2020, and The Road Theatre's 12th Annual Summer Playwrights Festival in 2021. Daniel was selected for Circle X Theatre's inaugural Evolving Playwrights Group where he adapted his novel, "The Book of Want," for the stage. Daniel's play, "Waiting," had its world premiere with Playwrights' Arena on July 24, 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danté Stewart reads an excerpt from "Shoutin’ In The Fire: An American Epistle," backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Danté Stewart is a theologian, essayist, and cultural critic. He is author of "Shoutin’ In The Fire: An American Epistle." Named by Religion News Service as one of “Ten Up-And-Coming Faith Influencers”, his work has appeared on CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, ESPN’s The Undefeated, Sojourners, and more. He received his B.A. in Sociology from Clemson University. He is currently studying at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Debbie Millman discusses her book "Why Design Matters," featuring David Byrne, Saeed Jones, Ira Glass, and more, backed by an original Storybound remix with sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Debbie is the author of seven books, including two collections of interviews that have extended the ethos and editorial vision of "Design Matters" to the printed page: "How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer" and "Brand Thinking" and "Other Noble Pursuits." Both books have been published in over 10 languages. Her most recent book, "Why Design Matters: Conversations with the World’s Most Creative People," was published in 2021. She is also the co-owner and Editorial Director of PrintMag.com.  Debbie’s podcast, "Design Matters" is one of the first and longest running podcasts, and as host and founder, Millman has interviewed nearly 500 of the most creative people in the world over the past 17 years. "Design Matters" won a 2011 Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, in 2015 Apple designated it one of the best overall podcasts on iTunes, and in 2021 designated it one of their “All Time Favorite Podcasts.” In addition, the show has been nominated for six Webby Awards, and has been listed on over 100 “Best Podcasts” lists, including one of the best podcasts in the world by Business Insider and Vanity Fair.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Storybound, from 2021 KCRW Radio Race winner Jude Brewer, returns for a fifth season with new voices, new music, and more conversations on March 8th. Storybound is a radio theater program designed for the podcast age. Hosted by Jude Brewer, the podcast features today’s top literary voices reading their essays, poems, and fiction. Season 5 begins publishing next Tuesday, March 8th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chuck Klosterman reads two stories from "Raised in Captivity: Fictional Nonfiction," backed by an original Storybound remix with Lindsey Bitson, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Chuck Klosterman is the bestselling author of eight books of nonfiction (including "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs," "But What If We’re Wrong?" and "Chuck Klosterman X") and two novels ("Downtown Owl" and "The Visible Man"). He has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, GQ, Esquire, Spin, The Guardian, The Believer, Billboard, The A.V. Club, and ESPN. Klosterman served as the Ethicist for The New York Times Magazine for three years, appeared as himself in the LCD Soundsystem documentary Shut Up and Play the Hits, and was an original founder of the website Grantland with Bill Simmons. Lindsey Bitson is a Sacramento-based indie-rock musician. Her latest album, "Bathing in Yesterday’s Fires," was released in 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brianna Barrett presents "Florence Fane in San Francisco," backed by an original Storybound remix with Jaymay, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Brianna Barrett is a playwright and storyteller whose full-length theatrical work has been developed at Artists Repertory Theater, Theatre33, Fertile Ground Festival, HART Theatre, and UCLA. Her TV work has been developed with Stuber, Farah Films, Hollywood Laundromat and ICM. She's performed at venues such as Pickathon, FolkLife Festival, and her own limited series podcast with Bag&Baggage Productions. Her work has been published by Samuel French/Concord Theatricals, Applause Books and Smith & Kraus. Jaymay is a New York City based anti-folk singer/songwriter who has played shows with everyone from Bon Iver to Bright Eyes. Her music has been featured on "How I Met Your Mother" and Josh Radnor's "Happythankyoumoreplease." Thanks to the Regional Arts & Culture Council for helping make this episode possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tamara Winfrey-Harris reads an excerpt from "Dear Black Girl: Letters From Your Sisters on Stepping Into Your Power," backed by an original Storybound remix, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Tamara is the author of two books: "The Sisters Are Alright: Changing the Broken Narrative of Black Women in America" (Berrett-Koehler Publishers 2015) and "Dear Black Girl: Letters From Your Sisters On Stepping Into Your Power" (Berrett-Koehler Publishers 2021). The award-winning Sisters, now in its second edition, has been optioned by Wise Entertainment and Gabrielle Union’s production company I’ll Have Another to be turned into a dramedy for television.  Tamara’s work has been published in media outlets, including including The New York Times, The Atlantic, Cosmopolitan, New York Magazine and The Los Angeles Times. And her essays appear in The Lemonade Reader: Beyonce, Black Feminism and Spirituality (Routledge, 2019); The Burden: African Americans and the Enduring Impact of Slavery (Wayne State University Press, 2018); Black in the Middle: An Anthology of the Black Midwest (Black Belt Publishing, 2020); and other books. Tamara is co-founder of Centering Sisters, LLC, an organization that unapologetically addresses the needs and issues of Black women and girls; and the Black Women’s Writing Society, a monthly virtual space for Black femme creatives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jude Brewer is a Portland-based writer, audio producer, actor, and host of Storybound. His piece “Buzzy” finished first in KCRW’s 2021 Radio Race. From KCRW: "In lieu of voicemails, letters, or other tangible keepsakes, the sound of a skateboard remains Brewer’s only tie to his late childhood best friend and neighbor, Buzzy. Beyond the piece’s beautifully crafted audio design and editing, Brewer wields sound as a character unto itself, taking the listener inside its ability to trigger — and sustain — memories of halcyon days spent perfecting kickflips after school and revelling in the unwritten possibilities and potential of youth." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clint Smith reads an excerpt from "How the Word Is Passed," backed by an original Storybound remix with Taber Arias, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Clint Smith is a staff writer at The Atlantic. He is the author of the narrative nonfiction book, "How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning With the History of Slavery Across America," which was a #1 New York Times bestseller and was longlisted for the National Book Award. He is also the author of the poetry collection "Counting Descent," which won the 2017 Literary Award for Best Poetry Book from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association and was a finalist for an NAACP Image Award. Clint has received fellowships from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, New America, the Emerson Collective, the Art For Justice Fund, Cave Canem, and the National Science Foundation. His essays, poems, and scholarly writing have been published in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The New Republic, Poetry Magazine, The Paris Review, the Harvard Educational Review, and elsewhere. He is a 2014 National Poetry Slam champion and a 2017 recipient of the Jerome J. Shestack Prize from the American Poetry Review. Taber Arias is an artist from Portland, OR who's been making music since 2015. He also makes instrumentals under the name "hi, ily" on all streaming platforms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dawnie Walton reads an excerpt from "The Final Revival of Opal & Nev," backed by an original Storybound remix, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Dawnie Walton's work as a fiction writer and journalist explores identity, place, and the influence of pop culture. A MacDowell Colony fellow (2015), a Tin House Scholar (2017), and a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop (MFA, 2018), she has worked as an executive-level editor for magazine and multimedia brands including Essence, Entertainment Weekly, Getty Images, and LIFE. A native of Jacksonville, Florida, she lives in Brooklyn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Brown reads his story, "A Faithful but Melancholy Account of Several Barbarities Lately Committed," backed by an original Storybound remix with Mattias Tell, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Jason Brown is a fiction and nonfiction writer. He has published three books of short stories, "Driving the Heart and Other Stories" (Norton/Random House), "Why the Devil Chose New England For His Work" (Open City/Grove Atlantic), and "A Faithful But Melancholy Account of Several Barbarities Lately Committed", published in the fall of 2019 as part of the short fiction series by Missouri Review Books. His stories and essays have won several awards and appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Harper’s, Best American Short Stories, The L.A. Times, The Guardian, The Pushcart Prize Anthology, The Missouri Review, and other venues. Several of his stories have been performed as part of NPR’s Selected Shorts, and his collection Why The Devil Chose New England For His Work was chosen as a summer reading pick by National Public Radio. Mattias Tell is a Swedish songwriter and musician. Known for his eclectic and diverse rock guitar and versatile production, he has also started a new record company with comedian and artist Marcus Berggen caled Kode Records. Mattias’ approach to musical composition is that of a painting; all you need is a blank canvas and some colors to create something beautiful. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elizabeth McCracken reads her short story, "It's Not You," backed by an original Storybound remix with Moon Hound, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Elizabeth McCracken is the author of seven books: "Here’s Your Hat What’s Your Hurry," "The Giant’s House," "Niagara Falls All Over Again," "An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination," "Thunderstruck & Other Stories," "Bowlaway," and "The Souvenir Museum."  She’s received grants and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Liguria Study Center, the American Academy in Berlin, the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. "Thunderstruck & Other Stories" won the 2015 Story Prize. Her work has been published in The Best American Short Stories, The Pushcart Prize, The O. Henry Prize, The New York Times Magazine, and many other places. Moon Hound is a Ridgewood-based baroque rock band. Together, the band sounds like a smattering of different eras of alternative rock. Their latest EP, “Crescent,” was released in 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marian Crotty reads her short story "Halloween," backed by an original Storybound remix with My Son the Doctor, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Marian Crotty's first book, "What Counts as Love," was published through the University of Iowa Short Fiction Awards (John Simmons Award). The book was a semi-finalist for the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize and received the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize for fiction by an American woman. Her short stories have appeared in literary journals such as the Southern Review, the Kenyon Review, and the Alaska Quarterly Review. Her personal essays have appeared in journals such as the Gettysburg Review, the New England Review, and Guernica. She has received funding from the Sewanee and Bread Loaf Writers’ conferences, the Yaddo Corporation, and the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing as well as a Fulbright research grant to the United Arab Emirates. She is an assistant professor of writing at Loyola University Maryland and an assistant editor at The Common. She lives in Baltimore and is at work on a novel. My Son The Doctor began prescribing their swaggering new wave punk sound to the Brooklyn scene in 2019. The 4-piece released their debut EP "Dad Time" in 2020 featuring 4 songs in just 9 minutes and 47 seconds. Their 2nd EP, "Taste Those Dreams," is set for release in October 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leigh Newman reads her story "Howl Palace," backed by an original Storybound remix, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Leigh Newman's memoir about Alaska, “Still Points North” was a finalist for the National Book Critic Circle’s John Leonard prize and her new book "Nobody Gets Out Alive" is forthcoming next spring from Scribner. Her short stories have appeared in Harper’s, the Paris Review, One Story, Tin House, Electric Literature, and McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern. She is the winner of the Paris Review’s Terry Southern Prize for “humor, wit, and sprezzatura” and, in 2020, her story “Howl Palace” recognized by the Best American Short Stories, the Pushcart Prize and the American Society of Magazine Editors' fiction award. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah Thankam Mathews reads her story "Rubberdust," backed by an original Storybound remix, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Sarah Thankam Mathews grew up between Oman and India, and immigrated to the United States at seventeen. She was a Rona Jaffe Fellow in fiction at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and a Margins Fellow at The Asian American Writers' Workshop. Her work has been featured in "Best American Short Stories 2020," and her novel, "All This Could Be Different" is forthcoming in 2022. Mathews is also a co-founder of the Brooklyn-based Bed-Stuy Strong, which was formed during the COVID-19 pandemic to help deliver groceries and other resources to people in need. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jane Pek reads an excerpt from her story “Portrait of Two Young Ladies in White and Green Robes (Unidentified Artist, Circa Sixteenth Century)," backed by an original Storybound remix with Daniel Frankhuizen, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Jane Pek was born and grew up in Singapore, and now lives in New York. She has a BA in History from Yale University, a JD from the New York University School of Law, and an MFA from Brooklyn College. Her short fiction has been anthologized in "The Best American Short Stories," and her debut novel, "The Verifiers," is forthcoming from Vintage/Knopf in February 2022. Daniel Frankhuizen has performed throughout the United States and abroad as a soloist, chamber musician, and in several pop groups. He has performed in venues from Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall, to the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and Storm King Art Center. He has served as principal cellist for the Empire Chamber Orchestra and Opera in the Ozarks Festival Orchestra. Daniel is also a founding member of the Orvieto Piano Trio, a group that over the last ten years, has performed classical piano trio literature throughout the United States, Canada, and Italy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

William Pei Shih reads an excerpt from "The Enlightenment," backed by an original Storybound remix with Modern Diet, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. William Pei Shih has had stories published in "The Best American Short Stories 2020," VQR, McSweeney's, Catapult, The Asian American Literary Review, The Des Monies Register, The Masters Review, and many others. He's received scholarships and support from the Sewanee Writers' Conference, the Sun Valley Writers' Conference, Kundiman, the Napa Valley Writers' Conference, and the Ragdale Residency. He is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop (MFA, Fiction), where he was a recipient of the Dean's Graduate Fellowship. He currently teaches at NYU. Modern Diet is a Brooklyn based indie-rock band who have played everywhere from Vermont to Nashville. Their latest release, "Post Grad," was released in 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meng Jin reads an excerpt from her story "In the Event," backed by an original Storybound remix, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Meng Jin is the author of the novel "Little Gods," which was a finalist for the NYPL Young Lions Award and LA Times First Fiction Prize. Her next book, "Self-Portrait With Ghost, a Collection of Short Fictions," is forthcoming from Custom House in the summer of 2022, and she is working an a new novel, "Mothers and Girls: A Fake Memoir," for which she received a 2021 Creative Capital Award. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Myriam Gurba reads her story "Writing Ourselves Into Bed," backed by an original Storybound remix with Zola Jesus, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Myriam Gurba is a writer and artist. She is the author of the true-crime memoir "Mean," a New York Times editors’ choice. O, the Oprah Magazine, ranked "Mean" as one of the best LGBTQ books of all time. Publishers’ Weekly describes Gurba as having a voice like no other. Her essays and criticism have appeared in the Paris Review, TIME.com, and 4Columns. She has shown art in galleries, museums, and community centers. Zola Jesus a singer and songwriter known for combining elements of electronic, industrial, classical, and goth. Her latest album, Live at Roadburn 2018 was released in 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anna Reeser reads her short story, "Octopus VII," backed by an original Storybound remix with The Bright Light Social Hour, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Anna Reeser’s short fiction is anthologized in The Best American Short Stories 2020 and is published in journals including Fourteen Hills, CutBank, and The Masters Review. She is an alum of the Kenyon Review Writers’ Workshops, the Tin House Winter Workshop, and the One Story Writing Circle. Originally from Ojai, California, she holds a degree from UC Berkeley in English Literature and Art Practice. She is currently at work on a collection of short stories and a novel. The Bright Light Social Hour is an Austin, Texas based band whose music has been featured by Nintendo, HBO, MTV, Fox, Ubisoft, and NBC. They have toured all over the world, including stops at Austin City Limits and Lollapalooza. They composed the theme for Amazon's hit series, "Sneaky Pete," and their latest release, Enter Weed Martyr was released in 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ruth Wariner reads an excerpt from "The Sound of Gravel," backed by an original Storybound remix with Shook Twins, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Ruth Wariner is an internationally renowned speaker and author of the New York Times bestselling memoir, "The Sound of Gravel". At the age of fifteen, Ruth escaped Colonia LeBaron, the polygamist Mormon colony where she grew up, and moved to California. She raised her three youngest sisters in California and Oregon. After earning her GED, she put herself through college and graduate school, eventually becoming a high school Spanish teacher. She remains close to her siblings and is happily married. "The Sound of Gravel" is her first book. Shook Twins is a Portland-based folk group featuring twins Katelyn and Laurie Shook. Mixing traditional folk instruments like mandolin and banjo with looping machines and beatboxing, Shook Twins pays homage to folk's roots, while creating an entirely new sound. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Nadelson reads his short story "Liberté," backed by an original Storybound remix with Mount Comfort, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Scott Nadelson is the author of three story collections, most recently "Aftermath," a memoir, "The Next Scott Nadelson: A Life in Progress," and a novel, "Between You and Me." His stories and essays have appeared in Ploughshares, Glimmer Train, The Southern Review, Crazyhorse, New England Review, Prairie Schooner, and Alaska Quarterly Review, and have been cited as notable in both Best American Short Stories and Best American Essays. Winner of the Oregon Book Award, the Great Lakes Colleges New Writers Award, and the Reform Judaism Fiction Prize, he teaches at Willamette University and lives in Salem, Oregon. Mount Comfort is a Fayetteville, Arkansas based indie band. Melding relaxed beats, guitars, and synths, Mount Comfort serves up chilled slow-burners that will keep you daydreaming. Their latest release, Anymore, came out in 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joseph Fink and Meg Bashwiner read excerpts from "The First Ten Years," backed by an original Storybound remix with Fake Shark, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Joseph Fink is the Creator of the "Welcome to Night Vale" and "Alice Isn't Dead" podcasts, and the New York Times bestselling author of "Welcome to Night Vale, It Devours!" and "The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home" (all written with Jeffrey Cranor), as well as "Alice Isn't Dead." He is also the author of the middle-grade novel, "The Halloween Moon." Meg Bashwiner is a writer, performer, emcee, and producer who plays the roles of "Deb" and "Proverb Lady" on the hit podcast, "Welcome to Night Vale." She is the emcee of the touring show, "Welcome to Night Vale Live," as well as a member of the New York Neo-Futurists, and has toured productions of their shows, "The Infinite Wrench" and "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind" to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She is currently the tour manager for the "Welcome to Night Vale" and "Criminal" podcasts, and she co-hosts and produces the podcast "Good Morning Night Vale." Fake Shark is the only indie rock band with a hype man. Their music has been featured in "Tiny Pretty Things," "The Order," "MTV Catfish," "Degrassi," and the major motion picture "Rabid." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tamara Winfrey-Harris reads an excerpt from "Dear Black Girl: Letters From Your Sisters on Stepping Into Your Power," backed by an original Storybound remix with Au Revoir Simone, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Tamara Winfrey-Harris is a writer who specializes in the ever-evolving space where current events, politics, and pop culture intersect with race and gender. She has been published in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Cosmopolitan, New York Magazine, and The Los Angeles Times, and has appeared on NPR's "Weekend Edition" and Janet Mock's "So Popular" on MSNBC.com. Tamara's first book, "The Sisters Are Alright: Changing the Broken Narrative of Black Women in America," was published by Berrett-Koehler Publishers in 2015 and called "a myth-busting portrait of Black women in America" by The Washington Post. The book won the Phillis Wheatley Award, IndieFab Award, Independent Publishers Living Now Award, and the IPPY Award. Her sophomore effort, "Dear Black Girl: Letters From Your Sisters On Stepping Into Your Power," was released in March 2021. Au Revoir Simone is a Brooklyn-based, Casio-centric indie pop outfit that puts the keyboard front and center. They have released four albums, and have been featured in Grey's Anatomy, Vampire Academy, and David Lynch's Twin Peaks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Omar El Akkad reads excerpts from "American War" and "What Strange Paradise," backed by an original Storybound remix, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Omar El Akkad is an author and journalist. He was born in Egypt, grew up in Qatar, moved to Canada as a teenager and now lives in the United States. The start of his journalism career coincided with the start of the war on terror, and over the following decade he reported from Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay and many other locations around the world. His work earned a National Newspaper Award for Investigative Journalism and the Goff Penny Award for young journalists. His debut novel, American War, is an international bestseller and has been translated into thirteen languages. It won the Pacific Northwest Booksellers’ Award, the Oregon Book Award for fiction, and the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize. It was listed as one of the best books of the year by The New York Times, Washington Post, GQ, NPR, Esquire and was selected by the BBC as one of 100 novels that changed our world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nichole Perkins reads an excerpt from "Sometimes I Trip On How Happy We Could Be," backed by an original Storybound remix with Dustin O'Halloran, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Nichole Perkins is a writer from Nashville, Tennessee, currently based in Brooklyn. Nichole is a 2017 Audre Lorde Fellow at the inaugural Jack Jones Literary Arts Retreat and a 2017 BuzzFeed Emerging Writers Fellow. She is also a 2016 Callaloo Creative Writing Fellow for poetry. She has participated in the Napa Valley Writers' Conference. Her memoir "Sometimes I Trip On How Happy We Could Be" will be coming soon from Grand Central Publishing. It will cover black womanhood and sexuality, online messageboard communities, and the effects of pop culture on female desire. She currently hosts "This Is Good For You," a podcast about finding pleasure in life. Dustin O'Halloran is a pianist and composer, as well as a member of the band A Winged Victory for the Sullen with Adam Wiltzie. O'Halloran has scored films for Sofia Coppola and Drake Doremus. He won an Emmy in 2015 for his work on Amazon's "Transparent" and was nominated for an Oscar, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Critics Choice Award for his score to "Lion," written in collaboration with Volker Bertelmann (aka Hauschka) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Haig reads an excerpt from "The Midnight Library," backed by an original Storybound remix with Robert Wynia, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Matt Haig is an author for children and adults. His memoir "Reasons to Stay Alive" was a number one bestseller, staying in the British top ten for 46 weeks. His children’s book "A Boy Called Christmas" was a runaway hit and is translated in over 40 languages. It is being made into a film starring Maggie Smith, Sally Hawkins and Jim Broadbent, and The Guardian called it an ‘instant classic’. His novels for adults include "How To Stop Time," "The Radleys," "The Humans," and the New York Times bestseller "The Midnight Library." He has sold over three million books worldwide. Robert Wynia is a founding member of the Portland band Floater. Known for their progressive concept albums, Floater is famous for incorporating stylized storytelling into their work. Wynia also releases music under his own name, and released his book "Night Walks" with its own accompanying soundtrack in 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Morgan Jerkins reads an excerpt from her book "Caul Baby," backed by an original Storybound remix with French Cassettes, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Born and raised in Southern New Jersey, and now residing in Harlem, New York, Morgan Jerkins is the New York Times Bestselling author of "This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America" and "Wandering In Strange Lands: A Daughter of the Great Migration Reclaims Her Roots." She holds a BA in Comparative Literature from Princeton University and an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars and teaches regularly at Columbia University. Her third book "Caul Baby" was one of 2021's most anticipated books by TIME, Buzzfeed, and Oprah Magazine. French Cassettes is a harmony-driven power-pop group from San Francisco. The quartet's new LP, Rolodex, is hook-filled and rooted in pop, layered with intricate vocal harmonies and counter-harmonies, inventive percussion, and every shade of clean and fuzzy guitars stacked up like an orchestra. These uncommonly majestic, esoteric pop forms serve as the perfect delivery service for their playful and verbose lyrics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chuck Klosterman reads an excerpt from "Raised in Captivity: Fictional Nonfiction," backed by an original Storybound remix with Portico Quartet, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Chuck Klosterman is an author and essayist. He's written eight books of nonfiction, including "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs," and two novels ("Downtown Owl" and "The Invisible Man"). He has written for publications like The New York Times and The Washington Post, was the Ethicist for The New York Times Magazine for three years, and was an original founder of the website Grantland with Bill Simmons. "Raised in Captivity" is his newest work of "Fictional Nonfiction." Portico Quartet has created their own singular, cinematic sound over the course of six studio albums since 2007. Their debut album "Knee-Deep in the North Sea" was nominated for a Mercury Prize and was Time Out's Jazz, Folk, and World album of the year 2007. Their newest album "Terrain" is out now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A brand new season, bigger than ever. Storybound is a radio theater program designed for the podcast age. Hosted by Jude Brewer and with original music composed for each episode, the podcast features the voices of today’s top literary icons reading their essays, poems, and fiction. Season 4 begins publishing next Tuesday, June 8th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laurie Frankel reads an excerpt from her forthcoming novel "One Two Three", accompanied by an original Storybound remix. Laurie Frankel is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of three (going on four) novels. Her new novel, One Two Three, is out June 8, 2021. Her writing has also appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Publisher’s Weekly, People Magazine, Lit Hub, The Sydney Morning Herald, and other publications. She is the recipient of the Washington State Book Award and the Endeavor Award. Her novels have been translated into more than twenty-five languages and been optioned for film and TV. A former college professor, she now writes full-time. She was recently named one of the 50 Most Influential Women in Seattle where she lives with her family and makes good soup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Madhuri Vijay reads an excerpt from her novel "The Far Field," with an original Storybound remix. Madhuri Vijay was born and raised in Bangalore. She is the recipient of a Pushcart Prize, and her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Best American Non-Required Reading, Narrative Magazine, and Elle India, among many other publications. The Far Field is her first book, and won the second JCB Prize for Literature, India’s most prestigious literary award. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shayla Lawson reads is an excerpt from her book This Is Major, with an original Storybound remix. Shayla Lawson is the author of This is Major: Notes on Diana Ross, Dark Girls & Being Dope, and three poetry collections. She has written for ESPN, Salon, Guernica, Vulture, and The Cut. She's a MacDowell and Yaddo Artist Colony Fellow, and is a 2020 National Book Critics Circle Finalist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laurie Frankel reads an excerpt from her forthcoming novel "One Two Three", with sound design and music composition from Anna Tivel. Laurie Frankel is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of three (going on four) novels. Her new novel, One Two Three, is out June 8, 2021. Her writing has also appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Publisher’s Weekly, People Magazine, Lit Hub, The Sydney Morning Herald, and other publications. She is the recipient of the Washington State Book Award and the Endeavor Award. Her novels have been translated into more than twenty-five languages and been optioned for film and TV. A former college professor, she now writes full-time. She was recently named one of the 50 Most Influential Women in Seattle where she lives with her family and makes good soup. Anna Tivel is an American singer-songwriter from Portland, Oregon. She has released four studio albums on Portland-based Fluff & Gravy Records. Her 2017 album Small Believer received positive reviews and was named a "Top 10 underheard album of 2017" by Ann Powers of NPR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Russell reads from his comic "Second Coming". In 2015, Russell made his comic book debut with his critically acclaimed reboot of the 1973-74 comic Prez about a teenager who is elected to serve as President of the United States. Following Prez, Russell was hired to write The Flintstones comic book series for DC Comics, winning two Eisner Awards, including Best Limited Series and Best Humor Publication. Russell followed up with another DC venture titled, Exit, Stage Left!: The Snagglepuss Chronicles, reinventing the titular Hanna Barbera character as a gay southern gothic playwright living in 1950s New York. For this, Russell won the 2019 GLAAD Award for Outstanding Comic and was nominated for the Eisner Award for Best Writer and Best Limited Series. Music in this episode was provided by Epidemic Sound and includes the following artists: Da Sein, Dylan Sitts, and LoFive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Jones Jr. reads from his debut novel "The Prophets", with an original Storybound remix featuring Josh Garrels. Robert Jones, Jr. is a writer from New York City. He received his B.F.A., magna cum laude, in creative writing, and M.F.A. in fiction from Brooklyn College. He is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He has written for numerous publications, including The New York Times, Essence, and The Paris Review. He is the creator and curator of the social justice social media community Son of Baldwin, which has over 250,000 followers across platforms. Jones was recently featured in T Magazine’s cover story “Black Male Writers of Our Time.” Singer/songwriter Josh Garrels has built his career on deeply personal, introspective lyrics and exploratory sounds that range from pastoral indie folk to hip-hop. Emerging in the early 2000s, he is the co-founder of Small Voice Records, on which he issued 2008's Jacaranda. In 2015, he landed on the Billboard 200 with Home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deesha Philyaw reads from her book "The Secret Lives of Church Ladies", with an original Storybound remix featuring GLASYS. Deesha Philyaw’s debut short story collection, "The Secret Lives of Church Ladies" was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction, a finalist for The Story Prize (2020/2021), and longlisted for the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. Her work has been listed as Notable in the Best American Essays series, and her writing on race, parenting, gender, and culture has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, McSweeney’s, The Rumpus, Brevity, dead housekeeping, Apogee Journal, Catapult, Harvard Review, ESPN’s The Undefeated, The Baltimore Review, TueNight, Ebony and Bitch magazines, and various anthologies. Deesha is a Kimbilio Fiction Fellow and a past Pushcart Prize nominee for essay writing in Full Grown People. GLASYS (Gil Assayas) is a pianist, synthesist, producer and vocalist who delivers intricate virtuosic keyboard parts, electronic soundscapes and impassioned vocals in one package that combines his many influences including Electronic music, Alternative Rock, Jazz and Classical music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shayla Lawson reads "Black Lives Matter, Yard Signs Matter," which is an excerpt from her book This Is Major, with an original Storybound remix featuring Maita. Shayla Lawson is the author of This is Major: Notes on Diana Ross, Dark Girls & Being Dope, and three poetry collections. She has written for ESPN, Salon, Guernica, Vulture, and The Cut. She's a MacDowell and Yaddo Artist Colony Fellow, and is a 2020 National Book Critics Circle Finalist. MAITA is a Portland, OR based musician who's music has been described by Consequence of Sound as "anxious heartbreak that rips somewhere between Mitski and Summer Cannibals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Soraya Nadia McDonald reads her essay "Wandering In Search of Wakanda", with an original Storybound remix featuring Marco Pavé. Soraya Nadia McDonald is the culture critic for The Undefeated. She writes about pop culture, fashion, the arts, and literature. She is the 2020 winner of the George Jean Nathan prize for dramatic criticism, a 2020 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism, and the runner-up for the 2019 Vernon Jarrett Medal for outstanding reporting on black life. Marco Pavé has forged a twin identity as a champion of indie Southern rap and as an educator working to stimulate community activism and entrepreneurship through the lens of hip hop music and culture. Pavé has opened for Mobb Deep, Waka Flocka Flame, and Young Dolph and worked with GRAMMY Award-winning producers like Carlos Broady. Pavé's work has been written up in outlets like The Source, The Root, and MTV News. In 2017, he released his debut album Welcome to Grc Lnd, which cast a documentarian lens on Memphis’s grassroots activists who were raising their voices in protest of the city’s endemic racism and poverty. In 2018, he was commissioned to turn the album into Memphis’s first-ever rap opera.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Diamond reads an excerpt from "The Sprawl", with an original Storybound remix featuring Xander Marsden. Jason Diamond is the founder of the website Vol. 1 Brooklyn and has worked as Editor and Writer at outlets such as Flavorwire, Men's Journal, Rolling Stone, and Insidehook.com. He's written for the New York Times, Outside, The Paris Review, Esquire, Harper's Bazaar, The Wall Street journal, New Republic, Vice, Tablet, The Awl, Pitchfork, McSweeney's, NPR, and more. His memoir Searching for John Hughes was published in 2016. The Sprawl is his second book. Xander Marsden is a singer and songwriter living in LA. He is 15 years old. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Noé Álvarez reads an excerpt from "Spirit Run", with an original Storybound remix featuring composition by Daniel Frankhuizen of Locator. Noé Álvarez was born to Mexican immigrant parents and raised working-class in Yakima, Washington, which are both topics covered in detail in his book, which – btw – is a debut. And some debut it was, garnering a Starred Review in Publisher's Weekly and an Editor's Choice Selection from the New York Times. This is one of those rare stories that skirt the edge of travel, adventure, outdoors, family memoir, and spiritual.  Locator is the solo project of cellist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Frankhuizen. By putting the cello in the driver seat melodically, texturally, and emotionally, Locator cuts out a unique path between contemporary classical and electronic minimalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Lisicky reads an excerpt from "Later: My Life at the Edge of the World", with an original Storybound remix featuring Jordan Warmack. Paul is the author of five books. He has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment of the Arts, and he teaches in the MFA program at Rutgers University-Camden. Paul's work has been praised everywhere from the New York Times and Slate to the Los Angeles Times and the Boston Globe.  Jordan Warmack is a member of Whiston and Warmack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charlie Jane Anders reads an excerpt from "Victories Greater Than Death", with an original Storybound remix featuring Oginalii. Charlie Jane Anders is the author of Victories Greater Than Death, the first book in a new young-adult trilogy coming in April 2021, along with the forthcoming short story collection Even Greater Mistakes. Her other books include The City in the Middle of the Night and All the Birds in the Sky. Her fiction and journalism have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Slate, McSweeney's, Mother Jones, the Boston Review, Tor.com, Tin House, Conjunctions, Wired Magazine, and other places. Oginalii is comprised of Emma Hoeflinger, Ryan Quarles, Simon Knudtson, and Emma Lambiase. Together, they create a sound that can’t be pinned down; sludgy-psyche-rock meets technical talent that surpasses initial expectations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andy Greenberg reads an excerpt from his book "Sandworm", with an original Storybound remix featuring Locator. Andy Greenberg is a senior writer for WIRED, covering security, privacy, and information freedom. He’s the author of the book Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin’s Most Dangerous Hackers. The book and excerpts from it published in WIRED won a Gerald Loeb Award for International Reporting, a Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Cornelius Ryan Citation for Excellence from the Overseas Press Club.  Locator is the solo project of cellist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Frankhuizen. By putting the cello in the driver seat melodically, texturally, and emotionally, Locator cuts out a unique path between contemporary classical and electronic minimalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Madhuri Vijay reads an excerpt from her novel "The Far Field", featuring French Cassettes. Madhuri Vijay was born and raised in Bangalore. She is the recipient of a Pushcart Prize, and her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Best American Non-Required Reading, Narrative Magazine, and Elle India, among many other publications. The Far Field is her first book, and won the second JCB Prize for Literature, India’s most prestigious literary award.  French Cassettes are a harmony driven power pop rock quartet out of the Bay Area. Their new album, Rolodex, is just out and can be found at fullfrenchy.com. This episode samples their song, Utah. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Junot Díaz reads his short story "Aurora", featuring Y La Bamba. Junot Díaz was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New Jersey. He is the author of the critically acclaimed Drown; The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, which won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award; and This Is How You Lose Her, a New York Times bestseller and National Book Award finalist. He is the recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, PEN/Malamud Award, Dayton Literary Peace Prize, Guggenheim Fellowship, and PEN/O. Henry Award. A graduate of Rutgers College, Díaz is currently the fiction editor at Boston Review and the Rudge and Nancy Allen Professor of Writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is the cofounder of Voices of Our Nation Workshop. Y La Bamba has been many things, but at the heart of it is singer-songwriter Luz Elena Mendoza’s inquisitive sense of self. Their fifth record, Mujeres, carries on the Portland-based band’s affinity for spiritual contemplation, but goes a step further in telling a story with a full emotional spectrum. Coming off Ojos Del Sol, one of NPR’s Top 50 Albums of 2016, Mujeres exhibits the scope of Mendoza’s artistic voice like never before. “Soy como soy,” Mendoza says, and that declaration is the bold— even political— statement that positions Mujeres to be Y La Bamba’s most unbridled offering yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Storybound is a radio theater program designed for the podcast age. Hosted by Jude Brewer and with original music composed for each episode, the podcast features the voices of today’s top literary icons reading their essays, poems, and fiction. Season 3 will begin publishing next Tuesday, December 8th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ruth Reichl reads a selection of Letters to the Editor from Thanksgiving issues of Gourmet Magazine, with sound design and music composition from Tim Karplus. Ruth Reichl was Editor in Chief of Gourmet Magazine from 1999 to 2009. Before that she was the restaurant critic of both The New York Times (1993-1999) and the Los Angeles Times (1984-1993), where she was also named food editor. As co-owner of The Swallow Restaurant from 1974 to 1977, she played a part in the culinary revolution that took place in Berkeley, California. In the years that followed, she served as restaurant critic for New West and California magazines. She has authored the critically acclaimed, best-selling memoirs Tender at the Bone, Comfort Me with Apples, Garlic and Sapphires, and For You Mom, Finally, which have been translated into 18 languages. In 2014 she published her first novel: Delicious! Ms. Reichl has been honored with 6 James Beard Awards. Tim Karplus has been working as a professional musical jack-of-all-trades in Portland, Oregon for the last 9 years. When he's not playing guitar, bass, drums or keyboards with noted Portland acts such as Haley Johnsen, The Weather Machine, and Anna Tivel, Tim can be found teaching music lessons, writing songs, and producing recordings at various studios in the greater Portland area. Currently, Tim is working on a solo record while sound-mixing for the Storybound podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephanie Danler reads a second excerpt from her memoir "Stray" (the first can be found here) with sound design and music composition from Tim Karplus. Stephanie Danler is a novelist, memoirist, and screenwriter. Her memoir, Stray, was just published by Knopf on May 5, 2020. She is the author of the international bestseller, Sweetbitter, and the creator and executive producer of the Sweetbitter series on Starz. Her work has appeared in the Sewanee Review, Vogue, The New York Times Book Review, and The Paris Review Daily. Her nonfiction received an Honorable Mention in Best American Essays 2018, and her criticism won the 2019 Robert B. Heilman award from the Sewanee Review. She is based in Los Angeles, California. Tim Karplus has been working as a professional musical jack-of-all-trades in Portland, Oregon for the last 9 years. When he's not playing guitar, bass, drums or keyboards with noted Portland acts such as Haley Johnsen, The Weather Machine, and Anna Tivel, Tim can be found teaching music lessons, writing songs, and producing recordings at various studios in the greater Portland area. Currently, Tim is working on a solo record while sound-mixing for the Storybound podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Phil Klay reads an excerpt from his forthcoming novel "Missionaries," with sound design and music composition from Tim Karplus. Phil Klay is a veteran of the US Marine Corps. His short story collection Redeployment won the 2014 National Book Award for Fiction. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. He currently teaches fiction at Fairfield University. Tim Karplus has been working as a professional musical jack-of-all-trades in Portland, Oregon for the last 9 years. When he's not playing guitar, bass, drums or keyboards with noted Portland acts such as Haley Johnsen, The Weather Machine, and Anna Tivel, Tim can be found teaching music lessons, writing songs, and producing recordings at various studios in the greater Portland area. Currently, Tim is working on a solo record while sound-mixing for the Storybound podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yaa Gyasi reads an excerpt from her novel "Transcendent Kingdom," with sound design by Jude Brewer and music composition from Tim Karplus. Yaa Gyasi was born in Ghana and raised in Huntsville, Alabama. Her debut novel, Homegoing, was awarded the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Award for best first book, the PEN/Hemingway Award for a first book of fiction, the National Book Foundation’s “5 under 35” honors for 2016, and the American Book Award. She lives in Brooklyn.  Tim Karplus has been working as a professional musical jack-of-all-trades in Portland, Oregon for the last 9 years. When he's not playing guitar, bass, drums or keyboards with noted Portland acts such as Haley Johnsen, The Weather Machine, and Anna Tivel, Tim can be found teaching music lessons, writing songs, and producing recordings at various studios in the greater Portland area. Currently, Tim is working on a solo record while sound-mixing for the Storybound podcast. This episode is brought to you by: W.W. Norton, publisher of Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlane. Get you copy wherever books are sold, now available in paperback. Audible. Visit Audible.com/Storybound or text Storybound to "500-500" for a free audiobook. Storybound is hosted by Jude Brewer and brought to you by The Podglomerate and Lit Hub Radio. Let us know what you think of the show on Instagram and Twitter @storyboundpod. *** This show is a part of the Podglomerate network, a company that produces, distributes, and monetizes podcasts. We encourage you to visit the website and sign up for our newsletter for more information about our shows, launches, and events. For more information on how The Podglomerate treats data, please see our Privacy Policy.  Since you're listening to Storybound, you might enjoy reading, writing, and storytelling. We'd like to suggest you also try the History of Literature or Book Dreams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amanda Stern reads an excerpt from her memoir "Little Panic," with sound design by Jude Brewer and music composition from Hayley Lynn. Amanda Stern is the host of the Bookable podcast and the founder of the popular literary event series Happy Ending at Joe’s Pub in New York City, Stern is also a writer. Happy Ending ran for more than a decade and was selected as New York’s best book-related series by New York Magazine, The Village Voice and NY Press. The New York Times Magazine singled out Stern as a force keeping “downtown New York alive.” With a voice that silences every crowd and lyrics that cut you in two, Hayley Lynn has gained momentum as one of Portland's top singer-songwriters. Hayley's sound echoes the work of Ani Difranco with the bite and grit of Elle King and Fiona Apple.  She's written over 200 songs and released her first debut EP 'Hypnotize' in 2016.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Megan Angelo reads an excerpt from "Followers," with sound design by Jude Brewer and music composition from Tim Karplus. Megan Angelo has written about television, film, women and pop culture, and motherhood for publications including The New York Times (where she helped launch city comedy coverage), Glamour (where she was a contributing editor and wrote a column on women and television), Elle, The Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, and Slate. She is a native of Quakertown, Pennsylvania and a graduate of Villanova University. She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her family. FOLLOWERS is her first novel.  Tim Karplus has been working as a professional musical jack-of-all-trades in Portland, Oregon for the last 9 years. When he's not playing guitar, bass, drums or keyboards with noted Portland acts such as Haley Johnsen, The Weather Machine, and Anna Tivel, Tim can be found teaching music lessons, writing songs, and producing recordings at various studios in the greater Portland area. Currently, Tim is working on a solo record while sound-mixing for the Storybound podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Garth Greenwell reads an excerpt from "Cleanness," with sound design by Jude Brewer and music composition from Ryan Dann of Holland Patent Public Library. Garth Greenwell is the author of What Belongs to You, which won the British Book Award for Debut of the Year, was longlisted for the National Book Award, and was a finalist for several other prizes, including the PEN/Faulkner Award and the LA Times Book Prize. His new book of fiction, Cleanness, was published in January and has been named a Best Book of 2020 so far by Time, Esquire, Entertainment Weekly, and the BBC. A 2020 Guggenheim Fellow, he lives in Iowa City.  Ryan Dann is a sound designer and composer based in Brooklyn, New York. His resume ranges from festival circuit short films like The Music Lesson to composing all the original music for Joe Pera Talks With You, a comedy on Adult Swim, and producing podcasts through the Podglomerate network. He recently won the Brave+Bold Award at the Sarah Awards and has been in the process of pitching an original audio drama to Audible. Sandwiched in between these projects, he’s been working on a second album for his personal music project, Holland Patent Public Library. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chloe Caldwell reads her essay "The Opposite of Light," with sound design by Jude Brewer and music composition from Tony Kieraldo. Chloe Caldwell is the author of three books: novella Women and essay collections I'll Tell You in Person and Legs Get Led Astray. Her essays have been published in The New York Times, Buzzfeed, Vice, Salon, New York Magazine, Nylon, and half a dozen anthologies including Goodbye To All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving NYC. Her essay "Hungry Ghost" was named notable in Best American Nonrequired Reading 2017. Her memoir, The Red Zone, will publish Spring 2022 from Soft Skull. She lives in Hudson, N.Y. and teaches personal essay and creative nonfiction online at Catapult.  Tony Kieraldo is an international recording artist, pianist, musical director and composer. He’s currently a pianist with Postmodern Jukebox, musical director for the National Dance Institute in NYC and Celebrate the Beat in Colorado. He's performed twice for the Obama's at the White House, conducted a critically acclaimed opera and has toured North America, South America and Europe with various musical groups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sopan Deb reads an excerpt from "Missed Translations," with sound design by Jude Brewer and music composition from Jordan Holloman. Sopan Deb is a basketball writer and a contributor to the culture section for The New York Times. Before joining The Times, he covered Donald J. Trump's presidential campaign for CBS News. He is also a New York-city based comedian. He is the author of the memoir "Missed Translations: Meeting The Immigrant Parents Who Raised Me." Jordan Holloman, musician and independent producer, hails from Salt Lake City, UT, where he lives with his wife, dogs, and child-to-be. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lauren Groff reads her short story "Flower Hunters" from her short story collection Florida, with sound design by Jude Brewer and music composition from Naomi LaViolette. Lauren Groff is the author of five books. Her latest, Florida, a story collection, and Fates and Furies, a novel, were both finalists for the National Book Award. She was a Guggenheim Fellow and was named one of Granta‘s Best of Young American Novelists. She lives in Gainesville, Florida. Naomi LaViolette’s original music has received great reviews and critical acclaim from media including Oregon Music News, The Oregonian, The Portland Tribune, Willamette Week, The Inessa Blog, KATU’s AM Northwest, KINK.fm, and KMHD.fm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tommy Orange reads his short story "Copperopolis" with sound design by Jude Brewer and music composition from Ryan Dann of Holland Patent Public Library. Tommy Orange is faculty at the Institute of American Indian Arts MFA program. He is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. He was born and raised in Oakland, California, and currently lives in Angels Camp, California. He’s the author of There There, which was one of the finalists for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize, a winner of the American Book Awards, was named one of the ten best books of 2018 by the New York Times Book Review, won the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize, and was named one of the best books of the year by the The Washington Post, NPR, Time, O, The Oprah Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, Entertainment Weekly, The Boston Globe, GQ, The Dallas Morning News, Buzzfeed, BookPage, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews. Ryan Dann is a sound designer and composer based in Brooklyn, New York. His resume ranges from festival circuit short films like The Music Lesson to composing all the original music for Joe Pera Talks With You, a comedy on Adult Swim, and producing podcasts through the Podglomerate network. He recently won the Brave+Bold Award at the Sarah Awards and has been in the process of pitching an original audio drama to Audible. Sandwiched in between these projects, he’s been working on a second album for his personal music project, Holland Patent Public Library. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephanie Danler reads an excerpt from her memoir "Stray" with sound design by Jude Brewer and music composition from Naomi LaViolette. Stephanie Danler is a novelist, memoirist, and screenwriter. Her memoir, Stray, was just published by Knopf on May 5, 2020. She is the author of the international bestseller, Sweetbitter, and the creator and executive producer of the Sweetbitter series on Starz. Her work has appeared in the Sewanee Review, Vogue, The New York Times Book Review, and The Paris Review Daily. Her nonfiction received an Honorable Mention in Best American Essays 2018, and her criticism won the 2019 Robert B. Heilman award from the Sewanee Review. She is based in Los Angeles, California. Naomi LaViolette’s original music has received great reviews and critical acclaim from media including Oregon Music News, The Oregonian, The Portland Tribune, Willamette Week, The Inessa Blog, KATU’s AM Northwest, KINK.fm, and KMHD.fm. She is praised for her songwriting and balanced combination of chops and lyricism.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ten new stories, one new season. Storybound is a radio theater program designed for the podcast age. Hosted by Jude Brewer and with original music composed for each episode, the podcast features the voices of today’s top literary icons reading their essays, poems, and fiction. Season 2 will begin publishing next Tuesday, July 14th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mitchell S. Jackson reads an excerpt from his memoir "Survival Math" with sound design by Jude Brewer and music composition from Zane featuring Stephanie Strange. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Caitlin Doughty reads an excerpt from her novel "Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?" with sound design by Jude Brewer and music composition from Stephanie Strange. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Diksha Basu reads an excerpt from her novel "The Windfall" with sound design by Jude Brewer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nathan Hill reads an excerpt from his novel "The Nix" with sound design by Jude Brewer and music composition from Tim Karplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adelle Waldman reads an excerpt from her novel "The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.," with sound design by Jude Brewer and music composition from Haley Johnsen and Tim Karplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jack Rhysider reads his story "The Old Church of St. Louis" with original composition from Shane Brown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kim Barnes reads an excerpt from her memoir "Hungry for the World," with sound design by Jude Brewer and music composition from Pretty Gritty and Bryan Daste. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Gallagher reads his short story "Know Your Enemy: Celebrating 50 Years of the Forever War" from the 2016 fiction issue from Wired magazine, with sound design by Jude Brewer and music composition from Colin Hogan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lidia Yuknavitch reads her powerful short story “Street Walker," from her upcoming collection Verge, with sound design and music composition from Whiston & Warmack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mitch Albom reads an excerpt from his new book Finding Chika. Musical compositions by Maiah Wynne & Aliephant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Storybound is a radio theater program designed for the podcast age. Hosted by Jude Brewer and with original music composed for each episode, the podcast features the voices of today’s top literary icons reading their essays, poems, and fiction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices