Diy Mfa Radio

Today, Lori is interviewing May-lee Chai. They’ll be talking about understanding lives unlike our own and her book Tomorrow in Shanghai and Other Stories. May-lee Chai is the author of eleven books of fiction, nonfiction, and translation, including her latest short story collection, Tomorrow in Shanghai & Other Stories. Her last story collection, Useful Phrases for Immigrants, won the 2019 American Book Award. She teaches in the MFA program in creative writing at San Francisco State University. Her writing has been awarded a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, Bakwin Award for Writing by a Woman (selected by Tayari Jones), Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, named a Kiriyama Prize Notable Book, and recipient of an honorable mention for the Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Bigotry and Human Rights Book Awards.  Her short prose has appeared widely, including in Seventeen, New England Review, Longreads, Paris Review Online, Kenyon Review Online, Los Angeles Times, Best Small Fictions a

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Mike Trigg. We’ll be talking about the intricacies of Silicon Valley and his book Bit Flip. Prior to becoming an author, Mike Trigg was an executive, founder, and investor in various technology start-up companies for over 25 years. Born in Kentucky and raised in Wisconsin, he earned a BA from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. After several years working for a U.S. Senator in Washington, D.C., Mike began his career in the technology industry, working for telecommunications giants MCI and 3Com. He was an early employee of Octane Software, which was acquired by Epiphany during the first dot-com boom. He went on to co-found a data analytics company called Truviso (acquired by Cisco) then became VP of marketing at hi5, one of the world’s largest social networks. More recently, Mike was Chief Marketing Officer and GM at Entelo, a recruiting software company, and Chief Operating Officer at cloud file sharing vendor, Hightail (fo

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Kathryn Holmes. We’ll be talking about making the transition from YA to a chapter books series and her book Madison Morris is NOT a Mouse! Kathryn Holmes is the author of the Class Critters chapter book series, which includes Tally Tuttle Turns Into a Turtle, David Dixon’s Day as a Dachshund, and Madison Morris is NOT a Mouse! (publishing August 16th, 2022). She also wrote the young adult novels The Distance Between Lost and Found and How It Feels to Fly. Kathryn grew up in Maryville, Tennessee, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband, daughter, and piles upon piles of books. A graduate of The New School’s MFA in Creative Writing program, Kathryn works as a freelance dance journalist, among other writing gigs.You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.   In this episode Kathryn Holmes and I discuss: The best ways to incorporate learning in a chapter book to fuel kids’ curiosity How to blend grounded worldbuilding

Today, Lori is interviewing Sarah Adlakha. They’ll be talking about time travel, alternate timelines and her book Midnight on the Marne. Sarah Adlakha is a native of Chicago who now lives along the gulf coast of Mississippi with her husband, three daughters, two horses, and one dog. She started writing fiction shortly after retiring from her psychiatry practice. Her debut novel, She Wouldn’t Change a Thing, was a CNN most anticipated book of 2021. Midnight on the Marne is her second novel. You can find Sarah on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads.   In this episode Sarah Adlakha and Lori discuss: The history of language and its importance when writing historical fiction. How to make characters out of real people in a respectful way. Her unusual path to learn the craft of writing and how she stayed focused. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/422

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Patrice Gopo. We’ll be talking about Broad Topic and her book All the Places We Call Home. Patrice Gopo is the child of Jamaican immigrants and was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. She is an award-winning essayist and the author of All the Colors We Will See: Reflections on Barriers, Brokenness, and Finding Our Way (a Fall 2018 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection). Her ties to Jamaica and other parts of the world sparked her early desire to travel to the cities and countries she traced on a globe. In time, as she began writing about her experiences, Patrice became interested in how places contribute to the people we become. Ultimately, she hopes her stories celebrate the beauty of living a multifaceted life. Patrice lives with her family in North Carolina—a place she considers another home. All the Places We Call Home is her first picture book. You can find her on her website, subscribe to her newsletter, or follow her on Facebook and Instagr

Today, Lori is interviewing Erin La Rosa. They’ll be talking about tropes in romance and her book For Butter or Worse. Erin La Rosa is the author of the upcoming romance novel, For Butter or Worse. She's previously written for BuzzFeed and Funny or Die. She worked as a social media manager for Netflix and Amazon Prime Video before quitting her day job to focus on writing books. You can find her on her website, or follow her on Twitter or Instagram.   In this episode Erin La Rosa and Lori discuss: Where in her real life she draws inspiration from for the locations in her writing. How to suck your readers in when your main characters start out unsympathetic. What special sauce a dual narrative brings to the enemies to lovers trope.   Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/420

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Stacy Willingham, Carolyne Topdjian, Allison Buccola, and Wanda M. Morris. We’ll be talking about the debut writer experience and their books. Stacy Willingham is the New York Times bestselling author of A Flicker in the Dark. Before turning to fiction, she was a copywriter and brand strategist for various marketing agencies. She earned her BA in magazine journalism from the University of Georgia and MFA in writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Her novel is currently being translated into over two dozen languages. She lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with her husband, Britt, and Labradoodle, Mako, where she is always working on her next book. You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Carolyne Topdjian is the author of The Hitman’s Daughter (Agora/Polis Books), a gothic mystery which Library Journal lauds as a “fast-paced, haunting novel of survival." In addition to writing suspense novels, Carolyne has publi

Today, Lori is interviewing Natalka Burian. They’ll be talking about time travel, multiple mysteries, and Natalka’s book The Night Shift. Natalka Burian is the co-owner of two bars, Elsa and Ramona, as well as the co-founder of The Freya Project, a non-profit reading series that supports community-based activism and annually awards five unrestricted grants to further the work of women and non-binary writers. She is the author of three novels--her latest, The Night Shift, is out this summer with Park Row--and a cocktail book. Natalka grew up on a farm in Maryland but now lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters. You can find her on her website or follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.   In this episode Natalka Burian and Lori discuss: How to employ flashbacks effectively in your writing without overdoing it. Juggling multiple mysteries in one story while maintaining the intrigue of each. Using your readers’ drive to understand others as an engine for storytelling. Plus, her #1 tip for wr

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Alexis Schaitkin. We’ll be talking about tone, voice, mood and her book Elsewhere.  Alexis Schaitkin is the author of Saint X and her short stories and essays have appeared in Ecotone, Southwest Review, The Southern Review, The New York Times, and elsewhere. Her fiction has been anthologized in The Best American Short Stories and The Best American Nonrequired Reading. She received her MFA in fiction from the University of Virginia, where she was a Henry Hoyns Fellow. She lives in Williamstown, Massachusetts, with her husband and their two children. You can find her on her website or follow her on Twitter.   In this episode Alexis Schaitkin and I discuss: Writing a story with mystery as a central premise without focusing on solving that mystery. Creating a fable-like feeling through the intentional use of tropes. The nature of community and isolation and how it relates to writing.   Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/417

Today, Lori is interviewing Shelley Blanton-Stroud. They’ll be talking about historical mysteries and Shelley’s book Tomboy: A Jane Benjamin Novel.  Shelley grew up in California’s Central Valley, the daughter of Dust Bowl immigrants who made good on their ambition to get out of the field. She recently retired from teaching writing at Sacramento State University and still consults with writers in the energy industry. She co-directs Stories on Stage Sacramento, where actors perform the stories of established and emerging authors, and serves on the advisory board of 916 Ink, an arts-based creative writing nonprofit for children. She has also served on the Writers’ Advisory Board for the Belize Writers’ Conference. Her writing has been a finalist in the Sarton Book Awards, IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards, Killer Nashville’s Silver Falchion Award, the American Fiction Awards, and the National Indie Excellence Awards.  She lives in Sacramento with her husband and many photos of their out-of-town sons and their wonde

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Michele Scott. We’ll be talking about cozy mysteries and her book Murder Uncorked.  Michele Scott is an American author and the CEO/owner of equestrian sports medicine company Professional’s Choice, Inc. She has written over forty novels in various genres including thrillers, mysteries, young adult mysteries, fantasy, and women’s fiction. Her thriller Daddy’s Home from her Holly Jennings’ series written under her pen name of AK Alexander has sold over one million copies and was the #1 bestselling book in the UK Amazon. Her thriller Mommy, May I? and was number 2 on the Amazon list. Michele’s bestselling mystery series (The Wine Lover’s Mysteries) has gone into multiple printings and has been optioned by a Los Angeles based producer and production company. Michele is a lifelong equestrian, having horses since she was five-years-old. If you don’t find her at her desk writing, you’re sure to find her at the barn! You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Scott Gates. We’ll be talking about his novel, Gone, the Redeemer.  Scott Gates is the author of Hard Road South, published by Blue Ink Press. He is a magazine editor and a second-generation communicator for rural electric cooperatives. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Auburn University and a Master of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Colorado in Boulder. Scott grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, and currently lives in North Carolina with his wife and three kids, where he enjoys a slower pace of life and reliable barbecue options. He and his brother share perspectives on Southern culture at incidentalist.com. You can find him on his website or follow him on Facebook and Instagram.   In this episode Scott Gates and I discuss: Truth in a first-person narrative, especially when the protagonist is unreliable. The traditions of travel literature and including Classical structures in modern literature. How to balance writing and the re

Today, Lori is interviewing Taylor Hahn. They’ll be talking about her debut romance novel, The Lifestyle.  Taylor is a second-grade teacher turned lawyer turned author. After graduating from Loyola Marymount University, she joined Teach for America and taught in Brooklyn for two years before attending Fordham University School of Law. She then worked as a litigation associate at a firm in Manhattan and then LA while working on her novel in her spare time and taking fiction writing classes. The Lifestyle is her first novel. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and THE best dog in the universe.   In this episode Taylor Hahn and Lori discuss: What makes a sex scene fun to read and her advice on how to write one. How to make a flawed, meddlesome character likable to your readers. The rise of emotional intelligence and communication in Millenial romance. Plus, her #1 tip for writers.  For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/413

Today, Lori is interviewing Rebecca Scherm. They’ll be talking about her science fiction-thriller novel, A House Between Earth and the Moon.  Rebecca Scherm is the author of Unbecoming. She lives in California with her family.   In this episode Rebecca Scherm and Lori discuss: The psychic toll writing near future speculative fiction can take on a parent. Why it is so important to safeguard your passion and her advice for doing so. What she means when she says she has a conversation with a genre. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/412

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Jennifer McMahon. We’ll be talking about her genre-defying novel, The Children on the Hill. Jennifer McMahon has been lauded by Chris Bohjalian (The Flight Attendant) as “a worthy literary descendent of Shirley Jackson.” She is the author of eleven novels, including the New York Times bestsellers Promise Not to Tell and The Winter People. McMahon is in the LibraryReads Hall of Fame. She lives in Vermont with her partner, Drea, and their daughter, Zella.   In this episode Jennifer McMahon and I discuss: Why she had multiple false starts on her latest novel and what finally inspired her to finish. How she developed the idea of secrets and her process for layering them throughout the plot. What is a monster, what makes something monstrous, and why that distinction is important. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/411

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Brett Riley. We’ll be talking about his YA fantasy/thriller novel, Freaks.  Brett Riley is the author of The Subtle Dance of Impulse and Light (Ink Brush Press), Comanche (Imbrifex Books), Lord of Order (Imbrifex), Freaks (Imbrifex), and Travelers (2022). His short fiction has appeared in journals such as The Baltimore Review, F(r)iction, Solstice, Folio, The Evansville Review, and many others. His nonfiction has appeared in CrimeReads, Role Reboot, Broad River Review, Rougarou, Green Hills Literary Lantern, Literary Orphans, Under the Gum Tree, Wild Violet, and Foliate Oak Magazine. He lives in Henderson, NV.   In this episode Brett Riley and I discuss: How he portrayed and deepened the bond between his main characters. The double-sided nature of superhero powers and why he showed his characters’ weaknesses. Why it’s fascinating to let superheroes be bad and what that exploration reveals. Plus, his #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/410

Today, Lori is interviewing Amy Lea. They’ll be talking about her debut romance novel, Set on You.  Amy Lea is a Canadian bureaucrat by day and contemporary romance author by night (and weekends). She writes laugh-out-loud romantic comedies featuring strong heroines, witty banter, mid-2000s pop culture references, and happily ever afters.   In this episode Amy Lea and Lori discuss: Why representation matters and how the romance genre is helping lead the charge.  How to use family dynamics to develop layered characters. Millennial identity and what they have changed about the dating scene. Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/409

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Jessi Honard and Marie Parks. We’ll be talking about their contemporary fantasy debut, Unrelenting.  Jessi and Marie have been co-writing speculative fiction since 2009, and their 2022 contemporary fantasy debut, Unrelenting, was a finalist in the 2020 Book Pipeline Unpublished Manuscript contest.  Marie is a fantasy, sci-fi, and horror author who landed in New Mexico after traveling full-time in an RV for years. Her writing uses speculative fiction to dive into topics like social justice, the environment, and the power of friendship. Jessi Honard is a speculative fiction author, business owner, and professional coffee inhaler. Her work leans into the power of imaginary worlds as a conduit to exploring common struggles of identity, belonging, and trust.  Together, they've run a successful copywriting agency since 2010. Jessi lives in the Bay Area of California with her partner, Taormina, and Marie lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico with all the dogs.   In this episode

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Leslie Johansen Nack.  Leslie’s newest book, The Blue Butterfly, A Novel of Marion Davies, comes out next week and it’s what we are going to be discussing today. Her debut is a memoir titled Fourteen, A Daughter’s Memoir of Adventure, Sailing, and Survival. It received five indie awards, including the 2016 Finalist in Memoir at the Next Generation Indie Book Award. Leslie says she did everything late in life, including getting her degree in English Literature from UCLA at age thirty-one. Before she started writing, she raised two children, ran a mechanical engineering business with her husband, took care of her aging mother, and dreamed of retirement when she could write full-time. She currently lives in San Diego and—in addition to writing—she enjoys sailing, hiking, and reading.   In this episode Leslie Johansen Nack and I discuss: Why she leaned into fiction for this project as opposed to writing a biography. Her research process and how she chose which scenes to

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing G.G. Kellner Gayle is a poet, essayist, artist, educator, and Author of Hope: A History of the Future, a novel in which she imagines a peaceful, just, sustainable future based on facts, legal precedence, and historical documents. Gayle lives in a home that has been in her family for five generations. She spends most of her time creating with words, paints, and sculpture, as well as walking the beaches and forests of her island home with her dog.   In this episode GG Kellner and I discuss: How she created the web of complex character relationships and the framework for her novel. Why you need to face your fears in order to open yourself up to the possibilities of life. The relationship between cause and effect in history and its impact on the future.   Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/406