River Writers

In this month’s River Writers, co-host Marianne Monson interviews 2026 writer-in-resident winner Victor Vasquez about his work, which is inspired by his background as a migrant farmworker growing up in the PNW. 

Co-host Marianne Monson interviews Portland-based author and 2024 WIR recipient Erica Berry. Berry is the Oregon book award winner for her nonfiction title Wolfish. 

This month, Asher Finch interviews Astoria author Brad Pietzyk about his recently published memoir, Dragon’s Current: The Storm that Stayed Inside.

Marianne speaks with local writer and cofounder of the series “Women Who Write to Heal,” Megan Amara Rose. 

This month on River Writers, Marianne Monson interviews Jim Dott, a local poet and KMUN programmer.

This month on River Writers, Asher Finch interviews Deac Guidi, a longtime communications and humanities instructor at Clatsop Community College.

This month on River Writers, Asher Finch interviews Heather Douglas, editor of the Coast Weekend, about her journey to the Astorian, writing, and zines.

Marianne Monson interviews poet Dayle Olson about her new chapbook.

Asher Finch interviews local author Deb Vanasse

Host Marianne Monson interviews Oregon Poet Laureate, Ellen Waterston, keynote for the 2025 Astoria Creative Writing Festival. 

Marianne Monson interviews author Karl Marlantes in this Part 3 episode. 

Host Marianne Monson interviews Marj Hogan, this year’s North Coast Writer-in-Resident!

This month, Asher Finch interviews local author and Writers Guild founder Marianne Monson about writing, her journey to Astoria, and balancing creativity with the chaos of life.

Marianne Monson interviews local poet Logan Garner about his new poetry collection.

This month on River Writers Sean Davis sits down to speak to career journalist Mike Francis. While originally from Chicago, Mike traveled around the country writing for different newspapers and radio stations until he ended up with the Oregonian for almost 22 years which included three tours in Iraq as an embedded reporter. Today, Mike...

Marianne Monson interviews author Karl Marlantes

Asher Finch speaks with author and writing instructor Kama O’Conner

Sean sits down and speaks to Dan McClure, the Director of the Clatsop Community College Library, about how anyone with an Astoria Library Card can check out books and other things at the college. They also talk about art, music, and zines!

Co-host Marianne Monson interviews local author Cindy Gentry about Sermons on the Couch, her collection of secular sermons.

Sean Davis sits down with North Coast writer and poet Jason Arias in the Clatsop Community College Library. They discuss Jason’s two books: A Momentary Illumination of Objects In Motion and his new book of poetry nostraDAMus 2032. They also talk about the beauty of the North Coast and its literary scene.

Marianne Monson sits down with Sallie Vandegrift, author and editor, for a conversation about the art of these practices as well as the world of literary arts nonprofits.

Marianne Monson plays a segment of the recording of Karl Marlantes’ keynote address at the October 2024 Astoria Creative Writing Festival sponsored by The Writers Guild.

Sean talks to Best Selling author Mike Magnuson. Magnuson teaches at Pacific University’s Low-Residency MFA program that meets in the winters in Seaside. He is the managing editor of a new Creative NonFiction Magazine called Sneaker Wave. Sean and Mike talk about what makes a good memoir, what it was like to teach with Harry Crews,...

Marianne Monson interviews local author Asher Finch