DIY MFA Radio

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have Steven James on the show! Steve is the bestselling, critically acclaimed author of sixteen novels. Best known for his psychological thrillers, he has received more than a dozen honors and awards for his books, including 3 Christy Awards and being nominated as a finalist for an International Thriller Award. He is also the author of the groundbreak...

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have Rebecca Behrens on the show! Rebecca is not only a fabulous middle grade author but also a dear friend. In fact, we live directly across the street from each other here in New York City, and we were part of the same "Write Nite Ladies" kidlit writing group for years. Rebecca is the author of the middle grade historical fiction novels When Audrey...

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting Adam Cayton-Holland on the show! Adam is an author and national touring comic who has appeared on shows including Conan , The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail , and Happy Endings just to name a few. He has also been named one of Esquire's "25 Comics to Watch" and Variety's "10 Comics to Watch." Adam has been described as "genial" and "with p...

Hey there word nerds! In today's episode I bring you again live to ThrillerFest 2018! This time I've assembled a panel of bestselling thriller authors who all know how to write powerhouse female protagonists. I am so excited to be speaking with Lisa Gardner, Jon Land, and Karin Slaughter, and sharing our panel discussion on the show! As you'll soon hear, not only do all these awesome authors craft...

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so honored to welcome David L. Harrison to the show! David is an award winning American children's author and poet. His poetry, fiction, and nonfiction for young readers have been anthologized in more than 185 books, translated into twelve languages, sandblasted into a library sidewalk, and painted on a bookmobile. His poetry collection, Pirates , represented Misso...

Hey there word nerds! In today's episode I bring you live to ThrillerFest 2018, where I have once again assembled a panel of five debut authors from this year's class. I am so excited to be speaking with L.A. Chandlar, Paddy Hirsch, Cheryl Reed, John Copenhaver, and Joanna Schaffhausen, and sharing our panel discussion on the show! Last year's ThrillerFest debuts' episode focused on the debut auth...

Hey there word nerds! Today I am thrilled to have Tami Charles on the show! Tami is a former teacher and current full-time author of picture books, middle grade and young adult novels, as well as nonfiction. As a teacher, she made it her mission to introduce her students to all types of literature, but especially diverse books. While it was refreshing to see a better selection than what she was ac...

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting Maxine Rosaler on the show! Maxine has had fiction and nonfiction published in some pretty prestigious markets including (but not limited to) The Southern Review , Glimmer Train , and The Baltimore Review . Her stories have also been cited in editions of Best American Short Stories and Best American Essays , and  she is the recipient of a...

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting Gail Honeyman on the show! Gail is the author of the novel Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine , which hit shelves in May of last year and made a huge splash with readers. Gail's debut novel was the star book at the Frankfurt Book Fair and was selected as an Indie Next Pick by booksellers across the country. It soon became one of the most...

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of talking with author Grace Kennan Warnecke on the show! Grace is the daughter of George F. Kennan, one of the most influential diplomats of the 20th century, and as such had a very unique childhood. She grew up in the shadow of the Cold War and her larger than life father, but found her way into the limelight to forge a dynamic career for herself....

Hey there word nerds! Today I am delighted to have author Alison Walsh on the show! And OMG word nerds I am so excited because we're going to be talking about Alison's new cookbook: A Literary Tea Party ! I first learned about Alison's book last summer, from my friend and awesome DIY MFA contributor Sara Letourneau. Right away I knew I had to get Alison to come on the show. Anyone who knows me at...

Hey there word nerds! Welcome to the 2018 Epic BookExpo Recap episode! If you don't already know what BookExpo is, it's the big industry trade show that takes place in the United States every year, and today it's going to be just me talking to you about this awesome event! This year, the big thing was the idea of the Reimagined BookExpo, so I wanted to give you a rundown of what's new, what's stil...

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have Michael Zadoorian on the show! Michael is an author and recipient of numerous awards such as the Michigan Notable Book award, and the Kresge Artist Fellowship. His writing has appeared in several prestigious journals including The Literary Review and American Short Fiction , as well as in multiple anthologies including Detroit Noir . He is the au...

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of interviewing author Cynthia Grady on the show! Cynthia has earned master's degrees in Children's Literature, Library Science, and the Classics. She taught elementary school in her home state of California and was a children's librarian for seventeen years before relocating to New Mexico where she now writes books for young readers. She is the auth...

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to be speaking with NoNieqa Ramos on the show! NoNieqa is an award-winning educator, literary activist, and writer of "intense" young adult literature. She is also a passionate supporter of the #weneeddiversebooks and #ownvoices movements. Her debut novel The Disturbed Girl's Dictionary has gotten stunning reception including a  Booklist starred review t...

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have debut author Kimmery Martin on the show! Kimmery is an emergency medical doctor and, like me, a life-long literary nerd. On top of being a doctor, an author, and a mom, she writes book reviews and volunteers with the library foundation in her home of Charlotte, North Carolina. Her debut novel, The Queen of Hearts , has been named one of the most...

Hey there word nerds! OMG DIY MFA Radio is 200 episodes old! Whether you've been with me since the beginning of this journey or are just tuning in now, thank you for listening. Since this is our 200th episode, we're doing things a little bit differently. Instead of being the interviewer, my producer Marielle Orff takes over the show and puts me in the hot seat. In case some of you don't know her y...

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of talking with Dharma Kelleher on the show! Dharma Kelleher is the author of several gritty crime fiction novels from a transgender/queer perspective. She has worked as a radio news director and is a current member of Sisters in Crime, the International Thriller Writers, and the Alliance of Independent Authors. Dharma traditionally published her fir...

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to be talking with Will Dowd on the show! Will Dowd is a writer and artist from the Boston area. He earned a BA from Boston College, an MS from MIT,and an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University. His writing and art have appeared in many notable places, including LitHub and Tin House online. Will's debut collection of essays, Areas of Fog , whic...

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting debut novelist Kate Greathead on the show! Kate is a graduate of Wesleyan University and the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College. Her work has appeared in some pretty impressive places such as The New York Times and Vanity Fair , and she is a 9-time Moth Story Slam champion. Her debut novel Laura & Emma takes place on the Uppe...

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting award-winning author Nathaniel Philbrick on the show! Nathaniel is the New York Times bestselling author of Valiant Ambition, Sea of Glory , and The Last Stand , as well as a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his book Mayflower . His book In the Heart of the Sea which not only won the National Book Award, but was made into a major motion picture...

Hey there word nerds! Today I am delighted to have author and journalist Steven Gaines on the show! Steven is the bestselling author of a number of biographies and nonfiction books including Philistines at the Hedgerow: Passion and Property in the Hamptons and The Love You Make: An Insider's Story of the Beatles . His journalism has appeared in several major publications such as Vanity Fair and Th...

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have my good friend and mentor Jane Friedman on the show! Jane has 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in digital media strategy for authors and publishers. She is the co-founder of The Hot Sheet (my go-to resource about the industry), is a columnist for Publishers Weekly , and has been interviewed on many prestigious med...

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the distinct pleasure of having acclaimed writer and actor Michael Imperioli on the show! Though Michael is best known for playing Christopher Moltisanti in the The Sopranos , a role that earned him an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor, he is also an accomplished screenwriter. He wrote five episodes of The Sopranos and was co-screenwriter for the film Summer of Sam...

Hey there word nerds! Today I am delighted to have David Plante on the show! David grew up in Providence, Rhode Island, within a French-Canadian parrish, much the same way as Jack Kerouac did in Lowell, Massachusetts, in an area which was known in the 17h century as La Nouvelle France. David has written several books rooted in La Nouvelle France, most notably in The Family , a contender for the Na...