Past Forward

Donna Hemans is the author of two novels: River Woman and Tea by the Sea. Her work has appeared in Electric Literature, Ms. Magazine, Crab Orchard Review, among others. She lives in Maryland and owns the DC Writers Room, a co-working studio for writers. Tea By the Sea Red Hen Press, 2020 A World Without Books was created to help writers connect with readers during the pandemic. This Micro-Podcast...

Sasha Abramsky is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared over the past twenty-five years in major newspapers and magazines in the United States and United Kingdom. These include the Nation, the Atlantic, the New Yorker online, Rolling Stone, Mother Jones, the New York Times, the Guardian, the Independent, the Observer, and the New Statesman. Little Wonder is Abramsky’s ninth book. He teach...

Chelsea Catherine is a native Vermonter living in St. Petersburg, FL. Most recently, she won the Mary C Mohr nonfiction award through the Southern Indiana Review and her book, "Summer of the Cicadas," won the Quill Prose Award through Red Hen Press, set for publication in 2020.  Summer of the Cicadas Red Hen Press, 2020 A World Without Books was created to help writers connect with readers during...

Anna Dorn is a writer living in Los Angeles. Her debut novel, Vagablonde, was published by Unnamed Press in May 2020. Her memoir, Bad Lawyer, will be published by Hachette Books in Spring 2021. She has a JD from UC Berkeley Law and an MFA from Antioch University. She is working on a new novel. Vagablonde Unnamed Press, 2020 A World Without Books was created to help writers connect with readers dur...

Mary Lea Carroll worked in travel, the movie business and taught children's creativity. When her husband retired from running his entertainment business and her children grew up and left home she began writing. Prior to that she taught children's creativity and volunteered in the schools and community. At the age of 63, Mary committed to a wild, wishful desire in wanting all the late in life years...

Sebastian Matthews is the author of a memoir, In My Father’s Footsteps, and two books of poetry, We Generous and Miracle Day. His upcoming memoir Beyond Repair: Living in a Fractured State goes on sale from Red Hen Press on August 25, 2020. Mathews lives in Asheville, NC where he teaches at various colleges and universities and DJ's part time at his local community radio station. Beyond Repair: Li...

Liz Harmer ’s first novel, The Amateurs, a speculative novel of technological rapture, was released with Knopf/Vintage in 2019. Her stories, essays, and poems have been published widely. She has been a Bread Loaf fellow, a Journey Prize finalist, and a Canadian National Magazine Award winner. The Amateurs Knopf/Vintage, 2019 A World Without Books was created to help writers connect with readers du...

Aminah Mae Safi is a Muslim-American writer. She is the author of Not the Girls You're Looking For, Tell Me How You Really Feel and This Is All Your Fault, forthcoming from Feiwel & Friends in October 2020. She has taught at Antioch University and UCLA Extensions. This Is All Your Fault Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan), 2020 A World Without Books was created to help writers connect with readers duri...

Cai Emmons is the author of five books of fiction: the novels His Mother’s Son, The Stylist, Weather Woman and the forthcoming Sinking Islands, and a collection of short stories called Vanishing. She has taught at various universities, most recently the University of Oregon. She is now a full-time writer. Sinking Islands Leapfrog Press, 2020 A World Without Books was created to help writers connec...

Gina Fattore is a television writer whose credits include Dare Me, Better Things, Parenthood, Californication, Gilmore Girls, and Dawson’s Creek. Her other writing has appeared in Salon, Lit Hub, Entertainment Weekly, and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, and her TEDx talk “Become What You Believe” has more than 16,000 views. The Spinster Diaries Prospect Park Books, 2020 A World Without Books was cr...

Nate Ragolia is an author, publisher and podcaster living in Denver, CO. He recently edited Respirator by Addison Herron-Wheeler and Stolen Futures: Present Danger by M. Drewery. Listen to his podcast, A Vague Idea , via your favorite podcast app. Respirator Stolen Futures: Present Danger Spaceboy Books, 2020 A World Without Books was created to help writers connect with readers during the pandemi...

Steve Denehan lives in Ireland with his wife Eimear and daughter Robin. He is a widely published, award-winning poet and the author of two chapbooks and two collections (one forthcoming from Salmon Press). He has been nominated for The Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net and Best New Poet. Miles of Sky Above Us, Miles of Earth Below Cajun Mutt Press, 2019 A World Without Books was created to help writ...

Garvin ’s debut novel, Symptoms of Being Human, is an ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection, a Lambda Literary Award Finalist, and garnered starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly. His sophomore book, The Lightness of Hands, received a starred review from School Library Journal and is available now. The Lightness Of Hands Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, 2020 A World Without Books wa...

Jonathan Alexander is a writer in Southern California. When not writing, he is Chancellor's Professor of English at the University of California, Irvine. Creep: A Life, a Theory, an Apology Punctum Books. 2017 A World Without Books was created to help writers connect with readers during the pandemic. This Micro-Podcast provides authors a platform to share stories about writing, discuss current pro...

Today we connect with Jake Bernard. This episode was recorded live on December 10 at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA. Jake Bernard  is a Los Angeles musician. His beach-pop sound has been described as “intoxicating” by Huffington Post penman James Gadsden, as it meshes the more colorful sides of Jason Mraz and John Mayer. This, combined with the incredible impact living in Philadelphi...

Today Chef Daniella Malfitano connects with Chef Noah von Blöm. This episode was recorded live on December 10 at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA. Chef Noah von Blöm  is best known for ARC, an American Roast House focused on presenting home made foods using only locally sourced, fresh ingredients and artisan-crafted products that deliver original flavors into every dish and cocktail. A...

Today we connect with Mary Adams Urashima. This episode was recorded live on December 10 at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, CA. Mary Adams Urashima  is a historian and author of Historic Wintersburg in Huntington Beach. She chairs the grassroots preservation effort to save the Furuta Gold Fish Farm and Wintersburg Japanese Mission property in Huntington Beach, known as Historic Wintersbu...

Today Chef Daniella Malfitano connects with Chef Craig Brady. This episode was recorded live on November 20 at the Musco Center for the Arts in Orange, CA. Chef Craig Brady  is Executive Chef at Haven Craft Kitchen + Bar in Old Towne Orange. He received his formal training in New York City’s French Culinary Institute. His first paid position out of culinary school was at the Montage Resort in Lagu...

Today we connect with Sam Mihara. This episode was recorded live on November 20 at the Musco Center for the Arts in Orange, CA. Sam Mihara  is a second-generation Japanese American (Nisei) born and raised in San Francisco. When World War II broke out, the United States government forced Sam, age 9, and his family to move to the Heart Mountain, Wyoming camp. After the war ended, the family returned...

Today we connect with Hermano. This episode was recorded live on November 7 at The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, CA. Hermano.  is a musical project consisting of Eduardo Ramirez, Daniel Lopez, Charlie Flores, and Noe Ramirez. The group pushes the standard rock musical boundaries a bit further to include elements of blues, jazz and rock n roll. The focus in the last few months has been on recording th...

Today Joel Robinson connects with Manny Escamilla. This episode was recorded live on November 7 at The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, CA. Manny Escamilla  grew up at the McFadden Public Library and Jerome Recreation Center in central Santa Ana. He began working for the Santa Ana Public Library in 2004 as part of the White House Award-winning TeenSpace program. In 2015 he was recognized by Library Jour...

Today Jonelle Strickland connects with Luis Gómez, Tony Ortuno, and Olivia Zoey Martinez. This episode was recorded live on November 7 at The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, CA. Luis Gómez  moved to the United States at the age of 14 from Veracruz, Mexico and currently works at the LGBT Center OC as the Immigration Resources Specialist. He joined the Center’s team in 2015 after obtaining his Bachelor o...

Today we connect with Kira Lise. This episode was recorded live on October 24 at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton, CA. Kira Lise  is an up and coming indie pop singer/songwriter based out of Orange County, whose music is inspired by strands of folk, jazz, and psychedelic rock. Her songwriting showcases the variety of different genres she listens to and mashes them together to create h...

Today Chef Daniella Malfitano connects with David Fuñe. This episode was recorded live on October 24 at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton, CA. David Fuñe  serves as Corporate Executive for Salt Creek Grille, a bi-coastal, premium casual dining concept with five iconic restaurants in California and New Jersey, and Pickled Monk, a new, contemporary gastropub experience in Downtown Fuller...

Today Jonelle Strickland connects with Dr. Kristine Dennehy and Dr. Ester E. Hernàndez. This episode was recorded live on October 24 at the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton, CA. Dr. Kristine Dennehy  is a history professor at California State University Fullerton, with a specialization in Japanese and Korean history. A Connecticut native, Dr. Dennehy majored in Japanese language at George...