Poured Over

Guide Me Home by Attica Locke c oncludes the gripping Highway 59 series with a story of complicated family ties and a riveting missing persons investigation. Locke joined us to talk about ending her ongoing story, the importance of community, the role of music in her writing and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.   This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry L...

Rachel Kushner's Creation Lake is a spy novel and philosophical exploration told with humor, intrigue and a propulsive plot. Kushner joins us to talk about writing in the noir genre, the question of her narrator's reliability, the purpose and reward of reading and more with cohost, Jenna Seery.  This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Jenna Seery and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New...

Whale Fall by Elizabeth O'Connor is a stunning coming-of-age tale of a girl caught on the precipice between adulthood and childhood, familiarity and the unknown. O'Connor joins us to talk about crafting a short novel, isolated settings, her influences and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. We end this episode with TBR Top Off book recommendations from Jamie and Donald. This episode of Pou...

Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors is a story about sisterhood and how grief can pull a family apart — and put them back together again. Mellors joins us to talk about creating her characters' distinct voices, sibling dynamics, connection through writing and more with cohost, Jenna Seery. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Jenna Seery and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes lan...

Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer analyzes the artistic and creative life and those who live it in a page-turning conversation about the way we consume art. Dederer joins us to talk about the subjectivity of criticism, the intensity of fandom, ethics in art and more. Sonora Jha's The Laughter is a satirical novel taking on academia, obsession, race and class in with wit and, of course, l...

Kate DiCamillo joins us to talk about her work from Because of Winn Dixie to The Puppets of Spelhorst and beyond. DiCamillo and co-host Jenna Seery discuss her start as a writer, the joys a good book can bring, the importance of reading for young people and more. We end this episode with TBR Top Off book recommendations from Marc and Donald. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Jenna Seery an...

We're Alone by Edwidge Danticat is a collection of essays that combines personal stories with global themes. Danticat joins us to talk about evolution in storytelling, the role of community in writing, the joy of connection and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays a...

In And So I Roar , Abi Daré returns to the story she began in The Girl w ith the Louding Voice , with characters both old and new in an ongoing story of resilience, sisterhood and hope. Daré joins us to talk about character development, balancing her narrative with emotional truth, the exploration of new themes and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.   This episode of Poured Over was hoste...

There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak is a story of love, grief and hope told across humanity, time and history. Shafak joins us to talk about her central themes, empire and identity, her literary influences and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursday...

Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen is an unnerving and disturbing novel with ancient secrets, modern lies and messy family ties. Pedersen joins us to talk about gothic horror in rural Nebraska, blending mythologies, the complexity of writing about trauma and more with cohost Jenna Seery. We end this episode with TBR Top Off book recommendations from Marc and Donald.   This episode of Poured Ov...

Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend (or Just Me)? by Jay Ellis is a collection of essays that chronicle his time growing up in a world he couldn't make sense of.   Ellis joined us live at The Grove to talk about growing up in the 80s and 90s, the process of writing about your life, processing heavy moments through creativity and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.   This episode of Poure...

Gilbert Cruz, Books Editor for the New York Times joins us to talk about the 100 Best Books of the 21 st Century list. Cruz talked about the creation of the list, the varied participants, the importance of recent literature and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays a...

Regina Porter's The Rich People Have Gone Away is a mystery in the era of lockdown featuring a diverse cast of New York City characters and no shortage of literary intrigue. Porter joins us to talk about writing a novel set during COVID-19, subverting expectations, crafting characters with humor and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer a...

We Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony Johnston is the story of star-crossed lovers set against a charged social backdrop. Johnston joins us to talk about the complex themes in his work, writing relatable characters and real events, the rewards of all kinds of fiction and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.          ...

Someone Like Us by Dinaw Mengestu tells the story of the son of Ethiopian immigrants unraveling family history, connection and memory. Mengestu joins us to talk about the experiences that lead to his writing, diasporic communities, power in storytelling and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.   This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                 ...

Pearl by Siân Hughes is a story of mothers, daughters, an old house, and one haunting poem. Hughes joins us to talk about village life, her writing process for a coming-of-age novel, playfulness in her work and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. We end this episode with TBR Top Off book recommendations from Marc and Donald. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed b...

The Most by Jessica Anthony is an immersive story about a housewife at her wit's end that is sure to pack a punch. Anthony joined us to talk about writing a novella, 1950s American culture, voice in fiction and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (wit...

The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman is a fresh take on a familiar world, complete with legends and honor, our favorite mythical sword and wayward knights, hard truths of a fallen empire and plenty of heart. Grossman joined us live to talk about why he chose to take on King Arthur, his extensive research process, world building and more with Jenna Seery, cohost of Poured Over. This episode of Poured O...

The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia by Juliet Grames is a historical mystery with a literary bent set in an isolated Italian village. Grames joins us to talk about 1960s Europe, power dynamics and patriarchy, writing crime fiction and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays...

Liars by Sarah Manguso   takes a loving marriage and flips it on its head, one painful revelation at a time.   Manguso joins us to talk about artistic expression, the importance of experimentation and instinct in writing, survival through storytelling and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                    ...

Catalina by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio is a pointed, often funny, and unexpected coming-of-age story. Cornejo Villavicencio joins us to talk about themes of identity, social dynamics, hagiography and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Ove r.   This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occas...

The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry is a wildly funny western following lovers on the run in 1890s Montana. Barry joined us live to talk about writing his first novel set in America, his writing style, bending genre, character development and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.    This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                       New episo...

Riveting mystery meets family drama at a summer camp in The God of the Woods by Liz Moore. Moore joined us live to talk about choosing her setting and themes, emphasizing character development, class dynamics and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (w...

Smothermoss by Alisa Alering is an atmospheric, haunting and sometimes mystical family story set against the backdrop of 1980s Appalachia. Alering joins us to talk about the importance of nature in the novel, the blurred lines between fantasy and reality and writing the relationship between two sisters with cohost Jenna Seery. We end this episode with TBR Top Off Book recommendations from Marc and...

In Night Flyer, Tiya Miles uncovers the humanity behind the legend with this brilliant account of Harriet Tubman's life. Miles joins us to talk about reconstructing history with limited sources, shaping historical narratives, cultural heritage through storytelling and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over.    This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.     ...