SoundPages Podcast

2016 Jack Straw Writer Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum talks with Curator Karen Finneyfrock about her in-progress collection of short stories addressing many forms of disaster, from the personal to the geological. She also shares some of her process as a writer and her thoughts on the perfection of the short story: “There’s a sense of complete […] The post Disaster – Kirsten Sundberg Lunstru...

Linda Andrews‘ work – whether poetry, prose, or a hybrid of the two – is always written with an ear for the spoken word. She talks with 2015 Jack Straw Writers Program Curator Kevin Craft about writing for the ear, her experience as a teacher, and doing rewrites while driving through the Palouse. ” I […] The post Incidentals – Linda Andrews appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

For her Jack Straw Writers Program project, L. J. Morin (Lisa Carcia) wrote a series of poems inspired by the tale of a parrot in Venezuela who was the last known speaker of a dead language. She speaks with 2015 Writers Program Curator Kevin Craft about Alexander Von Humboldt, the tirelessly curious discoverer of this […] The post Humboldt – L. J. Morin appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural...

Anca Szilágyi‘s novel Paralegal looks at the runup to the 2008 financial crash through the eyes of Binnie Greenson, a diorama artist working a summer job in a corporate law firm and struggling with her identity as an artist. She talks with 2015 Jack Straw Writers Program curator Kevin Craft about Joseph Cornell, the gradually […] The post Paralegal – Anca Szilágyi appeared first on Jack Stra...

Matthew Schnirman‘s poems combine humor, nostalgia, intimacy, and sex into a voice that’s by turns sardonic and sincere, ironic and heartfelt. He talks to 2015 Jack Straw Writers Program Curator Kevin Craft about his “Zac Poems,” whose titular character floats through the films of Zac Efron as viewed through Matthew’s poetic lens. THIS PODCAST CONTAINS […] The post Zac – Matthew Schnirman ap...

Clare Johnson‘s writing delves both into the past – resurrecting voices and stories from generations past – and into her own personal experiences. She talks with 2015 Writers Program curator about the influence of travel and homesickness on her work and her process for creating these patchwork pieces, which Craft refers to as “core samples […] The post Histories – Clare Johnson appeared firs...

Bernard Grant‘s stories and essays are carefully constructed, his language terse and spare. Phrases like “I saw my father twice,” and “brand new screen door” instantly pull the reader into the world he’s created. He talks with 2015 Writers Program curator Kevin Craft about his craft and how he shapes his text. “When I write […] The post Work – Bernard Grant appeared first on Jack Straw...

Emily Bedard’s poems are full of wild, vivid, and unusual imagery: Her disappointing moments in life gather in one room, each visible in its own horrible failure; she gives advice to younger girls about dating, sex, and love; God takes her car for a joyride and enjoys the experience. 2015 Writers Program Curator Kevin Craft […] The post Cargo – Emily Bedard appeared first on Jack Straw Cultu...

Martha Kreiner‘s poetry is deeply intertwined with her work as a nurse. She sends herself poetic time surveys throughout her work day to give herself “the opportunity, just randomly, to look around the world and pay attention.” She talks with 2015 Writers Program Curator Kevin Craft about how her nursing influences her poetry and vice […] The post Shift – Martha Kreiner appeared first on Jac...

Ross McMeekin is fascinated by family relationships and constantly explores them in his writing. Writing, he says, allows you to explore different careers and to “slip into the skin of a bunch of different lives that you could never have done in your own real solid skin.” He can’t escape the pull, the magnetism, of […] The post Darling – Ross McMeekin appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Ce...

Jeanine Walker, poet and musician, relates how her parents’ divorce when she was 10 has shaped her poetry. She explores family, bonding, separation, and escape in several poems containing her own experiences or imaginings of different lives. Poetry allows her to explore her own experiences and create deeper understanding of the changes in her and […] The post Divorce – Jeanine Walker appeare...

2015 Jack Straw Writers Program Curator Kevin Craft interviews poet Erin Malone about her choice of themes for her recent works about child abduction and death. The poems she reads at the Jack Straw May Reading Series share perspectives from varying experiences: the passage of time, exposure to death, fading memories, and grief. Music by […] The post Childhood – Erin Malone appeared first on...

Kristen Millares Young seeks to discover empathy through her characters. The different perspectives that appear in her writing unfold into a story that sheds light on the human condition. THIS PODCAST CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Subduction – Kristen Millares Young appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural...

Raul Sanchez connects to his readers with his unreserved storytelling about his own background. With bright descriptions and mixed English and Spanish lines, Sanchez’s poems paint cultural scenes that open a world to his audience. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios and produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Excerpts from My Past My Way – Raul Sanchez appeared first on Jac...

Margot Kahn reflects on her cultural heritage through the lens of her teenage self. Her memories and observations reveal a warm innocence and resonate as a coming of age story. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Selected Work – Margot Kahn appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Setting the scene with memories of a childhood border crossing, Susan V. Meyers examines the significance of geographic boundary lines. Drawing on her experience of the U.S./Mexico border as an adult and providing background and history on its institution, Meyers stitches together thoughtful ideas on a complex issue. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as […] The post Visits to the Bor...

Gigi Rosenberg constructs a personable and engaging account of her relationship with her mother and the complexities that emerge posthumously. Rosenberg’s current project is How I Lost My Inheritance: A Mother/Daughter Memoir. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Chapter 1: Will and Trust – Gigi Rosenberg appeared first on Jack Straw...

Loreen Lilyn Lee shares her island heritage in a smooth, heartfelt narrative that celebrates the unique blend of culture that is Hawaii. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Being Local – Loreen Lilyn Lee appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Speaking with force and conviction, Laurel Albina examines cultural identity through her family’s experience settling in a new country. THIS PODCAST CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Selected Poems – Laurel Albina appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Jane Wong dares to write poetry, fighting through words to help express “the unknowable.” Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Selected Poems – Jane Wong appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

John D. Mullen is a master storyteller, openly describing scenes from his youth with frank hilarity and impeccable delivery. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post The Lineup – John D. Mullen appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Through the eyes of her 14-year-old self, Claudia Castro Luna recounts her family’s journey across the border and to a new life. Music by 2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post To Say Goodbye – Claudia Castro Luna appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Using textural images and striking word combinations, Anastacia Tolbert’s writing imbues the page with vivid sensations. THIS PODCAST CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE. Music by Victor Noriega/2 Trios, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Memoir – Anastacia Tolbert appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .

Self-deprecating and honest, Kate Carroll de Gutes serves her own brand of personal essay, much of which is uproariously funny. A stickler for the serial comma, Kate Carroll de Gutes believes that there should always be two spaces between a period and the beginning of the next sentence. Music by the Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble, […] The post What Does a Lesbian Bring on a Second Date – Ka...

Chelsea Werner-Jatzke recycles an old Pixies’ song, transforming song lyrics into living characters. Music by the Seattle Jazz Composers Ensemble, produced as part of the Jack Straw Artist Support Program. The post Tony’s Theme – Chelsea Werner-Jatzke appeared first on Jack Straw Cultural Center .