The Drunken Odyssey with John King: A Podcast About the Writing Life

Episode 153 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature is available on  iTunes , or right click  here  to download. I n this week’s episode, I interview the iconoclastic Disney author Leonard Kinsey, plus Terry Barr writes about leaning not to teach The Catcher in the Rye . TEXTS DISCUSSED  

I n this week’s episode, we have a roundtable discussion of Kattenstoet, the Belgian cat holiday that may or may not be a retroactive apology for medieval atrocities against felines. Present for this discussion were Teege Braune, Lisa Roney, and Jared Silvia. John's cat Zoë Reads Hemingway. Jared's cat, Miroslav. [embed]https://vimeo.com/40029049[/embed] TEXTS DISCUSSED Alicia Ostriker's " The Ora...

I n this week’s episode, I talk to comedian, podcaster, and now, author, Greg Proops, Photo by Idil Sukan/Draw HQ plus Rochelle Spencer writes about the liberating politics of Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God . TEXTS DISCUSSED  NOTES Read Teege Braun's review of Greg Proops's comedy special, Live at Musso and Frank, here .

I n this week’s episode, I talk to the fantasy, science fiction, and nonfiction writer Melissa Crandall, Plus Síofra Shaman Skye shares a letter she wrote to J.D. Salinger. TEXTS DISCUSSED [embed]https://youtu.be/hJFtCfHDFfw[/embed] Check out Melissa Crandall's blog, The Caretaker's Wild Ride,  here . NOTES Check out more about Wilson Santos’ Dominican Republic project, including how to donate, he...

I n this week’s episode, I talk to the memoirist, Chelsey Clammer, plus Susan Brennan shares her poetry sequence, Chromoluminarism , based on the last days of the pointillist, George Seraut. TEXTS DISCUSSED "The Circus" by George Seraut, 1891. NOTES If you live in the city beautiful (Orlando, in case you don't know), come out to see a great show and support a great cause on May 1st. Check out Jenn...

I n this week’s episode, I talk to the playwright Jennifer Hoppe-House, whose extraordinary debut play is experiencing its world premiere at Orlando Shakespeare Theater, plus Lori D'Angelo writes about discovering The Scarlet Letter as a teenager, and reading it in a way probably not endorsed by her high school curriculum. TEXTS DISCUSSED NOTES Ginger Lee McDermott as Molly in Jennifer Hoppe-House...

I n this week’s episode, I talk to the poet Scott Bailey, Scott Bailey and Raquel Obando. plus Chad W. Lutz writes about Stephen King's novella "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption." TEXTS DISCUSSED NOTES The music accompanying Chad W. Lutz's essay was "Crater" by The Spanish Donkey . Ginger Lee McDermott as Molly in Jennifer Hoppe-House's Bad Dog (Photo by Tony Firriolo). Check out Jennife...

I n this week’s episode, I host a roundtable discussion with Vanessa Blakeslee, David James Poissant, and Boris Fishman, in which we critique the essay collection, MFA vs. NYC ,   Plus J. Bradley reads a selection from his new prose poem book,  A Wild Swing of the Knife . TEXTS DISCUSSED   NOTES Buy It is a Wild Swing of the Knife here . Patrick Hawkins (Episode 145) and his fellow Geeks of Comedy...

I n this week’s episode, I engage in an epic, manic conversation about the creative appeal and history of  comic books and superhero storytelling with Patrick Hawkins. TEXTS DISCUSSED Thor by Walter Simonson - Volume 1 (Thor (Graphic Novels))" target="_blank"> Four important panels that John came across early in his reading life: from The Incredible Hulk #182. NOTES Patty Hawkins is a geek theoris...

I n this week’s episode, I talk flash fiction, mythology,  Cosmopolitan , the meeting of graphic and written art, and experimental writing with the fabulous Katie Farris, plus Jesse Back writes about his spiritual, romantic, and personal evolution through Will Durant's The History of Philosophy . Photo by Daniel Parsons. TEXTS DISCUSSED BodyHome" target="_blank"> NOTES The music used with "Forgett...

In this week’s episode, I share a recording of a live event featuring Boris Fishman reading from his novel,  A Replacement Life Photo by Rob Liguori and your humble host reading poetry. Texts Discussed Read the New Yorker profile of Merle Haggard here .

I n this week’s episode, I catch up with Lisa Roney, who has just released her creative writing textbook, Serious Daring , and a poetry chapbook, The Best Possible Bad Luck , plus, Liz Haberkorn writes about Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five , starvation, and eating disorders. TEXTS DISCUSSED NOTES Rest in peace, Michael Brachfeld. John King, Taco Reus, Maria Fadiman, Michael Brachfeld, Jennifer...

This week, it's this writing podcast's third mixtape.

I n this week’s episode, I talk to the memoirist, novelist, and journalist Marya Honrbacher, Photo © Mark Trockman (trockstock.com) plus J.J. Anselmi reads his personal essay, "Atrophy," and I offer a tribute to the late Philip Levine. TEXTS DISCUSSED Read Marya Hornbacher's wonderful Smithsonian profile of Oscar Peterson here . NOTES J.J. Anselmi's "Atrophy" first appeared online in Cleaver Magaz...

This week features our third annual Erotic Poetry Night, with moi and The Drunken Odyssey All-Stars: Danielle Kessinger Teege Braune Genevieve Anna Tyrrell Anna King Erica Dawson. Many thanks to our most excellent venue,

In this week’s episode, I talk to the novelist Darcey Steinke, plus I share a spoken word poem by Wilson Santos, and a brief interview about his crowdfunding project for literacy in the Dominican Republic. TEXTS DISCUSSED http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkrDE5oYjRs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPhp5M3n0O0 NOTES Check out more about Wilson Santos' Domican Republic project, including how to donate,...

Episode 137 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature is available on  iTunes , or right click  here  to download. I n this week’s episode, I talk to Annemarie Ní Churreáin about Irish literature, poetry, and the call of nature, plus Will Garland reads his essay, The Art of Telling a Story About Southern Family Living in a Small Southern Town . NOTES The m...

Episode 136 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature is available on  iTunes , or right click  here  to download. I n this week’s episode, I talk to Walter Mosley about crime fiction, characterization, the subconscious work of the writer, and the radical aesthetics of Amiri Baraka, Photo by David-Burnett. and I also talk to Petra Mason about Bettie Page,...

I n this week’s episode, I talk about James Wood's How Fiction Works  with Vanessa Blakeslee, Plus Amy Penne writes about how David Foster Wallace's  Consider the Lobster and Other Essays  changed her life. TEXTS DISCUSSED http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsbKT50ud04 NOTES On Tuesday, January 20th, 7 P.M., Leslie Salas will lead  a workshop on imagery  at the Orlando Public Library, Herndon Branch....

I n this week’s episode, I share another Miami BookFair International interview, this one with fiction writer and poet Stuart Dybek, and I also talk to the poet Denise Duhamel, plus Jim Ross writes about how Moss Hart's Act One changed his life. TEXTS DISCUSSED NOTES In Orlando, come hear me, Kimberly Lojewski, Robert Metcalf, and Tiffany Razzano read prose at There Will Be Words on January 13th....

I n this week’s episode, I share another Miami BookFair International interview, this one with writer and filmmaker John Waters . TEXTS DISCUSSED  NOTES In Orlando, come hear me, Kimberly Lojewski, Robert Metcalf, and Tiffany Razzano read prose at There Will Be Words on January 13th. On Tuesday, January 20th, 7 P.M., Leslie Salas will lead a workshop on imagery at the Orlando Public Library, Hernd...

I n this week’s episode, I interview novelist and memoirsit Joanna Rakoff , Photo by David Ignaszewski and then talk once again with the poet Tony Hoagland , Photo by Ann Staveley plus Brittany McIntyre writes bravely about how a book I never expected to learn more about changed her life. TEXTS DISCUSSED NOTES Carlton Melton 's "Country Ways" accompanied Brittany McIntyre's essay. In Orlando, come...

T his week’s episode got a bit out of hand. Jared Silvia tells me that, for legal reasons, this needs to be called a radio play. Anyway, I talk to Santa, have an interview you have to hear to believe--maybe you still won't believe it-- plus I replay Melissa Crandall's personal essay about A Christmas Carol . NOTES Pre-order Nathan Holic’s new novel, The Things I Don’t See, here for only $6.

I n this week’s episode, I interview author and editor Jaquira Díaz. TEXTS DISCUSSED Read Jaquira Díaz's "Cami" at Story South . Read Jocelyn Bartkevicius's "Out of the Garden" at The Missouri Review . NOTES Pre-order Nathan Holic's new novel, The Things I Don't See, here for only $6.

I n this week’s episode, I present a rambunctious reading honoring Repeal Day, which I think might be one of the twelve days of Christmas.   The Drunken Odyssey All Stars on this occasion included Dianne Turgeon Richardson, Tod Caviness, Anna King, Jared Silvia, Sam Slaughter, Danita Berg, Matt Peters, Teege Braune, and Vanessa Blakeslee.