The Chills at Will Podcast chillsatwillpodcast

Notes and Links to Kate Brody’s Work
 
 
   For Episode 232, Pete welcomes Kate Brody, and the two discuss, among other topics, her early love of, and interest in, writing and reading, The Dave Matthews Band, formative and transformative teachers in grad school and 2nd grade, and salient themes and topics and craft decisions from her novel, Rabbit Hole, including online sleuthing, true crime, moralizing or lack thereof in fiction, and grieving. 
 
    Kate Brody lives in Los Angeles, California. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Lit Hub, CrimeReads, Electric Lit, The Rumpus, and The Literary Review, among other publications. She holds an MFA from NYU. Rabbit Hole is her debut.

Buy Rabbit Hole
 
Review of Rabbit Hole in Alta Journal by Jessica Blough
 
Kate Brody's Website

At about 1:50, Lukewarm/Warm Dave Matthews Band takes!
At about 3:40, Kate talks about growing in New Jersey and about her childhood relationship with the written word, as well as her connections to Maine, a setting for her book
At about 7:00, Pete and Kate reflect on beautiful, long reading days
At about 8:00, Kate gives background on her reading and writing life in adolescence and beyond
At about 10:00, Kate discusses the transformative short story and writing classes and texts at NYU, including inspiration from Mary Gaitskill’s work and teaching and Professor David Edenbach's guidance
At about 13:00, Tali Axelrod’s (Doctor Axelrod) influence on Kate’s writing trajectory is highlighted 
At about 14:25, Kate shouts out Lindsay Hunter, Alexandra Tanner, and Jennifer Bell as contemporary writers who thrill her
At about 16:55, Kate discusses how teaching informs her writing and vice versa
At about 20:50, Pete shouts out Rabbit Hole’s dynamic first line, as given kudos by Jean Kyoung Frazier on the book blurb, and Kate provides background on the line’s genesis and her choice to use present tense right away
At about 24:30, Pete remarks on the “banality of grief” done so well
At about 25:30, Angie is characterized and the book’s exposition discussed; Kate remarks on the memories and objects left behind by Angie, while speaking to experiences in her life that connect to the book’s events
At about 29:30, The two discuss ideas of legacy and remembrance, as shown through the characters in the book
At about 30:15, Clare’s marital situations and the unique family background of the Angstroms is highlighted and explained by Kate
At about 33:35-Pete asks for casting suggestions for Teddy, the narrator’s mother, Clare
At about 34:10-Kate discusses research and connections for the parts of the book on Reddit and true crime and crime fiction 
At about 39:25, Pete brings up ideas of secrets that Teddy held about his sister and the rearrangement of memory that comes after loss
At about 40:30, Michaela, “Mickey,” is characterized
At about 46:00, Kate responds to Pete’s asking about Bill and how she sees him; she expands on ideas of moralizing in literature 
At about 49:30, Kate outlines some “detours” in the plot
At about 50:25, Pete highlights a chaotic and funny scene that involves a dinner scene
At about 52:00, Kate talks about the scenes involving Teddy and the gun range and the importance of her having a gun
At about 56:10, The two discuss a cringeworthy and craftily-drawn and hilarious school dance scene
At about 59:15, Pete makes points about loneliness as a theme running throughout the book, and Kate reflects on this throughline
At about 1:04:00, Kate discusses ways of coping with trauma in the book
At about 1:05:00, Pete highlights Kate keen writing regarding unfulfilled potential and shares a moving 
At about 1:08:50, Kate talks about her exciting next book
At about 1:10:55, P&T Knitwear, Skylight Books, and Vroman’s are highlighted as good places to buy her book
 
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Notes and Links to José Vadi’s Work
 
   For Episode 231, Pete welcomes José Vadi, in Pete’s first in-store, live interview, as José launches his essay collection at Capital Books on K in Sacramento. It was a blast, due to José’s reflective, thoughtful, and witty answers, and the event featured great questions from the audience.
 
 
   José Vadi is an award-winning essayist, poet, playwright and film producer. He is the author of Inter State: Essays from California and Chipped: Writing from a Skateboarder’s Lens.
   His work has been featured by the Paris Review, The Atlantic, the PBS NewsHour, the San Francisco Chronicle, Free Skate Magazine, Quartersnacks, Alta Journal of California, and the Yale Review.

Buy Chipped: Writing from a Skateboarder's Lense
 
 
Los Angeles Times Review for Chipped: Writing from a Skateboarder's Lens
 
Chipped Book Tour Details
 
Jose's Website

At about 2:30, José talks about his book tour and initial days of publishing
At about 4:15, José talks about his mindset as the book comes out and the initial feedback he’s gotten, as well
At about 7:00, José responds to Pete’s questions about perspective and how he looks back at what he has written, particularly after having moved a few times
At about 9:15, José shouts out great Sacramento skate spots
At about 10:15, Jsoe talks about making his book about skateboarding “accessible” to non-skaters also
At about 11:45, José, freshly-hydrated, reads the book’s titular essay
At about 16:45, José’s reading leads to a discussion of the quote from the book “documentation is domination” from Ed Templeton, and José discusses the power of one’s board as an “extensión of [a person]”
At about 18:55, The two compare the destroyed boards with the raggedy basketball, and José alludes to Hanif Abdurraqib’s writing
At about 21:05, José talks about the adage from the book of “Time is a skater’s worst enemy” and attendant ideas of aging and obsession and pride
At about 23:20, José narrates and explores his essay about a big injury on the night on which Jake Phelps died, and José responds to Pete’s questions about “respecting the game [skating]” and its relation to injuries
At about 28:30, José and Pete discuss the frenzied and wonderful “Wild and Crazy” essay
At about 31:15, José discusses the phenomenon of skate videos and the DIY documentation of the 90s and early 2000s
At about 34:00, Pete asks José about what music he most identifies with his own skating history 
At about 35:15, José discusses musical connections with his parents that came from the music scene in skating 
At about 37:50, Pete asks José to discuss how he looked at the thrills and dangers of skateboarding and being “policed” by those in power as an adolescent
At about 40:05, José replies to Pete’s wondering about José’s view of progressive and inclusive cultures within skateboarding, especially with regards to contrasting the “old days” and more recent times
At about 42:20, Pete and José fanboy about Sun Ra-Pete regarding José’s brilliant essay about Sun Ra’s style and music and skateboarding, and José about Sun Ra’s prodigious brilliance 
At about 44:00, Pete wonders about the process for José in creating Sun Ra as an imagined skateboarder in the essay
At about 45:10, Pete and José discuss José’s time with Youth Speaks, and Pete uses one scene as a metaphor for José’s stellar writing
At about 47:35, Pete highlights a story involving “power” as indicative of José’s successful writing style, and José tells an incredible story about losing the mic and then hugging Michael Franti
At about 49:20, “Never meet your heroes” is discussed in relation to Ed Templeton and his support for José and skating as a whole, as well as Ed’s major injury; José discusses how Ed’s example gave José agency to write and create and skate 
At about 53:10-Lazer Round! Kings, Warriors, Lakers?

Notes and Links to Chelsea Hicks’ Work
 
   For Episode 230, Pete welcomes Chelsea Hicks, and the two discuss, among other topics, her language journey and how she came to study and work to help revitalize the Osage language, her feelings about being named “5 Under 35,” mentors and inspirations like Louise Erdrich and N. Scott Momaday, her writing as alternately “MFA-ish” and experimental, her nuanced view of “The Movie,” and salient themes from her story collection, including identity, celebrations and traumas, rematriation, agency, and family ties. 
 
   Chelsea T. Hicks is a Wazhazhe writer with an MA from UC Davis and an MFA from the Institute of American Indian Arts. Her writing has been published in The Paris Review, Poetry, McSweeney’s, and elsewhere. She was selected as a 5 Under 35 honoree by Louise Erdrich for the National Book Award, and her first book, A Calm and Normal Heart, was longlisted for the PEN America Robert W. Bingham Prize.

Buy A Calm and Normal Heart: Stories
 
 
Review of A Calm and Normal Heart in The Southern Review of Books

At about 1:30, Chelsea gives kudos to mentors at UCDavis for her MA
At about 2:25, Chelsea discusses her mindset and joy in being named one of the “5 Under 35” by Louise Erdrich for the National Book Foundation  
At about 7:15, Chelsea talks about her childhood relationship with language, and she provides a personal language background and a historical context for the loss and revitalization of the Osage language
At about 11:55, Chelsea shouts out Inés Hernández-Ávila and a language challenge through Ines’ connections in Oaxaca
At about 14:50, Chelsea gives background on some teaching and mentoring and promoting of language acceleration that she’s done 
At about 17:40-20:10, Chelsea responds to Pete’s question about innate connections to her Osage culture, particularly with regard to the language 
At about 20:35, Chelsea provides interesting information about the Osage language, including “masculine” and “feminine” ways of speaking and gendered pronouns
At about 22:40, The two discuss a cool phrase regarding the moon in Wažáže ie
At about 23:50, The two commiserate over linguistics classes
At about 24:45, Chelsea gives background on early favorite books and her literary journey, as well as how Peter Pan, other books, and her classmates and friends shone light on the way she and others in society saw her Native culture
At about 28:35, Chelsea traces her path as a writer, including early, self-guided poetry 
At about 30:25, Chelsea describes an “opening of [her] eyes” in reading N. Scott Momaday
At about 32:30, Chelsea references some particular insights of Momdaday from House of Dawn and gives background on a Paris Review article she wrote about his work; Chelsea discusses “rematriation” and land care, while discussing important work by Natalie Diaz and Sogorea Te’ Land Trust
At about 35:50, Pete and Chelsea discuss the book’s introduction and including indigenous language in the book, especially the titles; Pete shouts out a dynamic 
At about 37:30, Chelsea responds to Pete’s question about connections in the collection’s opening story to Killers of The Flower Moon and how she sees the movie
At about 43:10, Pete lays out some salient themes and plotlines covered in the story collection
At about 44:25, Chelsea wants to clarify how her work comes off- “direct” and “experimental,” etc.
At about 46:25, Chelsea talks about her writing philosophy, craft, love of poetry, and future academic work
At about 47:30, Pete enumerates some creative methods used by Chelsea
At about 49:50, Pete cites an important and poignant quote from the book
 
 
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Notes and Links to Will Sommer’s Work
 
   For Episode 229, Pete welcomes Will Sommers, and the two discuss, among other topics, his early relationship with the written word, his all-encompassing relationships with and love for student journalism, formative times at Georgetown, his lifelong interest in conservative media, and salient themes in his book, including the growth of QAnon through 4chan and 8chan and Trump’s rise to power, QAnon’s pop culture connections, questions of true believers and grifters in QAnon, key personalities in the movement, as well as possible remedies for loosening the hold QAnon has on some many people featured in his book.
 
     Will Sommer covers right-wing media, political radicalization and right-wing conspiracy theories in the United States. His 2023 book is Trust the Plan: The Rise of QAnon and the Conspiracy That Reshaped América. He is also featured as an expert on QAnon in HBO's Q: Into the Storm. He has previously written for The Daily Beast, and now works as a media reporter for The Washington Post. 

Buy Trust the Plan: The Rise of QAnon and the Conspiracy That Unhinged America
 
 
Will's Wikipedia Page
 
Review of Trust the Plan in The New York Times
 
Review of Trust the Plan in The Guardian

Will Discusses his Book with Terri Gross on NPR’s Fresh Air

At about 1:50, Will gives background on the inspiration for QAnon’s motto, derived from the movie White Squall
At about 3:20, Will talks about being “bookish and into writing,” unspooling stories,” high school and college newspapers, and his early love for journalism
At about 6:25, Will talks about inspiring and formative texts and writers, including Patrick Radden Keefe, Janet Malcolm, Charles Bowden, and Mike Sager
At about 10:00, Pete shouts out Mark Arax and a particularly unforgettable piece
At about 10:50, Will responds to Pete’s questions about his upbringing in Texas and Will expounds upon his appetite for conservative media and trends and feuds that he has observed over the years
At about 14:10, Will traces his career journey from Georgetown to The Patch and on
At about 17:20, Pete and Will discuss the book’s Introduction, set during the January 6 rallies and riots; Will expounds upon his mindset during the day, the incredible things he heard rioters say, and the importance of his attendance for his research 
At about 21:00, Pete asks about QAnon’s beginnings, its placement in the Trump presidency, and Will gives background on Q’s connections to 4chan
At about 24:05, Will gives a summary of QAnon’s beliefs and the idea of “The Storm”
At about 24:45, Will provides history on “Pizzagate” and its early connections to QAnon
At about 26:05, Will replies to Pete’s questions about QAnon representation at the January 6 rally, and Pete cites a telling quote from the book by Will at the January 6 rally
At about 29:00, Will gives examples of feedback and conversation with QAnon believers, as well as many of their mindsets/motivations and targets for their anger/frustrations 
At about 30:20, Pete cites Chapter One’s “Easter eggs” for QAnon, and Will talks about “Q Proofs” and other indicators, according to the believers 
At about 32:10, Will points to a definition of “conspiracy theory” from the book and connects to real-life theories passed on by QAnon believers 
At about 33:05, Will puts into perspectives some statistics about QAnon tenets and American beliefs in these, as measured by polls from the last few years
At about 35:55, Will gives some history of 4chan and more connections to QAnon 
At about 38:15, Will opines on Trump’s ignorance of QAnon versus his manipulating and using their support for him
At about 41:25, Pete asks Will about his views on people who believe in QAnon tenets and about those who promote QAnon
At about 44:00. Pete traces social media’s connections to QAnon and Will describes how Covid led to a resurgence of QAnon
At about 46:00-QAnon A

Notes and Links to Jennifer Croft’s Work
 
 
   For Episode 228, Pete welcomes Jennifer Croft, and the two discuss, among other topics, her early relationship with words and geography and later, multilingualism, formative colleagues and teachers who guided and inspired her love of languages and literary translation, her serendipitous path to focusing on Polish and Spanish translations, connections between cultural nuances and translation, and literal and allegorical signposts in her book, including climate change and celebrity “brands,” the fluidity of translation, the relationships between translators and original writing, the intriguing phenomenon that is amadou, and time and perspective and their connections to translation. 

   Jennifer Croft won a 2022 Guggenheim Fellowship for her novel The Extinction of Irena Rey, the 2020 William Saroyan International Prize for Writing for her illustrated memoir Homesick, and the 2018 International Booker Prize for her translation of Olga Tokarczuk’s Flights. A two-time National Book Award–honoree, Croft is Presidential Professor of English & Creative Writing at the University of Tulsa. 

Buy The Extinction of Irena Rey
 
 
Jennifer's Wikipedia Page
 
Review of The Extinction of Irena Rey in The New York Times
 
Jennifer Discusses her Book with Scott Simon on NPR’s Weekend Edition

At about 2:40, Jennifer discusses the feedback she’s gotten, and the overall experience that has governed the weeks since the book’s March 6 publication  
At about 3:40, Shout out to the coolest envelope ever, and to Emily Fishman at Bloomsbury Publishing
At about 4:20, Jennifer talks about the influences that led to her curiosity about reading and geography and knowledge 
At about 5:55, Jennifer lays out the books that she was reading in her childhood, and talks about books and writing as ways of “traveling”
At about 8:15, Jennifer talks about inspirations from her reading, including working with Yevgeny Yevtushenko
At about 10:15, Jennifer expounds upon her journey in learning new languages, and how learning Spanish and Polish were connected
At about 13:15, Jennifer and Pete talk about the greatness of Jorge Luis Borges, and Pete shouts out the unforgettable “The Gospel According to Mark”
At about 14:15, Jennifer charts what makes her MFA in Literary Translation different than translation on its own
At about 15:30, Jennifer recounts her experiences in Poland when she was there during the time of Pope John Paul II’s death
At about 17:35, Jennifer talks about the art of translation and how she has evolved in her craft over the years
At about 20:45, Pete uses a Marquez translation as an example of a seemingly-absurd rendering, while Jennifer provides a balanced view of translation challenges 
At about 22:30, Pete cites some of the gushing blurbs for the book and asks Jennifer about seeds for the book; she cites a genesis in a nonfiction idea 
At about 28:15, Pete reads a plot summary from the book jacket/promotional materials 
At about 29:10, Pete and Jennifer discuss the book’s two narrators-Emilia the writer, and Alexis, her English translator-and their conflicts and devolutions 
At about 33:40, Pete remarks on the strategic and highly-successful structure of the book
At about 34:20, Jennifer responds to Pete’s questions about her use of images throughout the book
At about 37:30, Jennifer discusses the “dishonest[y] of subjectivity” in discussing translation and the author/translator’s role in the writing
At about 38:20, Pete reads a few key lines from the book, including the powerful opening lines and gives some exposition of the book
At about 40:50, Jennifer responds to Pete’s questions about the importance of amadou in the book, and she expands on its many uses and history
At about 45:35, Jennifer expounds on ideas of the “mother tongue” as posited in the book, and uses examples from her own life to further reflect
At about 48:00, Incredibl

Notes and Links to Gina Chung’s Work
 
   For Episode 227, Pete welcomes Gina Chung, and the two discuss, among other topics, The Babysitters Club’s lasting impact, her early relationship with words and bilingualism, finding great storytelling in her parents’ example and in folktales and animal myths, her master touch with disparate stories and characters, and salient topics from the story collection like parental/child relationships and expectations, grief and memory, and one’s connection with her forebears. 
 
Gina Chung is a Korean American writer from New Jersey currently living in New York City. She is the author of the novel SEA CHANGE (Vintage, March 28, 2023; Picador, April 13, 2023 in the Commonwealth and in the UK on August 10, 2023), which was longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, an Asian/Pacific American Award for Adult Fiction Honor, a 2023 B&N Discover Pick, and a New York Times Most Anticipated Book, and the short story collection GREEN FROG (Vintage, March 12, 2024; out in the UK/Commonwealth from Picador on June 6, 2024). A recipient of the Pushcart Prize, she is a 2021-2022 Center for Fiction/Susan Kamil Emerging Writer Fellow and holds an MFA in fiction from The New School's Creative Writing Program and a BA in literary studies from Williams College. Her work appears or is forthcoming in One Story, BOMB, The Kenyon Review, Literary Hub, Catapult, Electric Literature, Gulf Coast, Indiana Review, Idaho Review, The Rumpus, Pleiades, and F(r)iction, among others.
 
Buy Green Frog
 
 
Gina's Website
 
Review of Green Frog-Kirkus

At about 2:35, Gina shouts places to buy her book, Green Frog, and about her feelings a few weeks before the book’s release
At about 4:25, Gina recounts what she’s heard from early readers of her collection
At about 6:05, Gina responds to Pete’s questions about storytellers in her life and her early language and reading life
At about 10:10, Gina talks about her early reading delights
At about 12:10, Babysitters Club love!
At about 13:15, Gina talks about her writing journey and her confidence peaks and valleys
At about 16:40, Gina shouts out “amazing” contemporary writers, such as Rebecca K. Riley and Jiaming Tang 
At about 18:40-21:25, Gina talks about seeds for her collection and gives background on the title story and the “Green Frog” folktale
At about 21:25-22:40, Gina talks about daily and informal observation that inspired “Mantis” and other stories in the collection
At about 24:40, Gina speaks to her rationale and the background in picking the Emily Jungmin Yoon-inspired epigraph
At about 26:25, Pete and Gina discuss “How to Eat Your Own Heart,” the collection’s first story, including profound quotes (27:10-30:20)
At about 31:00, Gina speaks to ideas of regeneration in the above story and gives some background on how the story came from a Zoom “Knife Skills” course
At about 34:25, The two further discuss the title story of the collection 
At about 36:20, Pete asks Gina about the meanings of “here” in the title story 
At about 39:30, Themes of community in “The Fruits of Sin” are discussed 
At about 40:35, Belief is discussed in conjunc
At about 41:15, Grief and the importance of rabbits in Korean culture and beyond are discussed in connection to a moving story from the collection
At about 43:40, Pete quotes an important and universal passage as he and Gina talk about memory’s throughline in the collection; the two ruminate on connections to The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
At about 50:20, Gina reflects on a moving story that deals with memory and technology
At about 54:00, The two talk about mother-daughter and parent-child relationships in the collection
At about 57:40, Pete quotes a poignant and skillfully crafted passage
At about 59:15, Gina gives a ballpark for how long of a range the stories were written in and throughlines that she has identified in her collection 
At about 1:03:00,