Magical Realism: A Conversation with Kelly Link and William McKelvy

Many of the biggest literary successes in the past decade have involved elements of the fantastic, and we have seen these stories come to life on both the small and big screens: Harry Potter, True Blood, The Walking Dead, dare we mention Twilight? This is to say nothing of the various primetime TV shows that reimagine fairy tales, or the ghost story franchises from The Ring to Paranormal Activity. What draws us to these stories of the supernatural? How do they relate to our real lives while relying on the unbelievable? Acclaimed author of magical realism, Kelly Link, explores the pleasure of surprising readers when using traditional story tropes, and discusses the archetypes of the genre. In the second half of the episode, William McKelvy, associate professor of English at Washington University in St. Louis, explains the hallmarks and legacy of Gothic literature. In addition to the interview, you can find a reading selection from the short story, "The Hortlak," from Kelly's collection, Magic for Beginners in a second podcast.