LitCit: Antioch's Literary Citizen Podcast

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Jenna Ray chats with BookEnds Literary Agency agent, Allegra Martschenko. Allegra's client list represents a dynamic range of thoughtful, funny, ambitious and propulsive reads across speculative and romance genres. Following a career in scholarly publishing with presses including Princeton University, The University of Colorado and Cornell University, they are also an author under pen names and an artist. Jenna and Allegra discuss the publishing landscape for authors, life as a literary agent, their manuscript wishlist and advice for authors and MFA students. This episode was produced by Justin Clarel and mastered by Jenna Ray.

On this episode of Antioch MFA's LitCit, host Gabriela Revilla Lugo chats with award-winning author Reyna Grande. Grande is the bestselling writer of The Distance Between Us, A Dream Called Home, and A Ballad of Love and Glory, and her work has been celebrated internationally for its intimate portrayals of migration, resilience, and belonging. In this conversation, Grande reflects on her evolution as a storyteller, the craft behind writing across genres, and the emotional truths that guide her work. Learn about her creative process, the experiences that shaped her voice, and what she's working on next. This episode was produced by Karen Sampson and mastered by Mitko Grigorov.

On this episode of Antioch MFA's LitCit, host Hyelee Kim chats with Annie Hwang. Hwang is an agent at Ayesha Pande Literary, an advocate, and a champion for underrepresented voices. Her authors include John Paul Brammer, Franny Choi, Alison Rollins, and USA Today best-selling author Jihyun Yun. As a former journalist with a keen editorial eye, Hwang discusses her career and preference for "literary fiction with teeth." Hwang also provides hope, guidance, and insight for aspiring writers. This episode was produced by Diane Woodworth and mastered by Hyelee Kim.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Jenna Ray chats with author, artist, teacher and antioch MFA alumni, Lisa Freeman. They discuss her multi-faceted career, her historical young adult novels, Honey Girl and Riptide Summer, her newest story "Snow People" in the anthology The Gift Exchange, and writing about LGBTQIA+ and women's reproductive rights in a historical context. This episode was produced by Hyelee Kim and mastered by Odin Rasco.

On this episode of Antioch MFA's LitCit, host Gina Rae Duran interviews acclaimed writer Bonnie Hearn Hill. Hill is author of sixteen suspense novels, most recently the Kit Doyle Crime Blogger series and the novel The River Below. Hearn Hill's work also appears in The White Picket Fence, an anthology from Flower Song Press edited by host Gina Rae Duran. Listen to Hearn Hill reflect on her career, her writing, her research process and how she approaches storytelling through the exploration of the theme of misfits. This episode was produced by Bo Thomas Newman and mastered by David Nguyen.

On this episode of Antioch MFA's LitCit, host Gabriela Revilla Lugo interviews acclaimed writer Winnie Holzman. Holzman is the creative force behind some of the most influential works in contemporary storytelling, including the beloved musical Wicked and TV classics like My So-Called Life and Once and Again. Hear Holzman reflect on her artistic journey, the cultural resonance of her work, and the lessons she's learned from a career spent shaping iconic narratives. This episode was produced by Mansi Aneja and mastered by David Blixt.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Ash Anderson chats with Tony-nominated actor, award-winning playwright and novelist, John Cariani. Cariani is an Antioch University mentor and has penned more than twenty plays, including Almost, Main, which has been produced more than 5000 times and which he adapted into a novel. This episode was produced by Karen Sampson and mastered by Mitko Grigorov.

On this episode of Antioch MFA's LitCit, host Gabriela Lugo chats with Colette Freedman. Freedman is an internationally produced playwright with over 50 produced plays and musicals. Her play Sister Cities has been produced around the country and internationally, including Paris (Une Ville, Une Soeur), Rome (Le Quattro Sorelle), and Australia. She made her West End Debut at the Lyric Theatre in April 2025 as co-book writer and lyricist in Bettie Page Queen of the Pinups: The Musical. Freedman is a much-loved teaching faculty at Antioch University's MFA program. Soak in her vibrant energy, her process as a writer, and her journey as a storyteller so far. This episode was produced by Karen Sampson and mastered by Mitko Grigorov.

On this episode of Antioch MFA's LitCit, host Mansi Aneja chats with writer and Antioch nonfiction faculty member, Edgar Gomez. Gomez is a queer NicaRican writer born and raised in Florida. He is the author of the memoir High-Risk Homosexual that was released in 2022 and won the American Book Award, a Stonewall Israel-Fishman Nonfiction Book Honor Award, and the Lambda Literary Award. Get to know Gomez, his writing process, and the journey of his second book that was released in February 2025 entitled Alligator Tears. This episode was produced by Bo Thomas Newman and mastered by Mitko Grigorov.

On this episode of Antioch MFA's LitCit, host Alejandra Alexander chats with writer, director, producer, teacher, and esteemed Antioch dramatic writing faculty member, Joy Kecken. Joy's short films, Woman Hollering Creek and Louisville, and her feature documentary, The Biggest Little Farm, have screened at over 30 film festivals. She has also developed series for Amazon, ABC Signature, and FX. They discuss her career, which spans being the co-founder of The Film Foundry, a Culver City-based media company, writing and directing HBO's The Wire, serving as Co-Executive Producer on the fourth season of Genius: MLK/X, a National Geographic series, and her feature film, All-In, currently in development with Maven Pictures. This episode was produced by Bo Thomas Newman and mastered by David Nguyen.

On this episode of Antioch MFA's LitCit, host Brenda Fantroy-Johnson chats with acclaimed author, essayist, activist, and esteemed Antioch faculty member Anjali Enjeti. Together they discuss in detail her debut novel The Parted Earth, her essay collection, Southbound, what writing as activism means, and exploring family history. This episode was produced by Bo Thomas Newman and edited by Brenda Fantroy-Johnson and David Nguyen.

On this episode of Antioch MFA's LitCit, host Bo Thomas Newman chats with author, screenwriter, editor, director, journalist, and professor, Morgan Jerkins. They discuss her multifaceted career as a professor, editor and journalist, the balance between fiction and nonfiction, her past works such as This Will Be My Undoing: Living at the Intersection of Black, Female, and Feminist in (White) America and Caul Baby, her path to directing her first short film, Black Madonna, and how her new novel, Zeal, came to be, which is in stores now. This episode was produced by Mansi Aneja and mastered by Mitko Grigorov.

On this episode of Antioch MFA program's LitCit, host Jonathan Chou chats with poet, children's book author, filmmaker, multidisciplinary artist, and the Antioch MFA program's new Core faculty head of Poetry, Cathy Linh Che. Together they go in-depth of Cathy Linh Che's previous poetry collection, Split, and her new collection, Becoming Ghost, in addition to discussing Jonathan Chou's collection, Resemblance. They discuss the role of memory in community building, activism, and poetry, false memories found in culture such as in the film, Apocalypse Now, and what it means to write poetry as an Asian-American. This episode was produced by Bo Thomas Newman and mastered by David Blixt.

On this episode of Antioch MFA's LitCit, host Jacqueline Rose chats with Los Angeles writer, artist, and publisher, Kai Adia. They discuss Kai's poetry collection, Depths of Anima, the Pushcart nominated Afrofuturist anthology she co-edited, Future Splendor: A Celebration of a New Renaissance,  and the press she co-founded, Bee Infinite Publishing. Adia also discusses her overlapping responsibilities to the literary community, inspirations, and social activism among writers. This episode was produced by Ian Rodriguez and mastered by Bo Thomas Newman.

On this second episode of a two-part episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Caren McDonald chats with guest, Sorcha De Brún, a writer, lecturer, researcher, and Irish translator. They discuss the new wave of Irish language novelists as well as Sorcha De Brun's recent monograph about the intersection of masculinities and the Irish language, focusing on three contemporary writers: Mícheál Ó Conghaile, Pádraig Ó Cíobháin, Joe Steve Ó Neachtain. This episode was produced by Bo Thomas Newman, and mastered by David Ngyuen.

On this first episode of a two-part episode of Antioch MFA's LitCit, host Caren McDonald chats with Sorcha De Brún, a writer, lecturerer, researcher, and Irish translator. They discuss how friendship can serve as an important tool for learning language, the need for imagination to keep the Irish language alive, and the different theories on translation pedagogy. Additionally, they critique Caren's attempt at translating one of Sorcha's poems, followed by a discussion of nuances of translation and the (un)reliability of online translation softwares. This episode was produced by Bo Thomas Newman and mastered by Mitko Grigorov. 

On this episode of Antioch MFA's LitCit, host Jacqueline Rose chats with author, journalist, essayist, and esteemed Antioch faculty member, Erin Aubry Kaplan. They discuss a great deal of Kaplan's books: Black Talk, Blue Thoughts, And Walking The Color Line and I Heart Obama, the respect of social justice in writing and observing the world around us, and answering the question: What does it mean to the local and global community, and how does one write about it? This episode was produced by Ian Rodriguez and Mastered by Jacqueline Rose and Bo Thomas Newman.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's Lit Cit, host Lisa Locascio Nighthawk chats with author, memoirist, and critic, Claire Dederer. They discuss her CNF novel, Monsters A Fan's Dillema, the importance of a literary community, separating the art from the artist, preserving your mental health in the current political landscape, and the value of structure vs. plot in storytelling. This episode was produced and mastered by Bo Thomas Newman.

On this episode of Antioch MFA's LitCit, host Bo Thomas Newman engages in a thought-provoking conversation with author, attorney, and esteemed Antioch faculty member Natashia Deón. Delving into an exploration of Deon's acclaimed novels, Grace and  The Perishing, Deon provides unique insights into her professional life as a writer, her activism, her adept juggling of diverse careers and even homeschooling. They also discuss the intricacies of historical fiction, contemplating the elusive nature of time itself. This episode was produced by Ian Rodriguez and mastered by Beth Dewey.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's Lit Cit, host Caren McDonald chats with author, Jessica Johns. They discuss Johns' debut novel, Bad Cree, the power of community, and the importance of learning your inner wisdom. This episode was produced by Bo Thomas Newman and mastered by Beth Dewey.

On this episode of Antioch MFA program's LitCit, host Keshia Nash-Johnson chats with guest Ken Liu, author of the Dandelion Dynasty fantasy series, which inludes the novel The Grace of Kings, and the award-winning shortstory collection, The Paper Menagerie. They discuss his creation and use of the genre Silkpunk, his writing process, his literary influences, and the way his speculative fiction engages with his readers. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo, and mastered by Elyse Jackson Williams, Ian Rodriguez, and Bo Thomas Newman.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Amalia Mora chats with Lynn Ferguson, a self described "mongrel of the arts," whose career spans TV, radio, film, and stage. They discuss Lynn's work as a writer and storyteller, self-forgiveness as a cure for writer's block, and why creating connection-often through the use of humor-motivates her writing. They talk about her debut collection of essays, Notes From The Valley, and they also share a lot of laughs-about cavemen, cults, and two things Lynn has fallen in love with: her dog, Arthur, and her new trailer named Bertha. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo, and mastered by Ian Rodriguez and Bo Thomas Newman.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Paula Williamson chats with guest and screenwriter, Angela Harvey. Angela reveals her unconventional path into television writing. She discusses her success in the stories of the supernatural, her exploration of race, religion and politics, and her excitement about the depiction of Black rural life onscreen. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Beth Dewey. 

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Bo Thomas Newman chats with guest Shannon C.F. Rogers, winner of the 2024 APALA Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature and author of the debut YA novel, I'd Rather Burn Than Bloom. In this interview, Shannon discusses her upbringing in Albuquerque, her experience as a playwright, her Filipino-American identity, themes of grief and self-discovery in her cinematic writing, and her publishing journey with her first novel. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Jasmine Gipson and Bo Thomas Newman.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Bo Thomas Newman chats with guest Kimberly King Parsons, author of two works including her recent debut novel, We Were The Universe. In this interview, Kimberly shares her journey as a writer, the differences between crafting short-stories and novels, and how motherhood and psychedelia play a central part in We Were the Universe. This episode was produced by Ian Rodriguez and mastered by Jasmine Gipson and Bo Thomas Newman.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, Caren McDonald chats with guest Ana Maria Spagna, a writer, teacher, and former backcountry trails worker. They discuss Spagna's newest book, Pushed: Miners, a Merchant and (Maybe) a Massacre, and the power of reframing narrative and honoring other people's stories. They also talk about the importance of imagination for nonfiction writers, the benefits of working on multiple projects at once, and the joys of writing the MFA critical paper. This episode was produced by Ian Rodriguez and mastered by Caren McDonald.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Keshia Nash-Johnson engages author Isabel Yap in a discussion about her breakout short story collection Never Have I Ever. Isabel talks about fanfiction as a sandbox for a writer's growth, the value of cultural mythology in her stories, monsters and the monstrous parts of humanity, death and its weight in her writing, the musicality of prose, and her forthcoming books. This episode was produced by Kenzy El-Mohandes and mastered by Keshia Nash-Johnson.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Thomas Huisking chats with screenwriter Hanz Wasserburger. Hanz discusses his journey from lawyer (assistant attorney general in the Civil Medicaid Fraud Division) to screenwriter (A Tale of Two Coreys, Second Impression). This interview was conducted shortly after the 2023 Writers Guild of America Strike, and was produced and mastered by Jacqueline Rose.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Jessica Chisum chats with guest Gayle Brandeis about her latest book Drawing Breath: Essays on Writing, the Body, and Loss (2023). Gayle discusses her favorite childhood authors, why writers are afraid to write about illness, what it means to write a "bonus book," and her new "novel in multiverse" in which Lilith embodies Marilyn Monroe! This episode was produced by Kenzy El-Mohandes and mastered by Elyse Jackson-Williams.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit host Thomas Huisking talks to screenwriter Ross Brown about his journey from second assistant director to television writer to executive producer and creator of three different network shows. If you remember Webster, The Facts of Life, and Step By Step, among others, you're in for a treat! This interview was conducted shortly before the 2023 Writers Guild of America Strike. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Thomas Huisking.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, Ian Rodriguez chats with guest Iwalani Kim an associate agent at Sanford J. Greenberger Associates. They discuss what makes a story moving and Iwalani's pathway from slam poetry to becoming an agent, giving her fresh insights. They also talk about how works have literary value with evocative characters and bring words from two of Iwalani's favorite books, Luster by Raven Leilani and T Kira Madden's Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Ian Rodriguez. 

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Diana Hardy chats with guest Kavita Das. Kavita Das discusses writing for social change in her book Craft and Conscience: How to Write About Social Issues. Das explores the importance of representation and the barriers she faced while writing Poignant Song: The Life and Music of Lakshmi Shankar, the life story of Grammy-nominated Hindustani singer Lakshmi Shankar. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Diana Hardy and Beth Dewey.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Kevin Cummins chats with guest Toni Ann Johnson: playwright, screenwriter, and author of five books including her most recent, Light Skin Gone to Waste. In this interview, Toni Ann shares stories of her New York upbringing, discusses how race and lightness intersect, and tells us why she values James Baldwin. This episode was produced by Samantha Rahmani and mastered by Ian Rodriguez.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Michelle Yee chats with guest Vanessa Hua, author of three books including her most recent, Forbidden City. In this interview, Vanessa shares stories about her beginnings as a writer, why she went back to school for an MFA, and how Forbidden City took fourteen years to become published. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Michelle Yee.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Irvina Kanarek chats with guest Toni Jensen about her Memoir, Carry (2020) which includes her personal experiences with gun violence, domestic violence, and living as a white-presenting indigenous person. Jensen also shares her thoughts about combating racism in the classroom, what it truly means to be labeled a 'difficult woman', her writing process, gentrification, and Gen Z. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Irvina Kanarek.

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Maggie Lam chats with guest Diana Khoi Nguyen about their beginnings as a poet, philosophies in teaching, and techniques used in creating their debut poetry collection Ghost Of. Diana reads "Triptych" and shares stories and tips around self-care when writing about trauma and grief. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Maggie Lam.  

On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Mikaela Ryan chats with guest Ellen O'Connell Whittet, who is the author of the memoir What You Become in Flight (2020), and a co-host of the podcast, Good Moms on Paper. Mikaela and Ellen discuss unlearning childhood lessons about the body and femininity, studying with Jo Ann Beard, honing the tiny expert, balancing motherhood with teaching and writing, and creating a literary community. This episode was produced and mastered by Kenzy El-Mohandes.

Host Michael Sedillo talks to young adult author Aminah Mae Safi about her newest novel, Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix (2022), a combination of historical fiction about the Third Crusades and a retelling of Robin Hood. Aminah discusses identity, representation, diversity in literature, and her life as a writer. This episode was produced by Samantha Rahmani and mastered by Michael Sedillo, students of the Antioch University MFA Program in Creative Writing.  

Host Diana Hardy talks to author Shruti Swamy about her short story collection, A House Is A Body (2020), and novel, The Archer (2021). Shruti Swamy discusses her experience launching two books back-to-back during the pandemic, motherhood and creativity, punctuation, her influences, and what she's working on now. This episode was produced by Samantha Rahmani and mastered by Diana Hardy.

Host Samantha Rahmani speaks with Parrish Turner, an editorial assistant at HarperCollins and proud member of the HarperCollins Union, about the recent HarperCollins Union strike. As of the date of this episode's release, the union and HarperCollins have reached an agreement, and union members returned to work on February 21st. Check out HarperCollins Union (@hcpunion) on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok for more. Episode edited by Samantha Rahmani and produced by Kenzy El-Mohandes.  

Host Michael Sedillo talks to author Gudalupe García McCall about her speculative 2022 YA novel, Echos of Grace. Gudalupe García McCall discusses representation of Latinx youth in YA literature, culture, family, teaching young people, writing speculative fiction, and her forthcoming collaboration with David Bowles, Secret of the Moon Conch. This episode was produced by Samantha Rahmani and mastered by Michael Sedillo.

Host Diane Gottlieb discusses Janet Rodriguez's memoir Making an American Family: A Recipe in Five Generations. Rodriguez discusses the mixed-race experience, matriarchs, memoir as legacy, and the importance of telling our most necessary stories.   This episode was produced by Samantha Rahmani and mastered by Michaela Emerson.   

​​Host Kenzy El-Mohandes speaks with author Nikki Darling about her 2018 novel, Fade into You, and her forthcoming books–a collection of essays and poetry called The Call is Coming from Inside the House, and a horror novel set in mid-century Los Angeles called Dark Blue Manner. Darling discusses new narrative, growing up in Los Angeles, fandom, obsession, Madeline Miller, Stephen King, Hanya Yanagihara, and Greek mythology. This episode was produced by Samantha Rahmani and mastered by Kenzy El-Mohandes.

Host Maggie Lam engages poet Paul Tran in a discussion about the intentionalities behind writing about trauma, their process of self-inquiry as poetic investigation, and what freedom / survival means to them. Paul shares stories from their roots in spoken word poetry, anecdotes of being in community with queer poets of color, and lessons passed down from mentors such as Rigoberto Gonzalez, Carl Philips, and Mary Jo Bang. Paul reads "Lipstick Elegy", recently featured in The New York Times, from their debut collection All the Flowers Kneeling.

Host Samantha Rahmani speaks with author Mitali Perkins about her book Steeped in Stories: Timeless Children's Novels to Refresh Our Tired Souls, a study of classic children's literature. Perkins discusses her journey as a children's author, the need for multistoried experiences for children, the navigation of problematic and harmful works with young readers, and ways to critically examine bias in our own reading and writing practices. Episode mastered by Samantha Rahmani.

Host Lee Takemoto speaks with author Victoria Patterson about her story collection, Drift, the sinister side of growing up in Newport Beach, teaching, journaling, activism, and the green flash that sometimes occurs at sunset.    Episode mastered by Kenzy El-Mohandes. 

Host Julie Sugar speaks with translator and poet Dan Bellm about his translation of Balam Rodrigo's Central American Book of the Dead, forthcoming from FlowerSong Press this summer 2022. Bellm discusses teaching the Art of Translation course at Antioch, his work as an interpreter, and experiences as a poet and translator. Bellm reads his translation of "The Patron Saints" from Balam Rodrigo's Central American Book of the Dead, as well as his poems "She Waits" from Deep Well and the title sonnet from Practice.   Episode produced and mastered by Michaela Emerson and Samantha Rahmani.

Host Kenzy El-Mohandes speaks with author Anna Dorn about her forthcoming novel, Exalted. Dorn discusses her character development process, vulnerability, projection, and her works of poetry. This episode was produced by Samantha Rahmani and mastered by Kenzy El-Mohandes.

Host Samantha Rahmani speaks with author Crystal Hana Kim about her novel If You Leave Me. Kim discusses polyphonic stories, writing character, research in historical fiction, audience and representation,and intergenerational narratives of trauma and hope.  This episode was mastered by Samantha Rahmani.   

Host Barbara Platts chats with Chris Feliciano Arnold about his book The Third Bank of the River. Arnold talks about his travel and research for the book, as well as teaching and the writing life. This episode was produced and mastered by Kenzy El-Mohandes.