Tk With James Scott

Ian Stansel's fantastic first novel THE LAST COWBOYS OF SAN GERONIMO plays with the genre expectations of Westerns by setting the murder-revenge in northern California wine country. James and Ian discuss storytelling economy, bringing dead characters to life, horse-y literature, and conclude, "There are a lot of books." Then editor Naomi Gibbs and James discuss her career path working on 'orphaned' novels like Ian's.     - Ian and James discuss: SHOTGUN LOVESONGS by Nickolas Butler  Farrar, Straus & Giroux  Graywolf  Roxane Gay  Sherman Alexie  Cormac McCarthy  THE SISTERS BROTHERS by Patrick DeWitt  NEWS OF THE WORLD by Paulette Jiles  Louis L'Amour  Larry McMurtry  The Kentucky Book Fair  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt  BLACK BEAUTY by Anna Sewell  THE MARE by Mary Gaitskill  Dick Francis  THE WAKE OF FORGIVENESS by Bruce Machart  THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (remake) dir by Antoine Fuqua  NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN by Cormac McCarthy  NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (film) dir by the Coen Bros  THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Scott Fit

In all of his conversations, James has never found anyone who approached the craft of writing with the scientific common sense of Julie Lekstrom Himes. They discuss her debut novel, MIKHAIL AND MARGARITA, and the tremendous amount of work she put into her research in order to understand Russian culture, tracing it all the way to its origins. Plus, Michael Reynolds, Editor-in-Chief of Europa Editions.     - Julie Lekstrom Himes: https://www.europaeditions.com/author/204/julie-lekstrom-himes Julie and James Discuss: Grub Street Fine Arts Work Center  Jim Shepard  SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN  Margot Livesey  Hannah Tinti  Daniel Wallace New York State Summer Writers Institute  THE MASTER AND MARGARITA by Mikhail Bulgakov  THE WHITE GUARD by Mikhail Bulgakov  A YOUNG DOCTOR'S NOTEBOOK by Mikhail Bulgakov  LIE DOWN IN DARKNESS and THE CONFESSIONS OF NAT TURNER by William Styron  THE QUIET AMERICAN by Graham Greene  I REMEMBER by Joe Brainard  - Europa Editions: https://www.europaeditions.com/ Michael and James Discuss: Ed

In 2004, Daniel Wallace led a workshop at the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference that changed James's life. They reconnect to discuss Daniel's wonderful new book, EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES, and in the process touch on not trusting compliments, using word clouds, writing sex scenes, and why no one is named Crouton. Then, Kelly Luce joins the show to talk about working with Denis Johnson, who passed away on May 24.    Daniel Wallace: http://danielwallace.org James and Daniel Discuss: Hannah Tinti  Gordon Lish  Columbia University  Amy Hempel  ESQUIRE MAGAZINE Bread Loaf Writers' Conference  ONE STORY Thomas Edison  Leo Tolstoy  -  Kelly Luce: http://kellyluce.com/ Kelly and James Discuss: Denis Johnson works-  JESUS' SON  TRAIN DREAMS  TREE OF SMOKE  ANGELS  FISKADORO THE NAME OF THE WORLD  Thomas Pynchon  Joy Williams  "The Late Homecomer" by Mavis Gallant The Book of Jonah  "Gambling Hans" by the Grimm Brothers   - http://tkpod.com / tkwithjs@gmail.com / Twitter: @JamesScottTK Instagram: tkwithjs / Facebook: https

The author of the gripping new true crime/memoir, THE FACT OF A BODY, Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich tells James that "the book teaches you how to write it." They talk about how those lessons evolved over a decade of work, as well as earning the story, engaging with darkness, measuring the emotional impact of working on a memoir versus finishing one, and geeking out over the work of Maggie Nelson. Plus Colin Dickerman, editor at Flatiron Books.   -  http://alexandria-marzano-lesnevich.com/ Alexandria and James discuss: Mike Scalise  The Muse and the Marketplace  Celeste Ng  Jung Yun  Emerson College  AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A FACE by Lucy Grealy SHOT IN THE HEART by Mikal Gilmore  FULL BODY BURDEN: GROWING UP IN THE NUCLEAR SHADOW OF ROCKY FLATS by Kristen Iversen  NOW WRITE! NONFICTION by Sherry Ellis  SON OF A GUN: A MEMOIR by Justin St. Germain  DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY by Erik Larson  DRIVING MR. ALBERT by Michael Paterniti  The Writer's Room in Boston  Sven Birkerts  THE ROAD by Cormac McCarthy  THE HALF-KNOWN WOR

Nickolas and James have an honest conversation about the publishing industry and Nickolas's young career, which has featured three great books, including his most recent novel, THE HEARTS OF MEN. They touch on subjects ranging from how Nickolas started taking writing seriously to becoming an Eagle Scout to attending Iowa to Gordon Lightfoot to Cormac McCarthy's table tennis skills. Plus, Nickolas's agent Rob McQuilkin.  - Nickolas Butler: http://nickolasbutler.com/ Nickolas and James discuss: Iowa Writers' Workshop  Square Books  Cormac McCarthy  Canterbury Booksellers  Jim Harrison  POACHERS by Tom Franklin  THE NEW VALLEY by Josh Weil  IN THE LOYAL MOUNTAINS by Rick Bass  Dean Bakopoulos  Jeremiah Chamberlin  LORD OF THE FLIES by William Golding  Kent Haruf JIM THE BOY by Tony Earley FIGHT CLUB by Chuck Palahniuk  - Rob McQuilkin: http://www.mmqlit.com/ Rob and James Discuss:  EO Wilson  Louisa May Alcott  Jhumpa Lahiri  THE HEARTS OF MEN by Nickolas Butler  Lexi Wangler   Eve Gleichman  SHOTGUN LOVESONGS b

Hemmed in by what she 'should' be writing, Clare Beams turned a corner by freeing herself to write what would become the title story in her phenomenal collection WE SHOW WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED. James was fortunate enough to edit one of Clare's stories for ONE STORY, and they discuss that experience as well as putting her collection together, how she ignored advice to maintain a consistent level of weird, and exploring the limitlessness of short fiction. Plus Emily Smith, publisher at Lookout Books, describes the unique program at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.  -  Clare Beams: http://www.clarebeams.com/ Clare and James discuss:  Columbia University  "The School" by Donald Barthelme  Kelly Link  Aimee Bender  Alice Munro  Hannah Tinti  Annie Hartnett  HAYDEN'S FERRY REVIEW ECOTONE  LOOKOUT BOOKS THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY THE NEW YORKER ONE STORY Beth Staples  Emily Smith  Erin Kottke  BINOCULAR VISION by Edith Pearlman  PEN: Robert Bingham Prize for Debut Fiction  Young Lions Fiction Award  - Lookout Bo

After a series of tragedies, Hannah Tinti figured out what she truly cares about, and in doing so, rediscovered the spark in her writing, resulting in her brilliant and immensely entertaining new novel, THE TWELVE LIVES OF SAMUEL HAWLEY. She and James discuss finding community in the lonely business of writing, immediately knowing which pieces of a book belong, using roadsigns to create tension, and having the audacity to write about whales. They also discuss Hannah's incredible work in co-creating and editing the literary magazine ONE STORY.    Hannah Tinti: http://hannahtinti.com/ Hannah and James Discuss: Daniel Wallace  American Short Fiction  Sewanee Writers' Conference  Maribeth Batcha  "Villanova" by John Hodgman  NYU  Writers House, A Literary Agency  Devin Emke  THE AREAS OF MY EXPERTISE by John Hodgman  THE BOSTON REVIEW  ATLANTIC MONTHLY  C. Michael Curtis  THE NEW YORKER  HARPER'S  PLOUGHSHARES  THE PARIS REVIEW  McSWEENEY'S  Samuel French  THE KENYON REVIEW  TIN HOUSE  GRANTA  REDIVIDER  "World's

Advice from a psychic led Annie Hartnett to the residency that helped her finish her fantastic novel, RABBIT CAKE. She and James talk about spending time in cemeteries, writing in yards, giving a good reading, and how to sprinkle naked mole rat facts throughout to make the best fiction. Then, Masie Cochran from Tin House Books talks about discovering RABBIT CAKE and her route to becoming an editor.  - Annie Hartnett: http://www.anniehartnett.com/ Annie and James Discuss:  "Refresh, Refresh" by Benjamin Percy  GOSSIP GIRL  Newtonville Books  Tin House Books  Hamilton College Bread Loaf School of English  University of Alabama  Grub Street  Boston Public Library  Kellie Wells  Kobo  The Bread Loaf Writers' Conference  Mike Scalise  Alex Awards  THE KEPT REDIVIDER  FIND ME by Laura van den Berg  THE FAMILY FANG by Kevin Wilson  SWAMPLANDIA by Karen Russell  Aimee Bender  Samantha Hunt  THE WILDS by Julia Elliott  Mary Cotton  Jaime Clarke  George Saunders  - Tin House Books: https://www.tinhouse.com/books/ Masie

Michael Farris Smith and James figured out pretty early on in the conversation that they were cut from the same cloth. Michael is the author of THE HANDS OF STRANGERS, RIVERS, and his latest novel, DESPERATION ROAD, is out now. He and James discuss following the story, not thinking too hard, realizing something is boring, and how the rise and fall of music can serve as a model for fiction. Then, Steve Iwanski, manager of Turnrow Book Co., talks about his store and recommends books.   - Michael Farris Smith: https://michaelfarrissmith.com/ Michael and James discuss:  THE MAID'S VERSION by Daniel Woodrell The Southern Festival of the Book Square Books  Lemuria Books  Ann Patchett  Newtonville Books Brookline Booksmith  Porter Square Books Mississippi Book Festival  Somerset Review  CLMP  Manhattan Public Library  The Pushcart Prize  The Center for Writers at Ole Miss  Publisher's Weekly  Carolina Wren Press Hannah Tinti  One Story  Frederick Barthelme  Steven Barthelme  The New Yorker  Jason Isbell  "Fire Away"

In her harrowing novel, OUR HEARTS WILL BURN US DOWN, Anne Valente creates a portrait of trauma and the grief that follows. She and James discuss depicting violence, point of view, why drawer novels should never be published, the moments when they wondered if they should pursue something other than writing, and how music tastes may reveal more about characters than anything else. Plus, Emily Nemens talks about her work as co-editor and prose editor at THE SOUTHERN REVIEW.    Anne Valente: http://www.annevalente.com/ Anne and James Discuss: Aimee Bender  Haruki Murakami  The Dzanc Books Prize for Fiction   Dan Wickett  DARK SHADOWS dir by Tim Burton  Jamie Quatro  AND THEN WE CAME TO THE END by Joshua Ferris Steve Bartman  Nine Inch Nails  The Pixies  The Cure  KILL BILL, VOL. 1  The Dave Matthews Band  Blues Traveler  The Clash  Widespread Panic   - The Southern Review: http://thesouthernreview.org/ Emily and James discuss: Bret Lott  Jeanne Leiby  The Center For Architecture  Cara Blue Adams  Jill McCorkle 

In part 2 of their conversation, James and Mike Scalise, author of the memoir THE BRAND NEW CATASTROPHE, discuss an old wound, social media, and how winning the Center for Fiction's Christopher Doheny Award let to the incredible sequence of events surrounding the sale of Mike's book. Then, Sarabande Director of Marketing and Publicity/ Mike's editor/ excellent writer Ariel Lewiton joins James to discuss her many roles and how she got to where she is.    Mike Scalise: http://mikescalise.tumblr.com/bnc Mike and James Discuss:  THREE FEET HIGH AND RISING by De La Soul  Laura van den Berg  Urban Waite  The Dzanc Prize  "The Root" by Kim Deal  Grub Street  Christopher Castellani  Janet Silver Zachary Shuster Harmsworth WILD by Cheryl Strayed Emerson College Book Court Paul Dano Rachel Cantor Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan Center for Fiction Christopher Doheny Award  Franz Kafka  Housing Works Brooklyn  David Tomas Martinez  Sarabande Books Ariel Lewiton Paul Yoon  - Ariel Lewiton: http://www.ariellewiton.com/new-page/  Ariel

In part one of the TK One Year Anniversary Jubilee, Mike Scalise discusses his phenomenal memoir, THE BRAND NEW CATASTROPHE. He talks with James about being diagnosed with the hormonal disorder acromegaly, the difficulties he encountered writing about it, the blind spots of memoir, what it's like to be a public representative of a rare condition, and the complexities of ordering middle grade Bobby "The Brain" Heenan bios through university inter-library loan. Will they discuss Mike's beloved Steelers? (Spoiler: No)   - Mike Scalise: http://mikescalise.tumblr.com/bnc Mike and James Discuss:  Sarabande Books  THE TWO KINDS OF DECAY by Sarah Manguso Eddie Carmel  Rondo Hatton Andre the Giant  Tony Robbins   Agni  Yaddo  Ninth Letter  George Mason University  Bucknell University  Susan Orlean  Michael Paterniti  SEEK: REPORTS FROM THE EDGES OF AMERICA & BEYOND by Denis Johnson American Short Fiction  One Story  BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS  ANDRE THE GIANT: LIFE AND LEGEND by Box Brown  AS YOU WISH: INCONCEIVABLE TAL

Screenwriter and BILLIONS co-creator Brian Koppelman arranged a life surrounded by writers before he realized he wanted to become one. He and James talk about his career, what it's like writing with a partner, how characters live on the page and screen, his love of 'insular worlds with their own language', and Dylan. Then, H. Perry Horton discusses the five scripts he thinks someone should read to get started writing for film.      Brian and James Discuss: SAMARKAND by Amin Maalouf Kurt Vonnegut  Joseph Heller  Gary Gulman  Amy Koppelman (TK guest ep 22)  THE USUAL SUSPECTS (d)irected by Bryan Singer (s)cript by Christopher McQuarrie ROUNDERS d John Dahl s Brian Koppelman & David Levien David Levien  Quentin Tarantino  Scott Rosenberg Callie Khouri KNOCKAROUND GUYS d,s Koppelman & Levien OCEAN'S THIRTEEN d Steven Soderbergh s Koppelman & Levien Bill Buckner   Ken Norton  Duane Bobick  David Mamet  Barry Levinson Coen brothers  Spike Lee  DINER d,s Levinson SOLITARY MAN d Koppelman & Levien s K

After embracing her desire to write in her thirties and putting herself on a steep learning curve, Rachel Cantor found her voice with two lively and funny novels, A HIGHLY UNLIKELY SCENARIO and GOOD ON PAPER. She and James debate whether it's harder to make people laugh or bring them to tears, and she details the difficulties of translation and the Arnold Schwarzenegger approach to novel writing. Plus, Meredith Scott describes the great work of the Children's Literacy Foundation (CLiF) and, finally, her daughter, Zoey Irwin, talks about her book club and why reading is important for kids.    Rachel Cantor: http://rachelcantor.com/  Rachel and James Discuss: James Joyce  T.S. Eliot  Agatha Christie  Tim Burton (film director)  WAR AND PEACE by Leo Tolstoy  Ross Macdonald  THE ARTIST'S WAY by Julia Cameron WHAT IF? WRITING EXERCISES FOR FICTION WRITERS by Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter  Leslie Epstein  Theo Epstein  CASABLANCA (film)  REDIVIDER  ONE STORY  Matthew Salesses  Melville House Italo Calvino  Virgin

As he prepares to follow up his novels A LAND MORE KIND THAN HOME and THIS DARK ROAD TO MERCY, Wiley Cash tells James how touring, independent booksellers, and sales reps worked together to make him a success. They talk about Southern fiction, writing about place, and the subject of his next book, due out Fall 2017. Then, past guests give recommendations for 2016.     Wiley and James discuss: The Odyssey Bookshop BEAUTIFUL RUINS by Jess Walter  BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK by Ben Fountain  BRIEF ENCOUNTERS WITH CHE GUEVARA by Ben Fountain  Thomas Wolfe  Charles Chesnutt  Nat Sobel (agent)  CRAB ORCHARD REVIEW  ELLEN FOSTER by Kaye Gibbons  TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee  I AM ONE OF YOU FOREVER by Fred Chappell  Ernest Gaines  Clyde Edgerton  Jill McCorkle  Woody Guthrie  Ella May Wiggins  Pete Seeger  James Fenimore Cooper  Frank Norris  - Sarah Domet Recommends:  SHOUTING WON'T HELP by Katherine Bouton  THE NIX by Nathan Hill  THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS by Laurie Frankel  - Gabrielle Lucille Fuentes R

The sometimes brutal nature of her books has forced Amy Koppelman to decide between an easier path or being true to her characters, and she has chosen truth every time. She and James talk about dealing with rejection, trying to enjoy happiness, and The Zoloft Ball. Afterwards, past guests give recommendations on art they enjoyed in 2016.     Amy and James Discuss: Gordon Lish  "The Bath" by Raymond Carver "A Small Good Thing" by Raymond Carver  Vladimir Nabokov  "A Good Man is Hard To Find" by Flannery O'Connor "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" by Joyce Carol Oates  "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" by Bob Dylan Sam Hinkie  A WORLD OF YESTERDAY by Stefan Zweig  MacAdam/Cage Publishing  Two Dollar Radio  Eric Obenauf  Vincent Van Gogh  Kay Redfield Jamison    Pauls Recommends: BARKSKINS by Annie Proulx  WAR AND TURPENTINE by Stefan Hertmans    Jung Recommends: THE NIX by Nathan Hill  THE ASSOCIATION OF SMALL BOMBS by Karan Mahajan  WE LOVE YOU, CHARLIE FREEMAN by Kaitlyn Greenidge  RICH AND PRETTY by Ru

In 1999, Margot Livesey sat down next to James at the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference and changed his life forever. Margot talks about her incredible career, the role of art in the current political climate, which of her books she loves best, and her wonderful new novel, MERCURY. Then, social scientist and Associate Professor in the Department of Government at Harvard University, Ryan Enos, recommends books to understand the 2016 presidential election.    - http://tkpod.com / tkwithjs@gmail.com / Twitter: @JamesScottTK Instagram: tkwithjs / Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tkwithjs/  

THE GUINEVERES began as a short story, but when the characters wouldn't leave Sarah Domet alone, she saw them through an entire (fantastic) novel. Sarah tells James about her reluctance to admit she wanted to be a writer, what it was like to read from her debut novel at the high school that partially inspired it, and how she juggles writing and parenting. Plus, agent Michelle Brower of Zachary Shuster Harmsworth discusses what an agent does from signing an author to publication to promotion.    Sarah and James discuss:  Amy Einhorn Michelle Brower  Sewanee Writers' Conference  Brock Clarke Hannah Tinti ONE STORY John Milton George Saunders Aimee Bender Judy Budnitz Kelly Link Gabriel Garcia Marquez  Italo Calvino  Jorge Luis Borges  THE WOMAN WHO CUT OFF HER LEG AT THE MAIDSTONE CLUB AND OTHER STORIES by Julia Slavin  CARNIVORE DIET by Julia Slavin  THE PARTICULAR SADNESS OF LEMON CAKE by Aimee Bender  LINCOLN AT THE BARDO by George Saunders  Kurt Vonnegut  IF ON A WINTER'S NIGHT A TRAVELER by Italo Calvino L

Though it's long since faded, James confesses his grad school-era jealousy of Matt. Once they clear that up, they discuss how Matt arrived at his voice and how he learned to write his marvelous sentences. They celebrate writing as work and the spaces in their lives that stories occupy. Then, Stephanie Appell from Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee, discusses the history of YA books and makes some recommendations.    Matt and James Discuss:  Aimee Bender  Kurt Vonnegut  Amy Hempel  Raymond Carver  JESUS' SON by Denis Johnson REEL by Tobias Carroll  "The Sentence is a Lonely Place" by Gary Lutz   "The Geography of Sentences" by Emily Brisse  ARTFUL SENTENCES: SYNTAX AS STYLE by Virginia Tufte Gordon Lish Sam Lipsyte Christine Schutt Brian Evenson Michael Kimball Diane Williams "Human Behavior" by Bjork, dir by Michel Gondry  Kate Bernheimer  Joyelle McSweeney  Laird Hunt  FENCE  "Where's Iago?" by Susan Neville  Laura van den Berg    Stephanie and James Discuss:   LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott  THE BEA

Julianna Baggott can write anything, from literary fiction for adults to books for children and everything in between. She tells James about what fuels her writing, how she writes so much, her love of the reader, and how she really only wants to be Cal Ripken. Then Julianna's daughter, the artist Phoebe Scott, joins the show to talk about her work and being raised by a writer.     Julianna and James Discuss:   Andre Dubus  Wendy Wasserstein Arthur Miller Moss Hart  John Keats  THE HOURS by Michael Cunningham  Oliver Sacks John le Carre Raymond Carver Graham Greene Carol Reed (director)   100 YEARS OF SOLITUDE by Gabriel Garcia Marquez  George Saunders  Aimee Bender  Oliver Wendell Holmes  LINCOLN IN THE BARDO by George Saunders  - http://tkpod.com / tkwithjs@gmail.com / Twitter: @JamesScottTK Instagram: tkwithjs / Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tkwithjs/