Story Behind the Story

Stories about stories and how they came to be

About the show

Host Clara Sherley-Appel interviews authors about their creative process, from the inspiration behind the books they write to specific choices they make.

Episodes

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    Episode 52: Hanna Pylväinen - THE END OF DRUM-TIME

    6 December 2024  |  54 mins 21 secs
    authors, fiction, interviews, ksqd

    Clara talks to author and educator Hanna Pylväinen about her novel THE END OF DRUM-TIME.

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    Episode 51: Lev Grossman - THE BRIGHT SWORD

    6 December 2024  |  55 mins 2 secs
    authors, fiction, interviews, ksqd

    Clara talks to New York Times-bestselling author Lev Grossman about his Arthurian epic, THE BRIGHT SWORD.

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    Episode 50: Tanzila Ahmed - GRASPING AT THIS PLANET JUST TO BELIEVE

    6 December 2024  |  56 mins 10 secs
    authors, interviews, ksqd, poetry

    Clara talks to poet, artist, and activist Tanzila "Taz" Ahmed about her poetry collection GRASPING AT THIS PLANET JUST TO BELIEVE.

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    Episode 49: Tedd Siegel - SIGNS OF THE GREAT REFUSAL

    8 April 2024  |  46 mins 37 secs
    authors, interviews, ksqd, nonfiction

    Clara talks to author and ex-academic administrator Tedd Siegel about his book SIGHTS OF THE GREAT REFUSAL: THE COMING STRUGGLE FOR A POSTWORK SOCIETY.

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    Episode 48: Katya Apekina - MOTHER DOLL

    2 March 2024  |  58 mins 27 secs
    authors, fiction, interviews, ksqd

    Host Clara Sherley-Appel talks to author, screenwriter, and translator Katya Apekina about her second novel, MOTHER DOLL.

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    Episode 47: Marcus Gazaway - BRIDGEWATER

    3 February 2024  |  52 mins 38 secs
    authors, fiction, interviews, ksqd

    Host Clara Sherley-Appel talks to central coast author Marcus Gazaway about his debut novel, BRIDGEWATER.

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    Episode 46: Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo - INCANTATION

    2 December 2023  |  54 mins 11 secs
    authors, interviews, ksqd, poetry

    Host Clara Sherley-Appel talks to Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo about her new poetry collection, INCANTATION: LOVE POEMS FOR BATTLE SITES.

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    Episode 45: Sam Sax - PIG

    4 November 2023  |  54 mins 28 secs
    authors, interviews, ksqd, poetry

    Host Clara Sherley-Appel talks to poet Sam Sax about their latest poetry collection, PIG.

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    Episode 44: Jenn Shapland - THIN SKIN

    7 October 2023  |  55 mins 21 secs
    authors, interviews, ksqd, nonfiction

    Host Clara Sherley-Appel speaks with Jenn Shapland, whose new essay collection, Thin Skin, explores the porousness of boundaries — between humans and the environments we inhabit, between ourselves and other people, and between the identities we construct and the social pressures and expectations we encounter.

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    Episode 43: Brett Christophers - RENTIER CAPITALISM

    2 September 2023  |  53 mins 52 secs
    authors, interviews, ksqd, nonfiction

    Host Clara Sherley Appel speaks with Brett Christophers, author of Rentier Capitalism.

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    Episode 42: Cheryl Harawitz - WHEN THE MAGPIE CALLS

    2 June 2023  |  54 mins 7 secs
    authors, fiction, interviews, ksqd

    Host Clara Sherley-Appel talks to local author Cheryl Harawitz about her middle-grade novel, WHEN THE MAGPIE CALLS.

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    Episode 41: Joss Lake - FUTURE FEELING

    6 May 2023  |  42 mins 13 secs
    authors, fiction, interviews, ksqd

    Host Clara Sherley-Appel talks to Joss Lake about his debut novel, FUTURE FEELING.

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    Episode 40: Elaine Hsieh Chou - DISORIENTATION

    7 April 2023  |  55 mins 17 secs
    authors, fiction, interviews, ksqd

    Host Clara Sherley-Appel talks to author Elaine Hsieh Chou about her debut novel, DISORIENTATION.

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    Episode 39: Ruthanna Emrys - A HALF-BUILT GARDEN

    1 September 2022  |  54 mins 18 secs
    authors, fiction, interviews, ksqd

    Host Clara Sherley-Appel talks to author Ruthanna Emrys about her hopepunk novel, A HALF-BUILT GARDEN.

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    Episode 38: Isaac Fellman - DEAD COLLECTIONS

    1 July 2022  |  54 mins 3 secs
    authors, fiction, interviews, ksqd

    Host Clara Sherley-Appel talks to author and archivist Isaac Fellman about his novel, DEAD COLLECTIONS.

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    Episode 37: Gretchen Felker-Martin - MANHUNT

    6 May 2022  |  52 mins 57 secs

    Host Clara Sherley-Appel talks to author and film critic Gretchen Felker-Martin about her novel, MANHUNT.