Ursa Short Fiction
We love short stories. Join authors Deesha Philyaw (The Secret Lives of Church Ladies) and Dawnie Walton (The Final Revival of Opal & Nev) for author interviews, book club discussions, and immersive short stories. We celebrate storytelling from some of today's most thrilling writers, with an emphasis on spotlighting underrepresented voices. (Photo credits: Vanessa German / Rayon Richards)Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join
S3 E13 · Wed, March 05, 2025
Story: ‘Bitch Baby,’ by Halle Hill
Ursa Short Fiction is proud to present an original audio production of “Bitch Baby,” written by Halle Hill, from her debut collection, Good Women , and performed by Nytia Nikole. “Bitch Baby” is about two siblings, Celine and Reggie, in the aftermath of Reggie being beaten by police. This story is dazzling, messy, heart-wrenching, and beautiful. Hill tackles themes of racial tensions, queerness, religion, and family. Stick around at the end for Halle Hill, in her own words, discussing her writing journey. Support our work by becoming a member in Apple Podcasts, or at ursastory.com/join . Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned “Bitch Baby” (Halle Hill, Oxford American, 2020) Good Women (Halle Hill, Hub City Press, 2023) “On paying attention to what works best for you: conversation with Kimberly King Parsons” (The Creative Independent, 2024) More from Deesha and Dawnie: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) Produced by Ursa Story Company Hosted by Deesha Philyaw & Dawnie Walton Story performed by Nytia Nikole Interview by Marina Leigh Ursa Executive Producers: Dawnie Walton, Deesha Philyaw, and Mark Armstrong Associate Producer: Marina Leigh Episode Editor: Kelly Araja About the Author Halle Hill is the author of Good Women (Hub City Press), which was named a 2023 Best Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews, O Magazine, Electric Literature, Book Riot and Southwest Review. A finalist for the 2023 Weatherford Award for Appalachian writing, she is the winner of the 2020 Crystal Wilkinson Creative Writing Prize and the 2020 Oxford American Debut Fiction Prize. Her short stories have been translated into French and published in journals including Joyland, New Limestone Review, Atlanta Magazine, Ursa Short Fiction and The Oxford American, among others. A born and raised East Tennessean, she currently lives, works and teaches in North Carolina. About the Narrator Nytia Nikole comes from the culturally rich city of Boston. She’s an award-winning
S3 E13 · Thu, February 13, 2025
[Free Teaser] Member Bonus: What Deesha and Dawnie Are Reading Right Now
In this Member Bonus episode, Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton talk about what they’re reading, writing, watching, and what they’re celebrating. What books and anthologies should we be on the lookout for in 2025? What newsletters should we be following? Plus: Bonus writing prompts! Enjoy this free teaser, and become an Ursa Member in Apple Podcasts or at ursastory.com/join to get the full episode. Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned James (Percival Everett) Colored Television (Danzy Senna) Caucasia (Danzy Senna) The Seven Daughters of Dupree (Nikesha Elise Williams; release date January 2026) Black Cake (Charmaine Wilkerson) Good Dirt (Charmaine Wilkerson) Homegoing (Yaa Gyasi) Their Eyes Were Watching God (Zora Neale Hurston) Mateo Askaripour Little Movements (Lauren Morrow; release date September 2025) Bibb Country: Unearthing My Family Secrets of Land, Legacy, and Lettuce (Lonnae O’Neal; release date June 2025) Lonnae O’Neal in Andscape I’m Every Woman: Remixed Stories of Marriage, Motherhood, and Work (Lonnae O’Neal) “Ain’t I A Mommy” (Deesha Philyaw) Love, Rita (Bridgett M. Davis; release date March 2025) That’s How They Get You (Anthology Edited by Damon Young; release date June 2025) Damon Young Hanif Abdurraqib Mahogany L. Browne Wyatt Cenac Kiese Laymon Roy Wood Jr. Nicola Yoon You’ve Got A Place Here, Too (Anthology
S3 E11 · Wed, January 15, 2025
Destiny O. Birdsong on Navigating Censorship in Storytelling
Deesha and Dawnie talk with Destiny O. Birdsong, author of the poetry collection Negotiations and the novel Nobody’s Magic . Last year, Birdsong published a short story, “The Jump,” only to have it pulled from publication less than a day later over disagreements with the editors. The story eventually found a new home at Roxane Gay’s newsletter, The Audacity. Birdsong talks about navigating censorship and what happens when writers and editors don’t see eye to eye, and they highlight the necessity of respect and support from editors and keeping the integrity of your work when finding a home for it. Birdsong also talks about the intersections of religion and queerness, the representation of queer sex and sex work in literature, and how she follows instinct when approaching her work. Support our show by becoming an Ursa Member: ursastory.com/join Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned Negotiations: Poems (Destiny O. Birdsong) Nobody’s Magic (Destiny O. Birdsong) “The Jump” (Destiny O. Birdsong, The Audacity 2024) Rick Hillis Roxane Gay Toi Derricotte “The Woman Shaping a Generation of Black Thought” (J Wortham, The New York Times, 2023) Watch List: Cross 48 Hours Insecure More from Deesha and Dawnie: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) Produced by Ursa Story Company Hosted by Deesha Philyaw & Dawnie Walton Executive Producers: Dawnie Walton, Deesha Philyaw, and Mark Armstrong Associate Producer: Marina Leigh Episode Editor: Kelly Araja About the Author Destiny O. Birdsong is the author of the poetry collection Negotiations (Tin House Books, 2020) and the triptych novel Nobody’s Magic (Grand
S3 E10 · Wed, December 18, 2024
[Free Teaser] First Chapters: The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, by Dawnie Walton
An Ursa Member Bonus! In a new recurring feature we call First Chapters, Dawnie and Deesha dig into the memorable opening chapter of Dawnie’s debut novel, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev. Dawnie talks about her journey to becoming a writer, as well as the process of this story coming to fruition. To listen to the full episode, become an Ursa Member in Apple Podcasts or at ursastory.com/join . Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) Moonrise Over New Jessup (Jamila Minnicks) James Baldwin Daisy Jones & The Six (Taylor Jenkins Reid) Listening List: The Final Revival of Opal & Nev : Audiobook (Dawnie Walton) Grace Jones David Bowie Watch List: Almost Famous (2000) Summer of Soul (2021) Wattstax (1973) More from Deesha: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) Produced by Ursa Story Company Hosted by Deesha Philyaw & Dawnie Walton Executive Producers: Dawnie Walton, Deesha Philyaw, and Mark Armstrong Associate Producer: Marina Leigh Episode Editor: Kelly Araja Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join
S3 E8 · Wed, December 11, 2024
Story: ‘Snow Bath Season,’ by Stacie Denetsosie
Deesha and Dawnie introduce an Ursa original production of “Snow Bath Season,” a short story written by Stacie Denetsosie , and performed by Nasheen Sleuth . This story is about Diana, a young Navajo woman whose late mother is communicating with her via an Amazon Alexa device. Denetsosie juxtaposes modern technology with Navajo tradition in compelling ways, while also writing into grief, love, and mother-daughter relationships through humor and bizarre circumstances. “Snow Bath Season” is from Denetsosie’s debut collection, The Missing Morningstar , published by Torrey House Press . Stay tuned after the story to hear from Stacie Denetsosie herself. Support our work at Ursa with a one-time contribution : ursastory.com/join Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned The Missing Morningstar: And Other Stories (Stacie Shannon Denetsosie, Torrey House Press, 2023) Crooked Hallelujah (Kelli Jo Ford) “I Give You Back” (Joy Harjo) Woman of Light (Kali Fajardo-Anstine) Julia Alvarez More from Deesha and Dawnie: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) Produced by Ursa Story Company Hosted by Deesha Philyaw & Dawnie Walton “Snow Bath Season” written by Stacie Denetsosie Performed by Nasheen Sleuth Interview by Marina Leigh Executive Producers: Dawnie Walton, Deesha Philyaw, and Mark Armstrong Associate Producers: Marina Leigh & Ashawnta Jackson Episode Editor: Kelly Araja Special thanks to Cleyvis Natera Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join
S3 E7 · Wed, December 04, 2024
[Free Teaser] Member Exclusive: Ask the Agents! PJ Mark and Danielle Chiotti on Getting Published
Deesha and Dawnie sit down with their own agents, Danielle Chiotti and PJ Mark , to chat about the publishing industry. What does it mean to be a white agent representing authors of color? What are the gold standards for blurbing? Where are the best places to find an agent and what are some common red flags with scammy “agents”? They discuss the significance of the agent-author connection, the questions that an author should ask of a potential agent, as well as what makes an agent say “hell yes” to a pitched book. To hear the full episode, become an Ursa Member in Apple Podcasts or at ursastory.com/join . Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned Brian Broome Nicole D. Collier Tyriek White Joseph Earl Thomas Eileen Myles In West Mills (De’Shawn Charles Winslow) Decent People (De’Shawn Charles Winslow) Co-Parenting 101 (Deesha Philyaw and Michael D. Thomas) The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You (Maurice Carlos Ruffin) More from Deesha and Dawnie: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) Produced by Ursa Story Company Hosted by Deesha Philyaw & Dawnie Walton Executive Producers: Dawnie Walton, Deesha Philyaw, and Mark Armstrong Associate Producer: Marina Leigh Episode Editor: Kelly Araja Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join
S3 E5 · Wed, November 27, 2024
Rion Amilcar Scott: ‘It Has to Be Fun, It Has to Be Funky’
Deesha and Dawnie chat with Rion Amilcar Scott, sharing stories, craft advice, 90’s hip-hop references, and how experience as parents, as teachers, and as lovers of music can inform the writing process. They discuss their reactions to elements of their work playing out in real life, and call for not forgetting the joys and humor of the Black experience that coincides with the tragedies. Rion talks about his generative and drafting process—his beginnings and endings, the structure and limitations of flash and short fiction, the revision process, and his playfulness and improvisation as an approach to the work. Support our show by becoming an Ursa Member: ursastory.com/join Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned The World Doesn’t Require You (Rion Amilcar Scott) Insurrections (Rion Amilcar Scott) August Wilson “The N****r Knockers” (Rion Amilcar Scott, Tyrant Books, 2017) “Percy And The Fire Plums” (Rion Amilcar Scott, McSweeney’s 64: The Audio Issue) Heavy (Kiese Laymon) The Sellout (Paul Beatty) Percival Everett Mark Twain Heads of the Colored People (Nafissa Thompson-Spires) Walking on Cowrie Shells (Nana Nkweti) “David Sherman, The Last Son of God” (Rion Amilcar Scott, Midnight Breakfast, Issue 8) Eugenia Tsutsumi Rising of a Legend (Review by Jessica Sequeira, berfrois , 2016) “Special Topics in Loneliness Studies” (Story from The World Doesn’t Require You by Rion Amilcar Scott) “A Loudness of Screechers” (Rion Amilcar Scott, Barrelhouse) <a href="https://www.thriftbooks.com/
S3 E4 · Wed, November 20, 2024
[Free Teaser] Member Exclusive: 'Sonny's Blues,' by James Baldwin
In this special Member Exclusive episode, Deesha and Dawnie kick off a recurring feature we call Iconic Stories — starting with James Baldwin’s ‘Sonny’s Blues,’ first published in 1957 in the Partisan Review. They discuss the prevalent themes of family and brotherhood, loss, drug addiction, and music, as well as the broader social and political contexts of Baldwin’s fiction and nonfiction. Deesha Philyaw: “James Baldwin is the writer that made me want to be a writer.” To get access to the full episode, become an Ursa Member: ursastory.com/join Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned “Sonny’s Blues” (James Baldwin) Going To Meet The Man (James Baldwin) Daddy Was A Number Runner (Louise Meriwether) Go Tell It On The Mountain (James Baldwin) If Beale Street Could Talk (James Baldwin) Between The World And Me (Ta-Nehisi Coates) The Fire Next Time (James Baldwin) “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” (Joyce Carol Oates) Toni Morrison His Name Is George Floyd (Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa Listening List: Charlie Parker More from Deesha and Dawnie: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) Produced by Ursa Story Company Hosted by Deesha Philyaw & Dawnie Walton Executive Producers: Deesha Philyaw, Dawnie Walton, and Mark Armstrong Associate Producer: Marina Leigh Episode Editor: Kelly Araja Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! ht
S3 E3 · Wed, November 13, 2024
Story: ‘Telling Stories,’ by T.E. Wilderson
Deesha and Dawnie introduce an Ursa original audio production of “Telling Stories” by T.E. Wilderson, published in The Account magazine in 2021, and narrated by Jordan Cobb. Eighth grader, P’Mona, is sarcastic, witty, and a pathological liar. Taking place over the course of a day, the story follows P’Mona attempting to simultaneously navigate the world and cope with a difficult home life. Be sure to stick around at the end of the story to hear from T.E. Wilderson in her own words, discussing the themes of the story, her advice to writers, and her inspirations for “Telling Stories” and the character of P’Mona. Support Our Show with a contribution: ursastory.com/join Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned “Telling Stories” (The Account magazine) T.E. Wilderson Publications More from Deesha and Dawnie: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) Produced by Ursa Story Company Hosted by Deesha Philyaw & Dawnie Walton Story performed by Jordan Cobb Author interview by Marina Leigh Executive Producers: Dawnie Walton, Deesha Philyaw, and Mark Armstrong Associate Producers: Marina Leigh & Ashawnta Jackson Episode Editor: Kelly Araja About the Author T. E. Wilderson is a New Orleans-born, African American writer, editor, and teaching artist currently living in the Midwest. Her short stories have appeared in F(r)iction, Notre Dame Review, Roanoke Review , Crack the Spine Anthology XVII , The Louisville Review , The Tishman Review , Still: The Journal, Cobalt Weekly, The Account: A Journal of Prose, Poetry, and Thought, and Coolest American Stories 2023 , among others. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Spalding University and is a 2019 McKnight Foundation Writing Fellow. About the Narrator Jordan Cobb is a New York City-based writer and actress, with a focus on live stage and voiceover. Her work spans fiction podcasts such as Bloody Disgusting's Dead Space: Deep Cover and No Such Thing Production's Primordial Deep , to bestselling audiobooks like Kalynn Bayron's This Poison Heart and Tigest Girma's Immortal Dark . For more information, visit jordanvcobb.com . Learn more about your ad choices
S3 E2 · Wed, October 30, 2024
S.A. Cosby on the Art of the Thriller
In the spirit of Halloween, Deesha and Dawnie dig into thrillers, mysteries, and suspense with acclaimed crime fiction writer S.A. Cosby, author of the New York Times bestseller Razorblade Tears and Blacktop Wasteland , and the forthcoming novel, King of Ashes. Cosby talks about his early inspirations in the horror and suspense genres, and he explains how he began to use genre to craft stories that reflected his own experiences as a Black writer from the South. Cosby also offers advice to emerging writers and helps demystify the publication process, as co-editor of The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2024 anthology. Support our show: ursastory.com/join Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned Razorblade Tears (S.A. Cosby) Blacktop Wasteland (S.A. Cosby) The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2024 (co-edited by S.A. Cosby and Steph Cha) Heaven (First Book in Casteel Series) (V.C. Andrews) Gabino Iglesias Catriona Ward Bunnicula (James and Deborah Howe) The Celery Stalks At Midnight (James and Deborah Howe) Goosebumps (series) (R.L. Stine) “The Tell-Tale Heart” (Edgar Allan Poe) The Hardy Boys (series) (Franklin W. Dixon) The Three Investigators (series) (Robert Arthur Jr. and Mary Virginia Carey) “The Black Cat” (Edgar Allan Poe, Poe Stories, originally published 1845) “The Cask of Amontillado” (Edgar Allan Poe) Encyclopedia Brown (series) (Donald J. Sobol) Carrie (Stephen King) “The Animal Fair” (Robert Bloch) Clark Ashton Smith Algernon Blac
Bonus · Thu, October 24, 2024
Season 3 Sneak Preview!
We're back! Dawnie Walton and Deesha Philyaw give us a special sneak preview of what's in store for Season Three. Show notes: Support this season with a membership or one-time contribution, and get access to bonus episodes: ursastory.com/join Follow our other show, Reckon True Stories with Deesha Philyaw and Kiese Laymon. Read more about Dawnie Walton's next novel ! Contact us via email: hello@ursastory.com Produced by: Dawnie Walton, Deesha Philyaw, and Mark Armstrong Associate Producer: Marina Leigh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join
S3 E1 · Tue, July 09, 2024
Ursa Presents: Reckon True Stories, with Deesha Philyaw and Kiese Laymon
Dawnie Walton and Deesha Philyaw introduce us to Reckon True Stories, a brand new podcast hosted by Deesha and acclaimed author Kiese Laymon, dedicated to all things nonfiction. Listen, then follow the show in your favorite podcast so you don't miss an episode: https://link.chtbl.com/truestories Guests for Season One include writers Roxane Gay, Imani Perry, Alexander Chee, Minda Honey, Hanif Abdurraqib, and Samantha Irby. Produced in partnership with Reckon . We'll also have more episodes of Ursa Short Fiction coming this fall! Sign up for email updates: https://ursastory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join
S3 E1 · Wed, January 31, 2024
Shows We Love: Black & Published
While we put the final touches on Season Three, we wanted to share an episode from another podcast that we think you’ll love: Black & Published, hosted by Nikesha Elise Williams. On today’s episode, Nikesha’s guest is Dolen Perkins-Valdez, author of the historical fiction novel TAKE MY HAND. It's a story based on the real-life Relf sisters of Montgomery, Alabama, who were forcibly sterilized by the workers of a federal family planning clinic in 1973. Subscribe to listen to more episodes from the latest season of Black & Published: https://blackpublished.buzzsprout.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join
Bonus · Fri, October 20, 2023
That's a Wrap on Season Two! A Special Message from Deesha and Dawnie
Thanks to our guests, contributors, and listeners for a wonderful second season! Help us fund Season Three of Ursa Short Fiction by becoming an Ursa Member: https://ursastory.com/join/ You can also make a one-time contribution to help fund future episodes. We’ll be back very soon — get email updates by signing up for our newsletter: https://ursastory.com/newsletter/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join
S2 E20 · Thu, October 05, 2023
What Denne Michele Norris Learned as a Writer and Editor
Deesha and Dawnie chat with Denne Michele Norris, editor-in-chief of Electric Literature and author of the forthcoming debut novel, When The Harvest Comes (Random House). She is also the first Black, openly trans woman to helm a major literary publication. Norris discusses her approaches to both writing and editing, sharing insights for writers on working with editors. She also talks about the ways different genres — from fiction to essay to memoir — all require their own approaches. Norris asks questions of herself and of the work, aiming to edit “ethically and responsibly and [tell] a beautiful story.” Support our show by becoming an Ursa Member: ursastory.com/join Reading List : Stories and Writers Mentioned Denne Michele Norris McSweeney's 62: The Queer Fiction Issue Food 4 Thot Podcast "An Almanac of Bones" (Dantiel W. Moniz) The Bluest Eye (Toni Morrison) Everyday People: The Color of Life Anthology (edited by Jennifer Baker) "Daddy's Boy" (Denne Michele Norris) Jade Jones Going To Meet The Man (James Baldwin) Friday Black (Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah) Milk Blood Heat (Dantiel W. Moniz) The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky (Lesley Nneka Arimah) Difficult Women (Roxane Gay) About the Author Denne Michele Norris is the editor-in-chief of Electric Literature , winner of the 2022 Whiting Digital Literary Magazine Prize, where she is the first Black, openly trans woman to helm a major literary publication. A 2021 Out100 Honoree, her writing
S2 E18 · Thu, September 21, 2023
[Free teaser] Member Exclusive: Deesha’s 7-Figure Book Deal, Listener Questions
This week we’re excited to share a very special episode of Ursa Short Fiction — a Member Exclusive where Dawnie Walton chats with Deesha Philyaw about this week’s big news: Deesha has just signed a seven-figure book deal with Mariner Books for a new novel, THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF FIRST LADY FREEMAN, and short story collection, GIRL, LOOK. The novel is due out in 2025. Enjoy this free teaser from our Member Exclusive episode. To access the full episode, become an Ursa Member: ursastory.com/join . Links Author Deesha Philyaw has a 7-figure deal for her next two books (Associated Press) “Back Then” (Mike Jones) Peach Pit: Sixteen Stories of Unsavory Women (anthology edited by Molly Llewellyn and Kristel Buckley) Mariner Books Rakia Clark Punch Me Up to the Gods (Brian Broome) More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) Produced & edited by Mark Armstrong Associate producer: Marina Leigh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join
S2 E17 · Thu, September 07, 2023
Story: ‘What Got Into Us,’ by Jacob Guajardo
Deesha and Dawnie introduce “What Got Into Us,” a short story by Jacob Guajardo, performed by Vicki Valdeon. The story is a candid look into queer adolescence, first loves, recklessness, and unbridled vulnerability. It was originally published in Passages North , and featured in The Best American Short Stories 2018 . Listen to the story, then stay tuned at the end for Guajardo in his own words, sharing how the story came together, and how he approaches the writing process. Support our show and help fund future episodes: https://ursastory.com/join/ Reading List : Stories and Writers Mentioned The Best American Short Stories 2018 (edited by Roxane Gay) “ I Only Did What Anyone Would Have Done ” (Jacob Guajardo) “ Moonmilk ” (Jacob Guajardo) “ Widowers ” (Jacob Guajardo) “ Good News Is Coming ” (Jacob Guajardo) “ The Seminar ” (Jacob Guajardo) “ Two Queens Walk Out Of A Bar ” (Jacob Guajardo) Amy Hempel Ocean Vuong Garth Greenwell About the Author Jacob Guajardo lives and writes in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His fiction appears in The Best American Short Stories 2018 and Small Odysseys: Selected Shorts Presents 35 New Stories , among other publications. He is the recipient of the 2020 Robert Maxwell Fellowship from MacDowell. He works from home as a Narrative Designer. More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Performed by Vicki Valdeon Associate producers: Marina Leigh, Ashawnta Jackson Executive producers: Dawnie Walton & Mark Armstrong Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
S2 E16 · Wed, August 23, 2023
Rubén Degollado on Writing a Family Story, 25 Years in the Making
Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton go in-depth with Rubén Degollado, author of the novel The Family Izquierdo , which started out as a short story collection about a single family. Degollado's story “The Seven Songs” was featured on last week’s episode, and he discusses his journey to writing and publishing the book, as well as how he navigated his writing journey alongside his career as an educator. He first started writing the Izquierdo family stories in the late '90s, eventually developing the family curse and tensions, and playing with point of view to inhabit the lives of the many family members. Support Ursa Short Fiction! Become a Member: https://ursastory.com/join/ Degollado aims to represent his own family, experiences, and community through The Family Izquierdo , and he quotes Toni Morrison, who said “if there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” “A lot of the stories I read were about immigrants, and I think those are great stories. I love immigrant stories, but that’s not what I wanted to write. I wanted to write about what happens after. What happens post immigration.” If you haven't already, be sure to listen to last week's episode featuring Degollado's story, “The Seven Songs.” Reading List "The Seven Songs" by Rubén Degollado (Ursa Short Fiction, Season Two, Episode 15) The Family Izquierdo (W. W. Norton) The Family Izquierdo audiobook (Blackstone Publishing / Downpour.com) The Bluest Eye (Toni Morrison) Throw (Rubén Degollado) "A Temporary Matter" (Jhumpa Lahiri) Drinking Coffee Elsewhere (ZZ Packer) Interpreter of Maladies (Jhumpa Lahiri) Sabrina & Corina: Stories (Kali Fajardo-Anstine) The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The World Doesn't Require You (Rion Amilcar Scott) <a href="https://b
S2 E15 · Wed, August 16, 2023
Story: ‘The Seven Songs,’ by Rubén Degollado
This week we're thrilled to feature “The Seven Songs,” by Rubén Degollado, from his novel, The Family Izquierdo . The story is performed by Carolina Hoyos and is excerpted from The Family Izquierdo audiobook , produced by Blackstone Publishing. Our thanks to them for sharing this story with Ursa listeners. In “The Seven Songs,” Dina, the daughter of Izquierdo family patriarch Octavio, tells her daughters about her encounter with a neighbor, Contreras, who put a curse on the Izquierdo family. Dina notes the strength, not just of God, but of all the women in the family, in myths, and in music that guide and encourage her to face the enemy. The Family Izquierdo follows what binds the generations together in the family — the love as well as the curse — and in “The Seven Songs” Dina seeks out Contreras to free her family and herself from the family curse. “No, I did not go to church, mis hijas. I had to go into the enemy’s camp. The place of evil and idolatry. Of greed and charlatans. That den of vipers where I knew I would find the brujo contreras. We went to the flea market.” Listen to the story, then come back next week for Deesha and Dawnie's conversation with Rubén Degollado. Support our work by becoming an Ursa Member: https://ursastory.com/join/ Reading List The Family Izquierdo (Rubén Degollado) The Family Izquierdo audiobook (Downpour.com) Throw (Rubén Degollado) More Rubén Degollado short stories About the Author Rubén Degollado’s work has recently appeared in Literary Hub, CRAFT, The Common, and elsewhere. His novel Throw won the Texas Institute of Letters Best Young Adult book for 2020. His debut literary novel The Family Izquierdo is a long list title for the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award. Rubén lives and writes along the southern border, in the Río Grande Valley of Texas. More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Episode editor: Kelly Araja Associate producer: Marina Leigh Audio excerpted courtesy Blackstone Publishi
S2 E14 · Wed, August 02, 2023
Nafissa Thompson-Spires on the Making of ‘Heads of the Colored People’
Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton go deep with Nafissa Thompson-Spires, author of the beloved 2018 collection Heads of the Colored People , to discuss Heads’ origin, the texts and other media that influenced Thompson-Spires, inspirations for her stories and characters in the collection, and their shared love for the Notes app. Thompson-Spires is candid about her upbringing in California and her own family, and how those experiences have shaped her work in terms of characters, autobiographical-leaning-but-fictionalized events, and even her ideas of place and the ways that racism persists in different ways in different parts of the country. Support this show by becoming an Ursa Member: https://ursastory.com/join/ Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned Heads of the Colored People (Nafissa Thompson-Spires) Mat Johnson The Guardian Interview with Nafissa Thompson-Spires Mark Anthony Neal Victor LaValle Paul Beatty Shirley Jackson Flannery O'Connor George Schuyler Ishmael Reed James McCune Smith Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Solmaz Sharif Sandeep Parmar Charles Dickens Hacks Reservation Dogs Lot (Bryan Washington) Milk Blood Heat (Dantiel W. Moniz) The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) <li
S2 E13 · Thu, July 20, 2023
Jonathan Escoffery on ‘Under the Ackee Tree’ and Walking Your Own Path
Deesha and Dawnie chat with Jonathan Escoffery, author of last week's audio story, "Under the Ackee Tree," from his acclaimed collection and audiobook, If I Survive You . The linked stories follow Trelawny, a second generation Jamaican American, as he struggles through family tensions, cultural and historical loss and reclamation, and exploration of identity. Escoffery talks about his collection and how it came to be—the process of developing characters, tensions, and narrative threads, as well as constructing a complicated family with conflicting generational perspectives on agency, culture, and legacy. Support Ursa Short Fiction by becoming a member: https://ursastory.com/join/ Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned "Under the Ackee Tree" (Ursa Short Fiction, Season Two, Episode 12) If I Survive You (Jonathan Escoffery) If I Survive You audiobook (Audible) Jesus' Son (Denis Johnson) We the Animals (Justin Torres) About the Author Jonathan Escoffery is the author of the linked story collection, If I Survive You , a New York Times and Booklist Editor’s Choice, an IndieNext Pick, and a National Bestseller. If I Survive You was longlisted for the National Book Award, the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award, the PEN/ Robert W. Bingham Prize For Debut Short Story Collection, the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence, the Aspen Words Literary Prize, and the Story Prize, and was shortlisted for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize. It was named a ‘best’ book by The New Yorker , The New York Times , NPR, Entertainment Weekly, People, TIME, Oprah Daily , GQ, and elsewhere. In 2020, Jonathan received the Paris Review ’s Plimpton Prize for Fiction and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. He was a 2021-2023 Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) <p
S2 E12 · Wed, July 12, 2023
Story: ‘Under the Ackee Tree,’ by Jonathan Escoffery
Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton introduce “Under the Ackee Tree,” a story by Jonathan Escoffery from his acclaimed 2022 collection, If I Survive You . The story is performed by Torian Brackett , and it comes from the collection's audiobook, produced by Macmillan Audio . Our thanks to Macmillan for sharing the story with Ursa's listeners. This story follows Topper, a Jamaican immigrant who has fled the political violence in Kingston and moved his family to Miami to raise his two sons. “Under the Ackee Tree” is a narrative of leaving and of loss, of destruction and rebuilding, and of the ways we disappoint as partners, as parents, and as children. Support our show by becoming an Ursa Member: https://ursastory.com/join/ Reading List If I Survive You , by Jonathan Escoffery (MCD) If I Survive You audiobook (Audible) Jonathan Escoffery Publications Jonathan Escoffery Interviews About the Author Jonathan Escoffery is the author of the linked story collection, If I Survive You , a New York Times and Booklist Editor’s Choice, an IndieNext Pick, and a National Bestseller. If I Survive You was longlisted for the National Book Award, the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award, the PEN/ Robert W. Bingham Prize For Debut Short Story Collection, the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence, the Aspen Words Literary Prize, and the Story Prize, and was shortlisted for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize. It was named a ‘best’ book by The New Yorker , The New York Times , NPR, Entertainment Weekly, People, TIME, Oprah Daily , GQ, and elsewhere. In 2020, Jonathan received the Paris Review ’s Plimpton Prize for Fiction and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. He was a 2021-2023 Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Performed by Torian Brackett Episode editor: Kelly Araja Associate producer: Marina Leigh Music: “Biosphere” by Yotam Agam Audio excerpt courte
S2 E11 · Wed, June 28, 2023
Jamil Jan Kochai on Separating Writing from ‘the Noise’
Deesha and Dawnie sit down with Jamil Jan Kochai, whose short story “Enough!” from his collection The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories (Viking / Penguin Random House Audio), was featured in our previous episode . Kochai discusses how he fell in love with storytelling and short stories as a form—reflecting on his family, his childhood, and how his stories, characters, and themes come naturally because they’re rooted in his upbringing. Kochai also talks about the challenge of writing as a public experience as he becomes more well-known in the literary world, and how he approaches writing personally, where he consistently returns to the idea of writing as writing — separating writing from “the noise.” “In storytelling, sometimes you have to build walls in order to dance within them.” *** Support our show: https://ursastory.com/join/ *** Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned The Haunting of Hajji Hotak (Jamil Jan Kochai) The Haunting of Hajji Hotak audiobook One Hundred Years of Solitude (Gabriel García Márquez) “ Sonny’s Blues ” (James Baldwin) Sandra Cisneros In Other Rooms, Other Wonders (Daniyal Mueenuddin) “ Train to Harbin ” (Asako Serizawa) Inheritors (Asako Serizawa) Toni Morrison About the Author Jamil Jan Kochai is the author of The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories , winner of the 2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize and a finalist for 2022 National Book Award. His debut novel 99 Nights in Logar was a finalist for the Pen/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel. His short stories have appeared in The New Yorker, Ploughshares, Zoetrope, The O. Henry Prize Stories, and The Best American Short Stories . His essays have been published at The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times . Kochai was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University and a Truman Capote Fellow at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Currently, he is a Hodder Fellow a
S2 E10 · Wed, June 21, 2023
Story: 'Enough!' by Jamil Jan Kochai
Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton introduce “Enough!”, a short story by Jamil Jan Kochai, from his collection The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories . Kochai's story discusses intergenerational trauma, violences of both war and refuge, and rage as we follow Rangeena, a mother reflecting on her family and own past. The story is performed by Suehyla El-Attar Young, and it's excerpted from the audiobook of The Haunting of Hajji Hotak , produced by Penguin Random House Audio. Our thanks to them for sharing this story with Ursa's listeners. Jamil Jan Kochai’s writing is lyrical, his images surreal, and because of the cyclical narrative, the repetition, and obsession with themes of rambling, the story leaves us breathless. “Enough!” interrogates the ways in which we suffocate, the ways we’re haunted, and the ways we survive. “Enough rambling, enough advice, enough pills, enough nightmares, enough lung damage, enough ghosts, enough beautiful dying boys, enough bomb smoke, enough burning apple trees, enough staring white neighbors, enough heavy breathing…” Come back next week for our conversation with Jamil Jan Kochai. Help Us Fund Future Seasons and Shows Ursa Short Fiction is supported by our listeners. Share this podcast with a friend—or become a Member to help fund production: https://ursastory.com/join/ Reading List The Haunting of Hajji Hotak , by Jamil Jan Kochai (Penguin Books) The Haunting of Hajji Hotak audiobook (Penguin Random House Audio) More stories and essays by Jamil Jan Kochai About the Author Jamil Jan Kochai is the author of The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories , winner of the 2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize and a finalist for 2022 National Book Award. His debut novel 99 Nights in Logar was a finalist for the Pen/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel. His short stories have appeared in The New Yorker, Ploughshares, Zoetrope, The O. Henry Prize Stories, and The Best American Short Stories . His essays have been published at The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times . Kochai was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University and a Truman Capote Fellow at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Currently, he is a Hodder Fellow at Princeton University. More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:
S2 E9 · Wed, June 07, 2023
‘No Saints, No Demons’: Sidik Fofana on Creating Characters and Protecting Dreams
Deesha and Dawnie sit down with Sidik Fofana, author of the acclaimed collection Stories from the Tenants Downstairs , published in 2022. Fofana discusses his journey getting into NYU, being a public school teacher, taking the long road to publishing his debut collection, and finding inspiration in the daily world around him. Fofana talks about creating voice and authentic characters, and he asks the hard question: in the chaos of life, how do we hold onto dreams? Ursa Short Fiction is 100% independent and supported by our listeners. Become a Member today to help us keep going: ursastory.com/join Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned Stories from the Tenants Downstairs audiobook (Scribner / Simon & Schuster Audio) “Tumble,” audio short story by Sidik Fofana (Ursa Short Fiction) Lorrie Moore The Rabbit Hutch (Tess Gunty) Toni Cade Bambara Push (Sapphire) The Madonnas of Echo Park (Brando Skyhorse) Stuart Dybek The Women of Brewster Place (Gloria Naylor) About the Author Sidik Fofana is a New York City public school teacher, was a 2018 fellow at the Center for Fiction, and was named a “Writer to Watch” by Publishers Weekly. He is the author of the 2022 collection STORIES FROM THE TENANTS DOWNSTAIRS, in which he introduces readers to the residents of Banneker Homes, a low-income residential building in Harlem, where a looming rent increase affects everyone in different ways. Tenants young and old who weave in and out of each other’s lives. Sidik earned his MFA from New York University. And he lives with his wife and son in New York City. More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Wa
S2 E8 · Thu, June 01, 2023
Story: 'Tumble,' by Sidik Fofana
Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton introduce “Tumble,” an audio short story by Sidik Fofana about two women, Neisha and Kya, and a childhood fight with long-term consequences. The story is performed by Jade Wheeler, and it’s one of eight linked stories from Fofana’s 2022 debut collection, STORIES FROM THE TENANTS DOWNSTAIRS . This audiobook excerpt comes to us from Scribner / Simon & Schuster Audio —our thanks to them for sharing it with Ursa Short Fiction listeners. As Philyaw noted in her recommendation of “Tumble” in Electric Lit : “What happens to a dream deferred thanks to the cruel betrayal of a former childhood friend? What do justice, empathy, and forgiveness look like within a community when traumatized, violated people turn around to traumatize and violate those closest to them?” Listen to the story, then come back next week for our conversation with Sidik Fofana. Support our show by becoming an Ursa Member: https://ursastory.com/join/ Reading List “Tumble” (Electric Lit, recommended by Deesha Philyaw) STORIES FROM THE TENANTS DOWNSTAIRS audiobook (Simon & Schuster Audio) About the Author Sidik Fofana is a New York City public school teacher, was a 2018 fellow at the Center for Fiction, and was named a “Writer to Watch” by Publishers Weekly. He is the author of the 2022 collection STORIES FROM THE TENANTS DOWNSTAIRS, in which he introduces readers to the residents of Banneker Homes, a low-income residential building in Harlem, where a looming rent increase affects everyone in different ways. Tenants young and old who weave in and out of each other’s lives. Sidik earned his MFA from New York University. And he lives with his wife and son in New York City. More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Episode editor: Kelly Araja Associate producer: Marina Leigh Music: “Fifth Avenue,” by Phury Audio excerpt courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio from “Tumble” found in STORIES FROM THE TENANTS D
S2 E6 · Wed, May 17, 2023
Dantiel W. Moniz on Hometowns, Girlhood, and the Life Experiences that Fuel Fiction Writing
It’s a very special “Three Ds from Duval” episode of Ursa Short Fiction! Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton welcome fellow Jacksonville native Dantiel W. Moniz, author of the acclaimed 2021 short story collection MILK BLOOD HEAT . Moniz talks about how growing up in Jacksonville informed the stories in MILK BLOOD HEAT, and how real-life experiences serve as a jumping-off point for the stories we tell. “It’s always as a seed or a starting off point because the story is a thing that allows me to get past what actually happened or what I think actually happened, and then explore what could have happened.” Reading List: Books, Stories, and Authors Mentioned MILK BLOOD HEAT , by Dantiel W. Moniz (Grove Press) “An Almanac of Bones,” by Dantiel W. Moniz (Apogee Journal) “Eula,” by Deesha Philyaw (Apogee Journal) The Office of Historical Corrections , by Danielle Evans The Dangers of Smoking in Bed , by Mariana Enríquez Manywhere , by Morgan Thomas The Getaway Car , by Ann Patchett Dantiel W. Moniz’s website About the Author Dantiel W. Moniz is the recipient of a National Book Foundation “5 Under 35” Award, a Pushcart Prize, a MacDowell Fellowship, and the Alice Hoffman Prize for Fiction. Her debut collection, Milk Blood Heat , is the winner of a Florida Book Award, and was a finalist for the PEN/ Jean Stein Award, the PEN/ Robert W. Bingham Prize, and the New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award, as well as longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize. Her writing has appeared in the Paris Review , Harper's Bazaar , American Short Fiction , Tin House , and elsewhere. Moniz is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she teaches fiction. Read More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (Deesha Philyaw) The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (Dawnie Walton) *** Episode editor: Kelly Araja Associate producer: Marina Leigh Producer: Mark Armstrong *** Help us fund future episodes: <a href="https://ur
S2 E5 · Wed, May 03, 2023
Story: ‘Rioja,’ by Shannon Sanders
We’re thrilled to present a new audio story, “Rioja,” written by Shannon Sanders and performed by Khaya Fraites. It was originally published in the literary magazine SLICE , and it’s forthcoming in Sanders’s debut collection COMPANY , to be published by Graywolf Press in October 2023. In this story we meet Cole, who is taking his girlfriend Cecilia to a Thanksgiving dinner hosted by his Aunt Peach. It’s Cecilia’s first introduction to the family, and though the encounters seem pleasant on the surface, secrets, family history, and resentment run deep beneath them. Listen to "Rioja," then stick around at the end for Sanders, in her own words, on the origins of the story: “This story really deals with the idea of cultural inheritance. So I'm really interested in how each generation has the potential to build on what the previous generation did. And there's always the chance that we'll do it way better than the previous generation did, learning from their mistakes. But there's also kind of this compulsion to repeat the mistakes of the previous generation, and there's just some legacies that are really, really hard to shake.” Reading List: Books, Stories, and Authors Mentioned COMPANY , by Shannon Sanders (Graywolf Press, October 2023) More stories by Shannon Sanders (website) Danielle Evans ZZ Packer Maurice Carlos Ruffin Deesha Philyaw Lisa Taddeo About the Author Shannon Sanders’s debut short story collection, COMPANY, is forthcoming from Graywolf Press in October 2023; her short fiction has won the PEN/Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers and can be found in One Story, Electric Literature, Joyland, TriQuarterly, and elsewhere. Find her at ShannonSandersWrites.com or on Twitter at @ShandersWrites . About the Narrator Khaya Fraites is a voice and film actor/writer based in New York City. Her recent credits include "Rainbow High," the animated series, and "RIP, LOL," the short film she wrote based on her upcoming novel of the same name. For more about Khaya, visit her website at www.khayafraites.com or keep up with her on Instagram and TikTok @khayafraites. Read More
S2 E4 · Wed, April 19, 2023
Jocelyn Nicole Johnson on Bravery in Writing and ‘the Introvert's Revenge’
Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton sit down with Jocelyn Nicole Johnson—author of Ursa's Season Two, Episode 3 story, "Virginia Is Not Your Home" —to discuss her acclaimed debut collection, My Monticello , and the journey of its making. Johnson talks about her writing as a direct response to historical events as they occur, much of her work centering Virginia as home, and grappling with complicated histories, experiences, and ideas around identity. Johnson addresses the themes that occur throughout her collection, such as that of loneliness, belonging, resistance, violence, and salvation. Deesha and Dawnie dive into questions about perspective, voice, character- and world-building, the writing and revision process, and perseverance as a writer: “Control what you can control, which is the writing. Enjoy the writing. Do your best with the writing. What matters is the writing. I just think you want to be thoughtful, but put that thought and care into that part of it, because that's the part that you have the most control.” Reading List: "Virginia Is Not Your Home" (Ursa Short Fiction) My Monticello (Jocelyn Nicole Johnson) My Monticello audiobook (Audible) Corregidora (Gayl Jones) Octavia Butler Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Charles Yu Beloved (Toni Morrison) Danielle Evans Jamel Brinkley The World Doesn't Require You (Rion Amilcar Scott) About the Author Jocelyn Nicole Johnson is the author of My Monticello , a fiction debut that was called "a masterly feat" by the New York Times, and winner of the Library of Virginia Fiction Award, the Weatherford Award, the Balcones Fiction Prize, and the Lillian Smith Award, as well as a finalist for the Kirkus Fiction Prize, the N
S2 E3 · Wed, April 12, 2023
Story: ‘Virginia Is Not Your Home,’ by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson
Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton introduce their first story pick for Season Two, Jocelyn Nicole Johnson’s “Virginia Is Not Your Home,” from her debut collection, My Monticello , published in 2021 by Henry Holt and Co. “Virginia Is Not Your Home” follows the life of a woman who is attempting to outrun her namesake, and the story conjures questions of origin, of becoming, and of freedom. There is emphasis on movement and escape, on our names as our homes, and on understanding what it is we leave behind when we go. It interrogates the ways we forget and the ways we remember. The story is performed by January LaVoy , and it's excerpted from the My Monticello audiobook , produced by our friends at Macmillan Audio . Our thanks to them for sharing this story with Ursa listeners. Listen, then come back next week for our conversation with Jocelyn Nicole Johnson. Reading List: My Monticello (Jocelyn Nicole Johnson) My Monticello Audiobook (Audible) Jocelyn Nicole Johnson's website About the Author Jocelyn Nicole Johnson is the author of My Monticello , a fiction debut that was called "a masterly feat" by the New York Times, and winner of the Library of Virginia Fiction Award, the Weatherford Award, the Balcones Fiction Prize, and the Lillian Smith Award, as well as a finalist for the Kirkus Fiction Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Leonard Award, the LA Times Debut Seidenbaum Prize, and long-listed for a Pen/Faulkner Fiction Award and the Story Prize. Johnson has been a fellow at TinHouse, Hedgebrook, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts. Her writing has appeared in Guernica, The Guardian, Kweli Journal, Joyland, Lit Hub, and elsewhere. Her short story “Control Negro” was anthologized in The Best American Short Stories , guest edited by Roxane Gay and read live by LeVar Burton. A veteran public school art teacher, Johnson lives and writes in Charlottesville, Virginia. Read more from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: <a hr
S2 E1 · Wed, March 29, 2023
ZZ Packer on the 20th Anniversary of ‘Drinking Coffee Elsewhere’
In our Season Two premiere, co-hosts Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton talk with the beloved ZZ Packer, author of Drinking Coffee Elsewhere , a collection first published in 2003 that went on to inspire countless writers. Packer talks about how she found her voice, style, and authenticity as a young, Black, female writer who hadn’t even planned on becoming a writer. She addresses ideas of navigating both physical and figurative spaces and learning how to find a place in the literary world. Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned Drinking Coffee Elsewhere (ZZ Packer) Zora Neale Hurston Toni Morrison Flannery O’Connor James Alan McPherson ( Elbow Room and Hue and Cry ) Lorrie Moore Stuart Dybek Percival Everett James Baldwin Anton Chekhov Edward P. Jones ( Lost in the City and The Known World ) Alice Munro Imani Perry Bryan Stevenson ( Just Mercy ) Edwidge Danticat Read more from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives
S1 E16 · Wed, October 19, 2022
Nana Nkweti: ‘I Always Knew I Was Going to Write Stories’
On the Season One finale of Ursa Short Fiction , co-hosts Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton talk to Nana Nkweti, author of the acclaimed short story collection, Walking on Cowrie Shells (Graywolf Press). Nkweti’s story “Dance the Fiya Dance,” performed by Enih Agwe, was featured in Episode 15. Read the full transcript. Support Future Episodes of Ursa Short Fiction Become a Member at ursastory.com/join . About the Author Nana Nkweti is a Cameroonian-American writer, Whiting Award winner, and AKO Caine Prize finalist whose work has garnered fellowships from MacDowell, Vermont Studio Center, Ucross, Byrdcliffe, Kimbilio, Hub City Writers, the Stadler Center for Poetry, the Wurlitzer Foundation, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and Clarion West Writers Workshop. Her first book, Walking on Cowrie Shells , was hailed by The New York Times review as a “raucous and thoroughly impressive debut” with "stories to get lost in again and again." The collection is also a New York Times Editor's Choice, Indie Next pick, recipient of starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and BookPage; and has been featured in The New Yorker, Harper's Bazaar, Oprah Daily, The Root, NPR , Buzzfeed, and Thrillist; amongst others . The work features elements of mystery, horror, myth, and graphic novels to showcase the complexity and vibrance of African diaspora cultures and identities. She is a professor of English at the University of Alabama where she teaches creative writing courses that explore her eclectic literary interests: ranging from graphic novels to medical humanities onto exploring works by female authors in genres such as horror, Afrofuturism, and mystery. Episode Links and Reading List: “Dance the Fiya Dance” (Ursa) Walking on Cowrie Shells (Graywolf Press) Nana Nkweti’s website “Nana Nkweti’s Tales of Cameroonians at Home and in America” (Deesha Philyaw, The New York Times Book Review ) Citizen: An America
S1 E15 · Wed, October 12, 2022
Story: 'Dance the Fiya Dance,' by Nana Nkweti
Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton introduce their latest short story pick, Nana Nkweti’s “Dance the Fiya Dance,” from her acclaimed 2021 debut collection, Walking On Cowrie Shells , published by Graywolf Press. Through a series of journal entries, we meet Chambu, a DC-based linguistic anthropologist and “Halfrican” (daughter of a Cameroonian mom and African American dad) who processes a devastating loss while sparking a sexy new romance. For content advisories, scroll to the end of the show notes. The story is performed by Enih Agwe , with music and mixing by Alexis Adimora , and illustrations by Halimah Smith at Artpce. Ursa Executive producers are Dawnie Walton and Mark Armstrong . You can read along at ursastory.com/dance . Support Future Episodes of Ursa Short Fiction Become a Member at ursastory.com/join . About the Author Nana Nkweti is a Cameroonian-American writer, Whiting Award winner, and AKO Caine Prize finalist whose work has garnered fellowships from MacDowell, Vermont Studio Center, Ucross, Byrdcliffe, Kimbilio, Hub City Writers, the Stadler Center for Poetry, the Wurlitzer Foundation, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, and Clarion West Writers Workshop. Her first book, Walking on Cowrie Shells , was hailed by The New York Times review as a “raucous and thoroughly impressive debut” with "stories to get lost in again and again." The collection is also a New York Times Editor's Choice, Indie Next pick, recipient of starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and BookPage; and has been featured in The New Yorker, Harper's Bazaar, Oprah Daily, The Root, NPR , Buzzfeed, and Thrillist; amongst others . The work features elements of mystery, horror, myth, and graphic novels to showcase the complexity and vibrance of African diaspora cultures and identities. She is a professor of English at the University of Alabama where she teaches creative writing courses that explore her eclectic literary interests: ranging from graphic novels to medical humanities onto exploring works by female authors in genres such as horror, Afrofuturism, and mystery. More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: <a href
S1 E14 · Tue, September 27, 2022
Book Club: 'The Secret Lives of Church Ladies'
This month marked the two-year anniversary of the publication of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies , author Deesha Philyaw’s groundbreaking and award-winning debut short story collection that examined the inner lives of Black women as they navigate relationships, sex, and the church. On Episode 14 of Ursa Short Fiction, Dawnie Walton digs into the stories with her co-host Philyaw, and gets some hints on what might be in store for the characters as Philyaw and Tessa Thompson are adapting The Secret Lives of Church Ladies for HBO Max. Philyaw’s collection won the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the 2020/2021 Story Prize, and the 2020 LA Times Book Prize: The Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction and was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction. Philyaw is a Kimbilio Fiction Fellow and the 2022-2023 John and Renée Grisham Writer-in-Residence at the University of Mississippi. Get the full transcript here . Episode edited by Kelly Araja. From Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies , by Deesha Philyaw The Final Revival of Opal & Nev , by Dawnie Walton Support Future Episodes of Ursa Short Fiction Become a Member at ursastory.com/join . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join
S1 E12 · Wed, August 31, 2022
Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s Creative Journey from Lawyer to Award-Winning Writer
Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton are joined by Maurice Carlos Ruffin, author of the short story collection The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You. That acclaimed 2021 book includes “Ghetto University,” the story we featured previously on the show. Ruffin talks about the inspiration he takes from his native New Orleans, and his journey from a “three-piece suit-wearing, BMW-driving lawyer” to putting all of his energy into becoming a writer and telling the stories he was meant to tell. Read the full transcript. About the Author Maurice Carlos Ruffin is the author of The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You , a New York Times Editor’s Choice that was also longlisted for the Story Prize. His first book, We Cast a Shadow , was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and the PEN America Open Book Prize. Ruffin is the winner of several literary prizes, including the Iowa Review Award in fiction. A New Orleans native, Ruffin is a professor of Creative Writing at Louisiana State University, and the 2020-2021 John and Renee Grisham Writer-in-Residence at the University of Mississippi. Episode Links and Reading List: “Ghetto University” (Ursa) The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You (One World, 2021) We Cast a Shadow (One World, 2020) “Leaving the Law Behind for My Dream Job” (Oldster, 2021) About Maurice Carlos Ruffin Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s newsletter New Stories from the South (edited by ZZ Packer, 2008) More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies , by Deesha Philyaw The Final Revival of Opal & Nev , by Dawnie Walton Support Future Episodes of Ursa Short Fiction Become a Member at ursastory.com/join . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join
S1 E11 · Wed, August 24, 2022
Story: 'Ghetto University,' by Maurice Carlos Ruffin
A professor in New Orleans loses his job and resorts to a new line of work – mugging tourists in the French Quarter. “Ghetto University” is a short story by Maurice Carlos Ruffin , featured in his 2021 collection, The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You . Listen to the story here, and read along at ursastory.com/ghetto-university Then come back next week for Ruffin’s in-depth conversation with Ursa Short Fiction co-hosts Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton. About the Author Maurice Carlos Ruffin is the author of The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You , a New York Times Editor’s Choice that was also longlisted for the Story Prize. His first book, We Cast a Shadow , was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and the PEN America Open Book Prize. Ruffin is the winner of several literary prizes, including the Iowa Review Award in fiction. A New Orleans native, Ruffin is a professor of Creative Writing at Louisiana State University, and the 2020-2021 John and Renee Grisham Writer-in-Residence at the University of Mississippi. Episode Links and Reading List: “Ghetto University” (Ursa) The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You (One World, 2021) About Maurice Carlos Ruffin Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s newsletter Story Credits “Ghetto University” Written by Maurice Carlos Ruffin Performed by Allan Thomas Directed by Adetola Abdulkadir Sound Design and Mixing by Alicia Qian Illustrations by Anthony Santagati Music: “Zizu de Calp,” Blue Dot Studios Executive Producers: Dawnie Walton & Mark Armstrong Support Future Episodes of Ursa Short Fiction Become a Member at ursastory.com/join . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join
S1 E10 · Wed, August 17, 2022
The Life and Stories of Diane Oliver, Part Two (with Michael A. Gonzales)
Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton welcome writer Michael A. Gonzales for part two of our deep dive into the life and work of Diane Oliver, who published six short stories before her death at age 22. ( Part one of our series is here. ) Gonzales published an essay about Diane Oliver in The Bitter Southerner earlier this year, and he talks about his work digging into the archives to put a spotlight on Black authors who never got the recognition they deserved. His column for Catapult, The Blacklist, has shared stories about authors including Charlotte Carter, Julian Mayfield, Henry Dumas, and Darius James. Get the full transcript. About the Author Harlem native Michael A. Gonzales is a cultural critic/short story scribe who has written for The Hopkins Review , The Paris Review , Longreads , Wax Poetics and Soulhead.com. Gonzales writes true crime articles for Crimereads.com and wrote the series The Blacklist about out-of-print Black authors for Catapult. His fiction has appeared in Under the Thumb: Stories of Police Oppression edited by S.A. Cosby, Killens Review of Arts & Letters , Dead-End Jobs: A Hit Man Anthology edited by Andrew J. Rausch, Black Pulp edited by Gary Phillips and The Root . His latest short story "Really Gone" was published in the Summer 2022 issue of the Oxford American . Episode Links and Reading List: “The Short Stories and Too-Short Life of Diane Oliver” (Michael A. Gonzales, The Bitter Southerner, 2022) Ursa Short Fiction, Episode Nine: The Life and Stories of Diane Oliver, Part One “Mint Juleps Not Served Here” (Diane Oliver, Negro Digest, March 1967) The Blacklist essay series on out-of-print books from Black authors (Michael A. Gonzales, Catapult) Sticking It to the Man: Revolution and Counterculture in Pulp and Popular Fiction, 1950 to 1980 (2019) <a href="https://longreads.com/2019/10/29/beautiful-women-ugly
S1 E9 · Tue, August 09, 2022
The Life and Short Stories of Diane Oliver (Part One)
Content advisory: This episode contains a mention of a racist slur. Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton's two-part book club discussion on the life and work of Diane Oliver, who published six short stories before her life was tragically cut short in May 1966 at the age of 22. Oliver was just a month away from graduating from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop when she was killed in a motorcycle accident in Iowa City, Iowa. Philyaw and Walton first discovered Oliver’s stories from writer Michael A. Gonzales, who wrote an essay about Oliver for The Bitter Southerner . In part one of Ursa’s book club episode, they go in-depth on four of Oliver’s short stories: “Key to the City,” “Health Service,” “Traffic Jam,” and “Neighbors.” Full episode transcript. Episode Links and Reading List: The Short Stories and Too-Short Life of Diane Oliver (Michael A. Gonzales, The Bitter Southerner, 2022) “Key to the City” (Red Clay Reader II, 1965) “Health Service” (Negro Digest, November 1965) “Traffic Jam” (Negro Digest, July 1966) “Neighbors” (The Sewanee Review, 1966) Diane Oliver obituary (Jet, 1966) More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies , by Deesha Philyaw The Final Revival of Opal & Nev , by Dawnie Walton Support Future Episodes of Ursa Short Fiction Become a Member at ursastory.com/join . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Suppor
S1 E7 · Mon, July 25, 2022
Cleyvis Natera on ‘Fog,’ Staying True to Your Voice, and Embracing Short Stories as Play
Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton chat with author Cleyvis Natera, author of the new Ursa Original short story, “Fog,” and the recently published debut novel Neruda on the Park . Read the full transcript . About the Author Cleyvis Natera is the author of the debut novel Neruda on the Park . She was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York City. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Skidmore College and a Master of Fine Arts in Fiction from New York University. She’s received honors from PEN America, Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and Voices of Our Nation Arts Foundation (VONA). Her fiction, essays and criticism have appeared in The New York Times Review of Books , The Brooklyn Rail , The Rumpus , Alien Nation: 36 True Tales of Immigration , TIME , Gagosian Quarterly , The Washington Post , The Kenyon Review , Aster(ix) and Kweli Journal , among other publications. Cleyvis teaches creative writing to undergraduate and graduate students in New York City. She lives with her husband and two young children in Montclair, New Jersey. Episode Links and Reading List: “Fog” (Ursa) Neruda on the Park (2022) “Played or How I Failed at Becoming a Chapiadora” (Kweli Journal, 2019) In Cuba I Was a German Shepherd by Ana Menéndez (2002) More from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies , by Deesha Philyaw The Final Revival of Opal & Nev , by Dawnie Walton Support Future Episodes of Ursa Short Fiction Become a Member at ursastory.com/join . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join
S1 E6 · Mon, July 18, 2022
Story: 'Fog,' by Cleyvis Natera
Content warning: explicit language, sex, depiction of violence. Author Cleyvis Natera debuts her original short story “Fog.” It’s the story of a worker at a Dominican resort who caters to high-end clients and must confront the choices he’s made to elevate his status and seek a different life for himself. Read Along Listen to the story in your favorite podcast app, and read along at ursastory.com/fog . Support Ursa Help us fund future episodes. Become a Member at ursastory.com/join . Story Credits “Fog” is edited by Dawnie Walton and performed by Alberto “Mojo” Peña, with music and sound design by Alexis Adimora, illustrations by Bex Glendining, and audio engineering by Deon Vozov (LA Voiceover). Ursa executive producers are Dawnie Walton and Mark Armstrong. About the Author Cleyvis Natera is the author of the debut novel Neruda on the Park . She was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York City. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Skidmore College and a Master of Fine Arts in Fiction from New York University. She’s received honors from PEN America, Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and Voices of Our Nation Arts Foundation (VONA). Her fiction, essays and criticism have appeared in The New York Times Review of Books , The Brooklyn Rail , The Rumpus , Alien Nation: 36 True Tales of Immigration , TIME , Gagosian Quarterly , The Washington Post , The Kenyon Review , Aster(ix) and Kweli Journal , among other publications. Cleyvis teaches creative writing to undergraduate and graduate students in New York City. She lives with her husband and two young children in Montclair, New Jersey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join
S1 E5 · Tue, July 05, 2022
Chelsea T. Hicks on the Stories and Wazhazhe Language in 'A Calm & Normal Heart'
Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton dive into the short stories of the acclaimed new collection A Calm & Normal Heart , with its author, Chelsea T. Hicks . Hicks is a member of the Osage Nation, and the collection, published in June 2022 by Unnamed Press, also incorporates her ancestral language of Wazhazhe ie (which translates to “Osage talk”). The collection opens with a poem in the orthography , along with the Latinized spelling and English translation. Read the full episode transcript . Support Future Episodes: Become a Member in Apple Podcasts or at ursastory.com/join . About Chelsea T. Hicks Chelsea T. Hicks is a model, author and current Tulsa Artist Fellow. She is a Native Arts & Cultures Foundation 2021 LIFT Awardee and her writing has been published in McSweeney’s , Yellow Medicine Review , the LA Review of Books , Indian Country Today , The Believer , The Audacity , The Paris Review , and elsewhere. She is a past Writing By Writers Fellow, a 2016 Wah-Zha-Zhi Woman Artist featured by the Osage Nation Museum, and a 2020 finalist for the Eliza So Fellowship for Native American women writers. Her advocacy work has included recruiting with the Virginia Indian Pre-College Outreach Initiative (VIP-COI), Northern and Southern California Osage diaspora groups, and heritage language creative writing and revitalization workshops. She authored poetry for the sound art collection Onomatopoeias For Wrangell-St. Elias, funded by the Double Hoo Grant at the University of Virginia, where she was awarded the Peter & Phyllis Pruden scholarship for excellence in the English major as well as the University Achievement Award (2008-2012). The Ford Foundation awarded her a 2021 honorable mention for promotion of Indigenous-language creative writing. She is planning an Indigenous language creative writing Conference for November 2022 in Tulsa, funded by an Interchange art grant. Episode Links and Reading List: A Calm & Normal Heart (2022) Of Wazhazhe Land and Language: The Ongoing Project of Ancestral Work (Lit Hub) Osage writing system and orthography There There
S1 E4 · Wed, June 22, 2022
William Pei Shih on ‘Happy Family,’ Flawed Characters, and the Messiness of Life
Co-hosts Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton speak with writer William Pei Shih, author of the Ursa Original “Happy Family,” a story about a lost childhood, a struggling restaurant, and a bygone era of Chinatown. (Warning: This episode contains “Happy Family” spoilers.) Read the transcript . “Your character has to fail in telling their story,” Shih says. “I think that's one of the beautiful things about fiction. It truly is the messiness of life.” Shih’s stories have been published or are forthcoming in The Best American Short Stories 2020 , VQR , McSweeney’s , and The Southern Review , among many other publications. He spoke with Philyaw and Walton about his approach to writing and developing characters, how “Happy Family” first came to life, and how hearing the audio version changed his storytelling approach. This episode is sponsored by Catapult : Award-winning classes by writers, for writers. Ursa listeners get 20% off upcoming online classes with the coupon code URSA20. Go to catapult.co/classes . Additional production support for this episode by Veronica Smith. Episode Links and Reading List: “Happy Family” (Ursa) “Enlightenment” (VQR) “Necessary Evils” (Southern Review) What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky , by Lesley Nneka Arimah Cleanness , by Garth Greenwell Look How Happy I’m Making You , by Polly Rosenwaike More from William Pei Shih: "The Golden Arowana" ( The Masters Review ), about a precious and rare fish, a young man and his grandmother from China, and the road trip of a lifetime—to Pittsburgh, and what happens when one finds more than they bargained for. "My Son," ( F(r)iction , Spring 2021), a story focusing on father/son cross-generational and cross-cultural struggles and miscommunications. More stories: https://williampeishih.com/home/publications/ More from Deesha Philyaw and Daw
S1 E3 · Wed, June 22, 2022
Story: 'Happy Family,' by William Pei Shih
Content warning: This story contains an intense depiction of abuse / physical violence. An Ursa original audio story: “Happy Family,” by William Pei Shih. It’s the story of a lost childhood, a struggling restaurant, and a bygone era of Chinatown. Read along at ursastory.com/happy Interview with William Pei Shih . “Happy Family” Written by William Pei Shih Story edited by Dawnie Walton Audio story produced, directed, and sound designed by Alicia Qian Illustrated by Christina Chung Music by Jiro Yoshioka Performed by Aria Song Audio Engineering: David Verdugo (Demun Studios) and Deon Vozov (LA Voiceover) Executive Producers: Dawnie Walton and Mark Armstrong Distributed by Lit Hub Radio Support Ursa by becoming a Member in Apple Podcasts, or by going to ursastory.com/join Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://ursastory.com/join
S1 E1 · Mon, June 06, 2022
Introducing Ursa: Why We Love Short Fiction
Acclaimed authors Deesha Philyaw ( The Secret Lives of Church Ladies ) and Dawnie Walton ( The Final Revival of Opal & Nev ) introduce Ursa Short Fiction, a new anthology podcast dedicated to celebrating short stories, with a spotlight on underrepresented voices. Join us for author interviews, book club chats, and audio stories from some of your favorite writers and emerging talent. Transcript: https://ursastory.com/introducing-ursa-short-fiction-podcast/ Support Ursa: https://ursastory.com/join Authors and Books Mentioned in This Episode Heads of the Colored People , by Nafissa Thompson-Spires How to Sit , by Tyrese Coleman The World Doesn’t Require You , by Rion Amilcar Scott Drinking Coffee Elsewhere , by ZZ Packer The work of J. California Cooper The Women of Brewster Place , by Gloria Naylor 12 Tribes of Hattie , by Ayana Mathis The Traveler s , by Regina Porter Claire of the Sea Light , by Edwidge Danticat You are Free , by Danzy Senna The Office of Historical Corrections and Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self , by Danielle Evans The work of Edward P.Jones I’m Not Hungry But I Could Eat , by Christopher Gonzalez Milk Blood Heat , by Dantiel W. Moniz Writing from Dawnie and Deesha Introducing Ursa: A Letter from Co-Founder and Editorial Director Dawnie Walton A Love Letter to Short Stories , by Deesha Philyaw The Final Revival of Opal & Nev , by Dawnie Walton <a href="https://bookshop.
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