Write The Book: Conversations on Craft
Episodes
The Silent G - Nevermind
16 Jun 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Utility of Misunderstandings in Fiction Audio from Shelagh's Substack, The Silent G (shelaghvt.substack.com)
The Silent G: From This Day Forward
06 Jun 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A Few Thoughts On Living While Aging Audio from Shelagh's Substack, The Silent G (shelaghvt.substack.com)
The Silent G: Dive Into the Paradox
18 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Some thoughts on the art of M.C. Escher and fiction that defies expectation Audio from Shelagh's Substack, The Silent G (shelaghvt.substack.com)
The Silent G: Light Sought on Gnarly Night of Sighs and Sleights
07 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A Meditation on the Silent G. Kind of like a title track! Audio from Shelagh's Substack, The Silent G (shelaghvt.substack.com)
The Silent G: The Parking Lot Guy
20 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Two lessons from a long-ago conversation. Audio from Shelagh's Substack, The Silent G (shelaghvt.substack.com)
The Silent G: Take a Break
07 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Take a Break... Or make one. On retreats. Audio from Shelagh's Substack, The Silent G (shelaghvt.substack.com)
"On Being a Badass"
23 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Audio from Shelagh's Substack, The Silent G (shelaghvt.substack.com) As I'm no longer producing Write the Book: Conversations on Craft, I'll be postin...
The Silent G: AWP
09 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
AWP: a conference for people in dire need of bookmarks. Audio from Shelagh's Substack, The Silent G (shelaghvt.substack.com)
The Silent G: Stuff
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What to do with our notes, photos, and memorabilia...and why we kept it all in the first place. Audio from Shelagh's Substack, The Silent G (shelaghvt...
The Silent G: Love Me, Love Me Not
09 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In answer to my last post; a look at how we deal when others don't love our work. And who should we be writing for, anyway? Audio from Shelagh's Subst...
The Silent G: Love It, Love It Not
26 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
On why some of us love books that others do not. Audio from Shelagh's Substack, The Silent G (shelaghvt.substack.com)
The Silent G: Eureka!
12 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Audio from Shelagh's Substack, The Silent G As I'm no longer producing Write the Book: Conversations on Craft, I'll be posting my occasional substa...
The Silent G: The Village It Takes
29 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Audio from Shelagh's Substack, The Silent G As I'm no longer producing Write the Book: Conversations on Craft, I'll be posting my occasional substa...
The Silent G: Plan B
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Audio from Shelagh's Substack, The Silent G As I'm no longer producing Write the Book: Conversations on Craft, I'll be posting my occasional substac...
The Silent G: If Only
03 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Audio from Shelagh's Substack, The Silent G . As I'm no longer producing Write the Book: Conversations on Craft, I'll be posting my occasional Substac...
Shelagh's New Substack, "The Silent G"
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hey there! Pardon the random interruption. I see that many of you continue to download the interviews archived here at Write the Book: Conversations o...
The Silent G: Recite
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This one was my first on the substack (I'm catching up with the audio option). It concerns piano lessons, then and now, creativity, and writing. I hop...
Bill McKibben - 3/20/23 (Special Palindrome Date for Last Show!)
26 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont author, educator, environmentalist, and Co-founder of 350.org and Th!rd Act Bill McKibben, in a conversation about his 2022 memoir, The F...
Nathaniel Ian Miller - 3/13/22
17 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont Author Nathaniel Ian Miller in a conversation about his novel, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven (Little Brown). This week’s Write the Book Prom...
Brad Kessler - 2/27/23
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Award-winning Vermont Author Brad Kessler in conversation about his 2021 novel, North (Overlook Press). One review of Brad Kessler’s work, a blurb b...
Caroline Lea - 2/20/23
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
British Author Caroline Lea, whose new novel is PrizeWomen (Harper Perennial). This week's Write the Book Prompt was suggested by my guest, Caroline...
Emily Forland - Archive Episode (2/13/23)
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
An interview from 2015 (with our old music!) with literary agent Emily Forland, of the Brandt Hochman Agency in New York. This week’s Write The...
Annie Seyler - 2/6/23
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont Author Annie Seyler, whose debut novel is The Wisdom of Winter (Atmosphere Press). This week's Write the Book Prompt was generously offered ...
Olena Kharchenko and Michael Sampson - 1/30/23
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Olena Kharchenko and Michael Sampson, co-authors The Story of Ukraine (Brown Books Kids). We have two Write the Book Prompts this week. Michael Samp...
Jessica Nordell - 1/23/23
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Award-winning science writer and journalist Jessica Nordell, author of The End of Bias: A Beginning (Metropolitan). This week's Write the Book Promp...
Green Mountain Book Festival Panel: Mysteries and Thrillers - 1/9/23
09 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Fall 2022 Green Mountain Book Festival panel on Mysteries and Thrillers, moderated by Rachel Carter and featuring authors Miciah Bay Gault, ...
Erika Nichols-Frazer - 1/2/23
06 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont Author Erika Nichols-Frazer, speaking about her new memoir, Feed Me: A Story of Food, Love and Mental Illness (Casper Press). This week's Writ...
Andrew Liptak - 12/19/22
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont Author Andrew Liptak, whose recent book is Cosplay: A History: The Builders, Fans, and Makers Who Bring Your Favorite Stories to Life (Saga Pr...
Green Mountain Book Festival Panel: Nonfiction - 12/12/22
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Fall 2022 Green Mountain Book Festival panel on Nonfiction, moderated by Shelagh and featuring authors Brian Michael Murphy, Sandra Matthews, Jessi...
Tari Prinster - Archive Interview (12/5/22)
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interview from the archives with cancer survivor, yoga teacher and author Tari Prinster. We discuss her 2014 book Yoga for Cancer: A Guide to Man...
Reina Pennington - 11/28/22
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Our second NaNoWriMo check-in of the month is a conversation with Vermont Author Reina Pennington, military history expert and former Norwich Universi...
Samantha Kolber - 11/28/22
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont Poet and Publisher Samantha Kolber, of Rootstock Publishing. One of this week's Write the Book Prompts comes from Samantha Kolber, who sugg...
Green Mountain Book Festival Panel: Memoir - 11/21/22
23 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Angela Palm moderates this Fall 2022 Green Mountain Book Festival panel on Memoir, featuring fellow Vermont Authors Jay Parini, Brett Ann Stanciu, and...
Dr. Millicent Eidson - 11/14/22
18 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Local author and professor Dr. Millicent Eidson, who writes a series of novels concerning the work of fictional CDC veterinarian Dr. Maya Maguire. A r...
Roseanne Montillo - 11/14/22
18 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Live radio interview with Roseanne Montillo, author of Deliberate Cruelty (Atria Books). Roseanne Montillo was kind enough to offer a Write the Boo...
Thomas H. McNeely - 11/7/22
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Author Thomas H. McNeely, whose new collection is Pictures of the Shark: Stories (Texas Review Press). This week’s Write the Book Prompt was gener...
Gareth Higgins - 10/31/22
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Writer, speaker and storyteller Gareth Higgins, author of how not to be afraid: Seven Ways to Live When Everything Seems Terrifying (Broadleaf Books)...
Rebecca Valley - 10/24/22
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont author and poet Rebecca Valley, author of the chapbook The Salvageman, whose new book is Curious Cases: True Crime for Kids - Hijinks, Heists,...
Stephen Kurkjian - Archive Interview (10/17/22)
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interview from the archives with veteran Boston Globe Reporter Stephen Kurkjian, author of Master Thieves, the story of the the largest art theft...
Editors of Vermont Almanac - 10/10/22
16 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The editors of Vermont Almanac discuss their work. A recording of a Green Mountain Book Festival panel discussion featuring Virginia Barlow, Dave Manc...
Kim MacQueen Interviews John Killacky and Mark Redmond - 9/26/22
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Guest Interviewer Kim MacQueen speaks with John Killacky, author of Because Art, and Mark Redmond, author of Called, both published by Onion River Pre...
Kimberly Garrett Brown - 9/19/22
26 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Writer, editor and photographer Kimberly Garrett Brown, whose new book is Cora's Kitchen (Inanna Publications). This week’s Write the Book Prompt ...
Doug Wilhelm - 9/12/22
16 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A new interview with Vermont author Doug Wilhelm about his nonfiction book, Catalysts for Change: How Nonprofits and a Foundation Are Helping Shape Ve...
Angela Palm and Malisa Garlieb - Archive Interviews (8/5/22)
16 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Two interviews from the archives - with our old music! - with Vermont author and editor Angela Palm and Vermont poet Malisa Garlieb. Angela Palm's c...
Daniel Lusk - 8/29/22
30 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont Poet Daniel Lusk, who's new collection is Every Slow Thing (Kelsay Books). This week’s Write the Book Prompt is to consider what Daniel ca...
Fiona Barton - 8/15/22
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
New York Times bestselling author Fiona Barton, whose new novel is Local Gone Missing (Berkley). This week’s Write the Book Prompt is to write about...
Stephen Cramer - Archive Interview (8/8/22)
09 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interview from the archives (with our old music!) with Vermont poet and UVM Professor Stephen Cramer. We discussed his book From the Hip: A Concise...
Mohsin Hamid - 8/1/22
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A new interview with the author Mohsin Hamid, whose latest novel is The Last White Man (Riverhead). This week’s Write the Book Prompt is to write ...
Laura Budofsky Wisniewski - 7/25/22
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont poet Laura Budofsky Wisniewski, the author of Sanctuary, Vermont (Orison). This week’s Write the Book Prompt was generously suggested by ...
Shanta Lee Gander - 7/18/22
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont photographer and writer across genres Shanta Lee Gander, whose debut poetry collection, Ghettoclaustrophobia: Dreamin of Mama While Trying to ...
Archive Interview - J Robert Lennon (7/11/22)
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interview from the archives with novelist and story writer J. Robert Lennon. We discussed his story collection, See You in Paradise, published by G...
Wendy Call - Archive Interview (7/4/22)
12 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interview from the archives with award winning writer, educator and translator Wendy Call. This week’s Write the Book Prompt is to choose one o...
Jennifer Egan - 6/27/22
27 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Pulitzer-Prize winning author Jennifer Egan about her new novel The Candy House (Scribner). This week’s Write the Book Prompt was...
Carlos Allende - 6/20/22
20 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with 2019 Quill Prose Prize winner, Carlos Allende, about his novel, Coffee, Shopping, Murder, Love (Red Hen Press). This week’s Wr...
Jori Lewis - 6/13/22
15 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Author Jori Lewis, whose debut nonfiction book is Slaves for Peanuts (The New Press). This week’s Write the Book Prompt was generously suggested by ...
Meg Wolitzer - Archive Interview (6/6/22)
10 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interview from the archives with bestselling author Meg Wolitzer, about her novel for young adults, Belzhar (Dutton Books for Young Readers). One o...
Lois Eby and Nadine Budbill - 6/1/22
01 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This month, the words of celebrated Vermont poet David Budbill take center stage in Sutras for a Suffering World, a concert featuring Vermont and New...
Jennifer McMahon - 5/30/22
01 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont Author Jennifer McMahon, whose new novel is The Children on the Hill (Simon & Schuster). Jennifer's recent reads include: The Fervor, by Alm...
Melanie Finn - 5/16/22
17 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Melanie Finn, winner of the Vermont Book Award in Fiction 2021, and author of The Hare (Two Dollar Radio). Melanie's favorite recent reads include: ...
Kurt and Ellie Johnson - 5/9/22
11 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kurt Johnson and his daughter, Ellie Johnson, who have collaborated on a new novel titled The Barrens: A Novel of Love and Death in the Canadian Arcti...
Maya Rodale - 5/8/22
08 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Maya Rodale, best-selling and award-winning author of funny feminist historical fiction and romance. Her latest novel is Mad Girls of New York (Berkle...
Michelle Huneven - 5/2/22
02 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Michelle Huneven's latest is Search, a funny novel about a congregational search committee, told as a memoir with recipes (Penguin). This week’s Wr...
Robert Boswell - Archive Interview (4/29/22)
30 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interview from the archives - complete with the old music! - with Robert Boswell, award-winning author of seven novels, including Tumbledown (Gra...
Jacqueline Woodson - Archive Interview (4/18/22)
30 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interview from the archives with Jacqueline Woodson, about her National Book Award winning memoir-in-verse, Brown Girl Dreaming (Nancy Paulsen Book...
Coolest American Stories 2022 - 4/11/22
11 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mark Wish and Elizabeth Coffey, editors of a new anthology: Coolest American Stories 2022 (Coolest Stories Press). This year marked the inaugural publ...
Vikram Chandra - Archive Interview (4/4/22)
09 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A conversation from the archives with the author Vikram Chandra about his nonfiction book, Geek Sublime: The Beauty of Code, the Code of Beauty (Gray...
Thea Lewis - Archive Interview (3/28/22)
09 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interview from the archives with local author and Queen City Ghostwalk Guide Thea Lewis about her book Haunted Inns and Ghostly Getaways of Vermont...
Rachel Foster and Mary Speta - 3/21/22
23 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Rachel Foster, co-founder and executive council co-chair of World Without Exploitation, who recently wrote an opinion piece in Vermo...
Karen Joy Fowler - 3/14/22
23 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with the author Karen Joy Fowler, whose new historical novel is Booth, which concerns the family behind one of the most infamous figures ...
Toby Ball - Archive Interview (3/7/22)
23 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An archive interview (from my Radiator broadcast days!) from the archives with New Hampshire author Toby Ball, author of three crime novels published ...
Kathryn Davis - 2/28/22
28 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A new interview with Vermont Author Kathryn Davis, who has a memoir out: Aurelia, Aurélia (Graywolf Press). This week’s Write the Book Prompt was...
Jim Carrier - 2/21/22
23 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont Author and Documentarian Jim Carrier, whose book Charity: The Heroic and Heartbreaking Story of Charity Hospital in Hurricane Katrina came out...
Paula Martinac - Archive Episode (2/14/22)
18 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paula Martinac, author of seven novels. Since we spoke in 2017 about The Ada Decades (Bywater Books), she has published three others. Her latest is ...
Nancy Means Wright (1927-2022) - 2/7/22
09 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont author and exceptional literary citizen Nancy Means Wright passed away on January 19 at the age of 95. This week I aired an interview with Nan...
Rachel Urquhart - Archive Interview (1/31/22)
09 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interview from the archives with the author Rachel Urquhart about her novel The Visionist (Little Brown). This week’s Write the Book Prompt is t...
Caitlin Hamilton Summie - 1/24/22
26 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Author Caitlin Hamilton Summie, whose new novel is Geographies of the Heart (Fomite). This week’s Write the Book Prompt was generously offered by ...
Jojo Moyes / Heath Hardage Lee Archive Interviews - 1/17/22
26 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Two shorter interviews from the archives: Jojo Moyes, about her book One Plus One (Penguin); and Heath Hardage Lee, about Winnie Davis: Daughter of th...
Sue William Silverman - Archive Interview (1/10/22)
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An interview from the archives with Sue William Silverman about her memoir, The Pat Boone Fan Club: My Life as a White Anglo Saxon Jew (University of...
Elizabeth Bluemle Archive Interview (12/27/21)
30 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A conversation from the archives with Vermont children’s author Elizabeth Bluemle, about her picture book, TAP TAP, BOOM BOOM (Candlewick Press). My...
Joshua Ferris Archive Interview - 12/20/21
30 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Interview from the archives with award-winning author Joshua Ferris on his novel, To Rise Again at a Decent Hour (Little Brown and Company). This week...
Joy Cohen - 12/13/21
15 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont Author Joy Cohen, whose debut novel is 37 (Guernica Editions). This week's Write the Book Prompt was generously offered by my guest Joy Cohe...
A.E. Hines - 12/6/21
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Poet A.E. Hines, whose debut collection is Any Dumb Animal (Main Street Rag). A new prompt for the week comes from A.E. Hines, and touches on somethin...
Peter Stamm - 12/6/21
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A new interview with Swiss Author Peter Stamm, whose latest story collection is It's Getting Dark (Other Press). Peter Stamm generously suggested a ...
Wendy Sanford - 11/29/21
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Wendy Sanford, author, editor, and a founding member of the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective. Her debut memoir is These Walls Between Us: A Me...
Jonah Lehrer - 11/15/21
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Author and Journalist Jonah Lehrer, whose new book is Mystery: A Seduction, A Strategy, A Solution (Avid Reader Press). This week’s Write the Book P...
Anne Lamott - Archive Interview (11/8/21)
12 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A conversation from the archives with the author Anne Lamott about her book Some Assembly Required: A Journal of My Son's First Son (Riverhead), which...
Uwem Akpan - 11/1/21
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Award-Winning Nigerian Author Uwem Akpan, whose debut novel is New York, My Village (Norton). This week’s Write the Book Prompt is to write about ...
Michael Freed-Thall - 10/25/21
26 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont Author Michael Freed-Thall, whose debut novel is Horodno Burning (Rootstock). Consider this Write the Book Prompt, inspired by my conversation...
Melissa Perley - 10/25/21
26 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont Author Melissa Perley, whose 2019 book The Violin Family (Rootstock) was recently named a winner in the Children’s Category of the 2021 Indi...
Thomas Christopher Greene - Archive Interview (10/18/21)
24 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A conversation from the archives with Vermont author and former president of Vermont College of Fine Arts, Thomas Christopher Greene, about his novel ...
Donald Antrim - 10/11/21
16 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Award-winning author Donald Antrim, whose new memoir is One Friday in April: A Story of Suicide and Survival (Norton). In presenting his viewpoint tha...
Lisa Peterson - 10/4/21
05 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Award-winning director and playwright Lisa Peterson, who has penned a translation of Hamlet for the Play on Shakespeare project, a series published b...
Ruth Ozeki - 9/27/21
30 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Award-winning author Ruth Ozeki, whose latest novel is The Book of Form and Emptiness (Viking). In our conversation, Ruth mentioned that she has to di...
Gary Miller - 9/20/21
23 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont Author and former WTB Co-Host Gary Miller, whose new nonfiction book for students and their teachers is There's No Way to Do It Wrong!: How to...
Ralph Culver - 9/20/21
23 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont Poet Ralph Culver, whose new collection is A Passable Man (Mad Hat Press). In his poem, "Tableau," Ralph Culver writes about one person sharin...
Maggie Smith - 9/13/21
18 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Interview with the poet Maggie Smith, whose new collection of poems, is Goldenrod (One Signal). This week’s Write the Book Prompt, suggested by my g...
Jessica Hendry Nelson - Archive Interview (9/6/21)
13 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
An interview from the archives with the author Jessica Hendry Nelson, who has a new book out - co-authored with fellow former Write the Book Guest Sea...
Nancy Hayes Kilgore - 8/30/21
03 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Vermont Author Nancy Hayes Kilgore, in a conversation about her new novel, Bitter Magic (Sunbury Press). As we mentioned during our interview, one cha...
Carolyn Conger, PhD - Archive Interview (8/23/21)
27 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
An interview from the archives with consultant and teacher Carolyn Conger, PhD, about her book Through the Dark Forest: Transforming Your Life in the ...
Tony Trigilio (8/16/21)
17 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Poet, editor, scholar, and musician Tony Trigilio, whose new collection is Proof Something Happened, winner of the 2020 Marsh Hawk Poetry Prize. This ...