Author Up

This week, Quibble is joined by Emily Broadmore, founder and editor-in-chief of Folly, an award-winning independent New Zealand indie publisher with a taste for bold, beautiful and provocative art.

Folly is one of ChillSub’s Best Lit Mags of 2025 (#6 overall for “Bold and Weird”) and was a 2023 Runner-Up for CLMP’s Firecracker Awards. We’ve been fans of Folly for years, so this was an awesome opportunity to get to know Emily!

Emily and I talk about where Folly came from, Emily’s path into publishing, censorship in New Zealand, great art happening in New Zealand, the importance of indie publishing “fast-tracking” excitement, and what we can all learn from “non-writers” who are freshly finding literature.

Emily was a bright, bold, and wickedly smart guest. I appreciated her candor, confidence, and coolness. Hear for yourself how much Emily cares when she speaks about her team, Folly’s mission, and her advocacy for the arts in breaking down taboos.

Thank you for listening! Thank you, Emily!

Follow Emily & Support Folly:

* Read the journal, explore submissions, and follow what they’re building at FollyJournal.com

* Support Folly Journal on social media for new issues, writers, events, and updates

* Follow Emily to connect with her work, and receive updates for her upcoming 2027 novel with Penguin Random House

Author Up is Quibble Lit’s Indie Lit Podcast, with free episodes releasing weekly on Sundays.

Built for writers seeking community and the people of independent publishing, each week, host and Quibble Lit EIC Garrett Souliere invites on a literary friend (authors, editors, & publishers) to learn more about their way with words.

Together, we uncover a wide range of wisdom and paths that all support one common cause: to understand and honor the importance of writing in our lives, and to demystify parts of its process.

If you like the work we’re doing and you want to help us grow, here are a few easy ways you can help:

* Share & Follow us on Substack and our social media

* Tell a friend who would like the show about us!

* Let us know your thoughts, feelings, and what you want to see!

This week on Author Up, we’re joined by poet, fiction writer, and editor Andres Cordoba, and winner of the 2026 Quippy Award for Best Lyricism with his poem “Monica #43.”

Andres is a 2025 Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellow whose work has appeared in Harvard Review, Gandy Dancer, and Epiphany. He earned his MFA in poetry from Brown University and is now pursuing fiction at NYU, while also serving as poetry editor for Big Score Lit.

Andres is a great conversationalist - we talked for over an hour, with most of my prepared questions falling wayside. His views on poetry carry passion, respect, aspiration, and belief. I quickly lost the plot, with most of my prepared questions falling wayside - but I’m glad we wandered where we did.

Our conversation takes us through Andres path into writing, the teachers and communities that helped make that path imaginable, and what it means to grow not only as a writer, but as a reader and editor of other people’s work.

Thank you for listening, and thank you, Andres!

* Follow Andres to stay connected to what’s next

* Submit and support Big Score Lit and their vision

* Leave our show a review on Apple Podcasts to help us grow!

Author Up is Quibble Lit’s Indie Lit Podcast, with free episodes releasing weekly on Sundays.

Built for writers seeking community and the people of independent publishing, each week, host and Quibble Lit EIC Garrett Souliere invites on a literary friend (authors, editors, & publishers) to learn more about their way with words. Together, we uncover a wide range of wisdom and paths that all support one common cause: to understand and honor the importance of writing in our lives, and to demystify parts of its process.

If you like the work we’re doing and you want to help us grow, here are a few easy ways you can help:

* Share & Follow us on Substack and our social media

* Tell a friend who would like the show about us!

* Let us know your thoughts, feelings, and what you want to see!

The Diamond Quill is a writing community built around a community-driven monthly poetry contest, bringing writers together to create, share, and celebrate one another’s work.

This week on Author Up, I sit down with Bryce, founder and the one-man team behind The Diamond Quill to talk about how the project began, what they’ve learned from building a creative community, and why giving writers a chance to earn and a place to show up consistently matters.

We also discuss the joys and challenges of running an independent literary project, the importance of staying playful, and where he hopes to take The Diamond Quill next.

If you’re a poet looking for a welcoming community, a new place to share your work, or simply enjoy hearing how independent literary projects come to life, I think you’ll enjoy this one. I had an awesome time with Bryce, and I’m thankful to know these kinds of innovative approaches to writing communities exist.

Learn more and get involved:

* Join The Diamond Quill writing community. (https://thediamondquill.com/profile)

* Follow their work and connect with fellow writers. (https://www.instagram.com/thediamond.quill/)

* Share this episode with someone who loves independent poetry communities.

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This week on Author Up, we’re joined by poet Lauren Richkus , whose poem “Job Title: Entertainer” won Quibble Lit’s Quippy Award for Most Humorful.

We talk about her Quippy-winning poem, Lauren’s path to writing, humor as a tool, and the importance of community. And halfway through, Lauren shares an exciting announcement!

Follow Lauren’s work at Lauren Richkus and on Instagram at @Laurenrichwrites

Lauren was awesome company and so easy to chat with. I walked away truly inspired by her fearlessness.

She helped me remember: to get good at anything, you’ve got to go for it - and might be bad to start - but once you’ve put yourself out there and keep after it, you’ll end up closer to where you wanted to be. Find your village of friends, trust your gut, keep going, and don’t forget to laugh along the way!

Thank you, Lauren! Go follow her to keep connected to this poet and her upcoming work!

Author Up is Quibble Lit’s Indie Lit Podcast, with free episodes releasing weekly on Sundays. Built for writers seeking community and the people of independent publishing, each week, host and Quibble Lit EIC Garrett Souliere invites on a literary friend (authors, editors, & publishers) to learn more about their way with words. Together, we uncover a wide range of wisdom and paths that all support one common cause: to understand and honor the importance of writing in our lives, and to demystify parts of its process.

If you like the work we’re doing and you want to help us grow, here are a few easy ways you can help:

* Leave a comment or review for Sunday SubDays

* Share & Follow us on Substack and our social media

* Tell a friend who would like the show about us!

* Let us know your thoughts, feelings, and what you want to see!

This week, Author Up welcomes Brett Van Emst—founder of Midnight Mind Magazine and creator of Lit Mag Week, a new collaborative initiative making its debut September 28–October 2.

Bringing together independent literary magazines, writers, editors, and readers, Lit Mag Week is a straightforward idea with an ambitious aim: to celebrate the publications that keep contemporary literature alive.

Brett joins us to talk about returning to Midnight Mind, how Lit Mag Week came together, and why we need something fun right now. Along the way, we discuss independent publishing, finding formulas and forms to facilitate creativity, and a few easy ways anyone can help the movement grow.

It was a pleasure getting to know Brett, and Quibble is proud to be among the many amazing magazines (amagazines!) taking part in Lit Mag Week’s inaugural year. Be sure to explore Midnight Mind Magazine, discover more from those involved at LitMagWeek.com, and follow #LitMagWeek as the celebration approaches.

* Check out their galleries and preorder the 10th issue of Midnight Mind Magazine at https://midnightmind.com/

* Visit https://litmagweek.com/

Thank you, Brett, and good luck, we’re rooting for you!

This week we’re joined by Sophia Lucia: experimental poet, performer, musician, and producer of Freak Show Cabaret.

Sophia’s poem “Get Me Out” was selected for a Quippy Categories Award for Best Sonic Experiment. The piece moves with voice, pressure, humor, confession, performance, and a kind of live-wire theatricality that makes the poem feel distinctly alive.

Our conversation widens into Sophia’s larger creative life: sound, music, performance, drag, cabaret, and what it means to build an artistic world that can hold all of it. We’ll talk about the origins of Freak Show Cabaret, and how moving between forms can keep the work playful, raw, and potent.

Sophia is based between Chicago and Paris, and her work moves across poetry, original music, video & live performance, and a one-woman variety-show spectacle. She has performed as a featured poet for Glastonbury Festival and is set to appear as a featured poet at Shambala Festival this August. She has upcoming Freak Show Cabaret shows in Chicago this July.

Read Sophia’s award-winning poem, “Get Me Out,” at Quibble Lit, and follow her work through @freakshowcabaret, where you can find her music, videos, Bandcamp, Spotify, Patreon, and upcoming Freak Show Cabaret projects.

Follow Sophia Lucia / Freak Show Cabaret:

* Instagram & Substack: @Freakshowcabaret Sophia Lucia

* Linktree: linktr.ee/Freakshowcabaret

* Read “Get Me Out”: quibblelit.com/get-me-out-by-sophia-lucia

In this week’s Author Up, Quibble Lit welcomes Adam Shove, poet and founder of Dark Thirty Poetry Publishing.

This episode looks at Adam’s path as an artist, creator, and builder: where Dark Thirty began, what the work has taught him, and what he wants to help bring forward next.

Adam has a big heart and sharp wit, and it was a real pleasure chatting together. Thank you for listening, and “Thank you” to Adam for joining!

Follow Dark Thirty Poetry Publishing:https://www.instagram.com/darkthirtypoetrypublishing/

Follow Poet & Publisher Adam Shove:https://www.instagram.com/thepoetshove/

In this Featured Voice conversation, we welcome to the show Rochelle Potkar, winner of our Quippy Category Award for Best Use of Silence with her poem “Bedrock.”

Rochelle is a poet, fiction writer, screenwriter, playwright, critic, editor, and mentor whose work moves across genres and literary communities. Her writing brings attention to image, silence, memory, philosophy, and the lived textures that shape a creative life.

I had such a fun time and learned so much in this conversation with Rochelle… I felt like we could have kept chatting for hours! Tune in to hear Rochelle’s journey, passion, and craft.

Thank you, Rochelle!

* Read “Bedrock” here:https://www.quibblelit.com/bedrock-by-rochelle-potkar

* Learn more about Rochelle Potkar here:https://rochellepotkar.com/about/

* Rochelle’s recent novels:The Fabric Goddesses - https://www.amazon.com/Fabric-Goddesses-Women-Ambition-Threads-ebook/dp/B0GD9J1GP7/

* The D'Costa Family - https://www.amazon.com/DCosta-Family-comedic-deception-legacy-ebook/dp/B0F67J3MFX/

Content note: This episode includes discussion of school violence.

In this Author Up, we’re joined by poet, mediator, facilitator, and Chicago ACT Collective member Hilesh Patel, whose poem “Apples and a cold slice of pizza, eaten arc first” won Quibble’s Most Heartbreaking Quippy Award.

The poem is devastating in its restraint: ordinary school details — apples, pizza, math, a child’s point of view — slowly sharpen against the horror of a school shooting. In our conversation, Hilesh talks about where the poem began, how poetry can bear witness without overexplaining, and what it means to use art as a way of responding to violence, grief, and political disparity.

We also talk about Hilesh’s path into poetry, his work with The Chicago ACT Collective, and how mediation, facilitation, listening, conflict, and repair shape his creative practice.

Read Hilesh’s Quippy-winning poem, listen to the episode, and join us for a conversation about poetry as witness, art as community work, and the power of using one’s voice with care.

As always, thank you for listening, and stay curious!

This week’s guest is a new friend and artist of many talents - we’re delighted to welcome on Canadian poet & photographer Carella Keil.

Carella’s photograph “Frog Prince” is featured as the cover art for JUNGLE, Quibble Lit’s upcoming 8th print volume (which goes live in July!)

Additionally, Carella’s poetry collection - “Undercover Butterfly” debuted this May (published by Dark Thirty Poetry Publishing)

“The Frog Prince” felt immediately right as JUNGLE’s cover. Carella has been a true joy to partner with, and it was fantastic to finally “meet” and share a genuine conversation.

In this episode, I sit down to ask Carella about her process, the origins behind her craft, and learn the story behind the putting-together of her first book.

”Frog Prince” — by Carella Keil

Grab your copy of “Undercover Butterfly” today, and connect with Carella on Instagram ( @Catalogue.of.dreams )

Thank you for listening — Remember: talk to your friends about writing, and stay curious!