Writer and friend José Pablo Iriarte returns to the show to discuss their debut middle-grade novel, Benny Ramirez and the Nearly Departed. In our conversation, we talked about building stories without antagonists, writing for young readers, and what makes coming-of-age stories such an enduring phenomenon. Then for the second segment, we talked about the importance of storytelling in creating empathy and connection in our incredibly divided society.

(Recorded April 6, 2024.)

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Show Notes:

• José Pablo Iriarte
• Purchase Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed: White Rose Books (Kissimmee, FL) | Mysterious Galaxy (San Diego, CA) | Bookshop.org
• Keep the Channel Open - Episode 23: José Iriarte
• José Pablo Iriarte - "Proof by Induction"
• José Pablo Iriarte - "The Substance of My Lives, the Accidents of Our Births"
• José Pablo Iriarte - "Secrets and Things We Don't Say Out Loud"
• José Pablo Iriarte - "Life in Stone, Glass, and Plastic"
• José Pablo Iriarte - "Spirit of Home"
• Becky Chambers - A Psalm for the Wild-Built
• A. S. King's Instagram post
• Celeste Ng - Everything I Never Told You
• Ryka Aoki - Light From Uncommon Stars
• A. S. King - Attack of the Black Rectangles

Transcript Episode credits

• Editing/Mixing: Mike Sakasegawa
• Music: Podington Bear
• Transcription: Shea Aguinaldo