Pete is honored to have as his first interviewee his former college professor and standout writer, Claudia MonPere McIsaac. They talk about the writer's life and literature that has inspired and moved them. They also discuss giving and receiving constructive criticism in and out of writer's workshops, writing and reading and their evolution in these trying times, finding writing inspiration, the college writing environment, and tips for creating dialogue and realism. They finish with a close read and conversation about the genesis and mechanics of Claudia's beautiful story, "All Sweet Things Float," published in 2003 by The Prairie Schooner. Pete is especially moved by the story's ending and is fortunate, as is the listener, to hear Claudia read her own words from this ending and explain their significance.

"All Things Float" can be read here: muse.jhu.edu/article/41665

Claudia MonPere McIsaac writes fiction, poetry, and memoir. Her work appears in many anthologies and literary magazines, including the Kenyon Review, New Ohio Review, The Cincinnati Review, and River Teeth. Awards include The Georgetown Review Fiction Award and a Hedgebrook residency. She’s taught at Santa Clara University for many years.