Dashka Slater already had a novel, several children’s books and a long career as a journalist in her pocket when, inspired by an incident in her hometown of Oakland, she decided to invent something new: a genre-bending true crime narrative for young adults. This week, Slater joins the GrottoPod to talk about how her career as a “punch-the-clock” working writer led her to examine what, exactly, happened on The 57 Bus one day in 2013. She also talks about her childhood dreams of cats who ride on horses and why she didn’t wear orange to the GrottoPod. The 57 Bus is the San Francisco Public Library's citywide read for May and June.

Author Kirstin Chen graduated college with thoughts of getting a “practical” job. Two acclaimed novels later, Chen takes time out from a hectic book tour to join the GrottoPod and talk about how her new book, Bury What We Cannot Take,

This week, New York Times best-selling author Jonathan Evison joins us for our last live show from Boise’s Storyfort literary festival. Evison, who’s the executive editor of The Nervous Breakdown, rose to fame with his 2008 novel All About Lulu.

A Boise hotel suite is the GrottoPod’s roving studio this week as our Storyfort Festival episodes continue. We talk with five-time novelist -- and Richmond Fontaine and The Delines frontman -- Willy Vlautin.

When one-time model and actress August McLaughlin set out to become a writer, she never imagined she’d become a brand. Inspired after overcoming struggles with body image and an eating disorder, McLaughlin emerged to become an author, podcast host,

For the first of four episodes recorded at the Storyfort Festival in Idaho, the GrottoPod breaks format and sits in a Boise nightspot with Stewart O’Nan, whose 16 novels include Snow Angels, West of Sunset, and City of Secrets,

Natalie Baszile’s ascent from working in her family’s business to publishing her first novel is the classic story of a 20-year “overnight” success, one that ends with a TV deal and a playdate with Oprah. Join Natalie as she steps into the GrottoPod to ...

In 1993, Pete Mulvihill chose an uncertain future in San Francisco over graduate school in Oregon, then “stumbled into a temp job” at iconic local bookstore Green Apple Books. Flash-forward a quarter century: Mulvihill is now co-owner of two Green Appl...

One of the best places to find compelling stories and characters is public spaces. Like, say, the bus. Launched a decade ago by a San Francisco State class assignment, the Muni Diaries blog quickly grew into a multimedia mini-empire.

- Anna Brones followed her heart, and it led her around the world -- and into a career writing books about her favorite things: bicycles, food and Swedish culture. Her latest, Live Lagom: Balanced Living the Swedish Way,