A talk with musician Janet Beveridge Bean about growing up in Kentucky, playing music as a child, her bands—Freakwater and Eleventh Dream Day—and current writing and and musical projects.

A book-release talk about paint-by-numbers with Annie Howard. Recorded at Pilsen Community Books in Chicago.

A talk with writer/actor/humorist John Hodgman about Shopsin's, the future of capitalism, zines, and all the rest.

A talk with writer, publisher, and my horror movie podcast cohost Mallory Smart. Check out Maudlin House and Textual Healing for what she's about.

A couple pages from Italo Svevo's A Very Old Man.

A talk with musician and sound guy Elliot Dicks about growing up in Columbus, Ohio, moving to Chicago, and building a life in music. Check out his current band and one of his old ones here.

A talk with Jake Austen about growing up in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago, art school, his lifelong fascination with masked singers and much more. Check out what Austen's all about at his Rocktober site.

A talk with musician/artist/craftfair majordomo Mat Daly.

A talk with writer/musician Westley Heine. Get his 12 Chicago Cabbies and Busking Blues and read my Reader article about him.

A talk with Nancy Carey about writing, painting, baking, conflict-resolution, and more.