Red Hen Radio

Elise Capron, Agency Director of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency, has spent more than 20 years helping historians, scholars and nonfiction writers reach readers far beyond the classroom. In this conversation with Kate Gale, Elise breaks down what readers want from books right now, how to describe who will actually buy your book, how to pick comp titles that make sense, what sets Pulitzer-level history apart, and why some writers are better served by a small press than a big New York house.

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Learn more about Elise Capron and the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency - https://www.dijkstraagency.com

CHAPTERS

00:00 Cold open

00:46 Welcome, Elise Capron

01:38 Getting serious books into the hands of everyday readers

03:27 The gap between what writers write and what readers want

06:16 How to describe who will buy your book

09:03 What prize-winning books have in common

12:15 How scholars and historians can reach general readers

13:28 Small presses vs. big New York publishers

16:28 Know your readers, and keep going after publication

19:43 When your idea of your market is wrong

22:03 Choosing the right comp titles

27:24 Can thinking about the market hurt your writing?

28:31 West Coast agent vs. New York agent

31:58 Where to find Elise

KEYWORDS

Elise Capron, Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency, Dijkstra Agency, Sandy Dijkstra, literary agent, Red Hen Radio, Red Hen Press, Kate Gale, how to get a literary agent, querying agents, book proposal, nonfiction book proposal, comp titles

Monica Fernandez talks with Marivi Soliven about bringing Filipino culture to life in her new novel, Taxi Dancer. Marivi looks past the usual stereotypes of Filipino Americans to show what the early Filipino immigrants to America were really like. She also explains how she wove Tagalog into the book’s dialogue without translating it, and how she did it in a way that still welcomes readers who aren’t Filipino. Marivi is an author and teacher who loves sharing her culture through her writing.

Taxi Dancer is out now and available to order. - https://bit.ly/46NCvlI

Learn more about Red Hen Press

Join our substack - ⁠https://bit.ly/4AKIhCv⁠

Find a Red Hen book you'll love! - ⁠https://bit.ly/4hvZJD3

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Introduction

02:24 – The True Story Behind Taxi Dancer

05:08 – Shaping the Novel

12:40 – Research and Historical Accuracy

16:35 – Filipino History and Identity

19:38 – Culture, Language, and Code-Switching

25:07 – Advice for Writers

26:29 – Where to Find Marivi

KEYWORDS

Marivi Soliven, Taxi Dancer, Red Hen Radio, Red Hen Press, Monica Fernandez, historical fiction, Filipino American history, Filipino literature, taxi dance halls, manongs, 1930s California, Depression era, anti-miscegenation laws, interracial marriage, San Diego history, Stingaree District, murder mystery, courtroom drama, historical romance, Tagalog, code-switching, immigrant stories, Filipino heritage, writing about your culture, writing advice, author interview

Kate Gale talks with Brian Sonia-Wallace, Poet Laureate of Los Angeles, about how poetry can help fight the literacy crisis. Brian shares his work with Get Lit, the youth nonprofit where students memorize a classic poem, teach it to their peers, and write their own poems in response. He explains why young people bring wisdom to the page, how memorizing a poem changes your relationship to it, and what he's learned from writing 15,000 poems for strangers on a typewriter.

Learn more about Brian Sonia-Wallace - https://rentpoet.com/

Learn more about Red Hen Press

Join our substack - ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4AKIhCv⁠⁠

Find a Red Hen book you'll love! - ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4hvZJD3⁠

CHAPTERS

00:00 Making time to write

04:47 Is there a literacy crisis?

06:45 Our phones and our attention

09:43 Memorization and new forms of poetry

15:19 Inside Get Lit

21:44 Reading aloud as an act of love

26:45 Can publishing help?

33:31 Building community around a book

38:42 Finding your tribe

42:11 Brian's words for the year

KEYWORDS

Brian Sonia-Wallace, Los Angeles Poet Laureate, LA Poet Laureate, Kate Gale, Red Hen Press, Red Hen Radio, Get Lit, Rent Poet, typewriter poetry, poetry for strangers, literacy crisis, youth literacy, reading aloud, poetry memorization, classic response model, Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, The Great Gatsby, Instagram poetry, phone distraction, writing habits, making time to write, writing routine, Samuel Beckett, Endgame, Carolyn See, small press publishing, Moon Tide Press, poetry book sales, self-publishing, literary community, finding your writing community, West Hollywood Poet Laureate, Writing in the Schools, poetry podcast, literary podcast

Pre-Order Desire Lines, releasing Oct 6, 2026! - https://bit.ly/4xPjPNh

Kristen Millares Young, writer and journalist, shows us her writing process behind her first memoir, Desire Lines. Desire Lines is a forensic investigation into the emotional topography of being a woman, a writer and a mother. She traced her matrilineage from Cuba to Spain, and uncovered the remnants of a pagan cult whose mother goddess, Cybele, was erased to make way for the Virgin Mary. In this conversation, we get to learn how her experience as a journalist helped her write this fantastic memoir.

Learn more about Red Hen Press

Join our substack - ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4AKIhCv⁠⁠

Find a Red Hen book you'll love! - ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4hvZJD3⁠

CHAPTERS

00:00 Cold open

00:51 Welcome, Kristen Millares Young

01:42 Cybele and her lions: how Rome tamed a goddess

05:04 Why Desire Lines had to be memoir, not fiction

08:01 Going into the dark: roots, soil, and joy

11:46 Where to draw the line: "the personal is structural"

15:12 How journalism shaped her writing

16:38 The collapse of book criticism and how authors can shape the conversation

20:12 Memoir vs. the novel, and what she's writing next

23:16 Who Desire Lines is for

26:11 Bringing the book to universities and students

29:26 Teaching craft: the hardest thing left unsaid

32:05 The Odyssey and the moral latitude we give male characters

37:18 Where to find Kristen

KEYWORDS

Kristen Millares Young, Desire Lines, Desire Lines memoir, Subduction novel, Red Hen Press, Red Hen Radio, Kate Gale, feminist memoir, creative nonfiction, Cybele goddess, Phrygian goddess, pagan goddess worship, goddess history, women's power, matrilineal storytelling, women's stories, memoir writing, writing memoir vs fiction, personal essay, Sara Ahmed, the personal is structural, Ursula K. Le Guin, Steering the Craft, Kahlil Gibran, Joy Harjo, journalist turned author, book criticism, literary criticism decline, book promotion, author book tour, Latina authors, women's studies, generative writing, writing prompts, Port Townsend Writers Conference, Hugo House, craft lectures, The Odyssey movie, Odysseus, male antiheroes, unlikable women characters, patriarchy in literature, midlife women, women writers, literary podcast, author interview

Pre-Order The KITCHEN ACTIVIST - https://bit.ly/4y9WTJN

Red Hen Radio is BACK! We have relaunched your favorite, weekly literary podcast, and it’s better than ever!

This week we have Florencia Ramirez on the show. Her new book, The Kitchen Activist, releases on Dec 1st, 2026! It’s up for pre-order now! Today, Florencia sits down with us to discuss how we can do our part to help save the planet by changing how we cook in our home kitchens. She gives us practical steps to reconnect with our food and make eco-friendly choices about what we eat and cook.

Learn more about Florencia Ramirez - https://florenciaramirez.com/

Learn more about Red Hen Press

Join our substack - ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4AKIhCv⁠⁠⁠

Find a Red Hen book you'll love! - ⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/4hvZJD3⁠⁠

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 Introduction

00:02:09 Why Start in the Kitchen

00:05:26 Food and Connection

00:14:47 The Cost of Convenience

00:17:18 Understanding Water Footprints

00:23:07 Origins of the Book

00:26:30 Affordable Food Choices

00:28:35 The Writing Process

00:30:14 Overcoming Climate Anxiety

00:32:23 America's Water Footprint

00:36:40 Weekly Meal Planning

00:40:11 Closing Thoughts

KEYWORDS

The Kitchen Activist

Florencia Ramirez

Eat Less Water

Reduce food waste

Food waste at home

Climate change solutions

Climate action at home

Virtual water footprint

Water conservation

Sustainable eating

Sustainable food systems

Meal planning tips

Weekly meal plan

Farmers market shopping

Organic food on a budget

Plant-based meals

Regenerative agriculture

Dry farming

Climate anxiety

Zero waste kitchen

Red Hen Press

Red Hen Radio

The Red Hen Radio Podcast is back! We'll be bringing you in depth interviews with some of the world's most talented authors and exciting conversations about the future of the publishing industry! Subscribe so you never miss an episode.And check out the Red Hen Press Substack for extra conversations with our guests! - https://redhenpress.substack.com/

In this heartfelt episode of Red Hen Radio, publisher Kate Gale sits down with poet, educator, and longtime Writing in the Schools (WITS) instructor Bonnie S. Kaplan to discuss the transformative power of literary arts in schools.

Whether you're an educator, writer, parent, or simply someone who believes stories can change lives, this conversation is a moving reminder that literature begins with listening.

Catch a new episode of Red Hen Radio every month for an in depth conversation into publishing! 

Did you know you can grab the resources shared on this episode on Substack? For a list of what was talked about, please visit: https://redhenpress.substack.com/ 

For a readable enjoyment, read the transcript of our website here: https://redhen.org/red-hen-radio/ 

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Catch up on our books!

• Bookshop.org: Red Hen Press

• Store: https://redhenpress.myshopify.com/  

• Website: https://redhen.org/book/ 

Red Hen Radio is produced by the powerhouse team at Red Hen Press.

In this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, Red Hen Press publisher Kate Gale sits down with singer-songwriter and poet Amy Speace & screenwriter and novelist Luke Goebel to discuss their new books and dive into a conversation of creativity, recovery, music, literature, and artistic purpose.

Amy Speace reflects on the relationship between songwriting and poetry, describing them as "the same religion, different sect." Luke Goebel explores the inspirations behind his novel Kill Dick. He discusses writing about power, wealth disparity, addiction, and the systems that shape contemporary American life.

Catch a new episode of Red Hen Radio every month for an in depth conversation into publishing! 

Did you know you can grab the resources shared on this episode on Substack? For a list of what was talked about, please visit: https://redhenpress.substack.com/ 

For a readable enjoyment, read the transcript of our website here: https://redhen.org/red-hen-radio/ 

Don’t miss out on all things Red Hen!

• Instagram: @redhenpress

• Threads: @redhenpress

• Twitter/X: @redhenpress

• BlueSky: @redhenpress.bsky.social 

• TikTok: @redhenpress

• Facebook: Red Hen Press

Catch up on our books!

• Bookshop.org: Red Hen Press

• Store: https://redhenpress.myshopify.com/  

• Website: https://redhen.org/book/ 

Red Hen Radio is produced by the powerhouse team at Red Hen Press.

Our very own Tobi Harper Petrie sits down with Red Hen Press authors Laura Kasischke (The Lifeguard) and Khanh Ha (The Afterlife of a Threadbare Jester) for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about the realities of publishing with an independent press. Laura and Khanh share insights into their latest novels, their unique creative processes, and why independent presses continue to be essential spaces for bold, literary, and unconventional work.

Whether you’re an aspiring writer, a seasoned author, or a curious reader, this episode is a reminder that great books don’t just happen—they’re crafted over time, with care, risk, and a whole lot of dedication.

Catch a new episode of Red Hen Radio every month for an in depth conversation into publishing! 

Did you know you can grab the resources shared on this episode on Substack? For a list of what was talked about, please visit: https://redhenpress.substack.com/ 

For a readable enjoyment, read the transcript of our website here: https://redhen.org/red-hen-radio/ 

Don’t miss out on all things Red Hen!

• Instagram: @redhenpress

• Threads: @redhenpress

• Twitter/X: @redhenpress

• BlueSky: @redhenpress.bsky.social 

• TikTok: @redhenpress

• Facebook: Red Hen Press

Catch up on our books!

• Bookshop.org: Red Hen Press

• Store: https://redhenpress.myshopify.com/  

• Website: https://redhen.org/book/ 

Red Hen Radio is produced by the powerhouse team at Red Hen Press.

Kate Gale chats with Molly Fisk and Brendan Constantine about their dedication and creation to their latest collections for poetry. Molly shares her poetry and the idea of peace with writing. Brendan honors his students in this episode and mentions how incredible it is to teach poetry while still honing in on the craft. These authors delve into how an initial idea or concept can transform into something beyond expectation. Tune in for a more in depth conversation surrounding poetry on this episode for Poetry Month!

Catch a new episode of Red Hen Radio every month for an in depth conversation into publishing! 

Did you know you can grab the resources shared on this episode on Substack? For a list of what was talked about, please visit: https://redhenpress.substack.com/ 

For a readable enjoyment, read the transcript of our website here: https://redhen.org/red-hen-radio/ 

Don’t miss out on all things Red Hen!

• Instagram: @redhenpress

• Threads: @redhenpress

• Twitter/X: @redhenpress

• BlueSky: @redhenpress.bsky.social 

• TikTok: @redhenpress

• Facebook: Red Hen Press

Catch up on our books!

• Bookshop.org: Red Hen Press

• Store: https://redhenpress.myshopify.com/  

• Website: https://redhen.org/book/ 

Red Hen Radio is produced by the powerhouse team at Red Hen Press.