I recorded a short episode chock-full of advice from the last few podcast episodes. Hope you enjoy it! Let me know if you would like me to record more of these. I am cleaning up some old recordings, and I’m always struck by how often the person I’m interviewing offers the most unexpected yet sound counsel.

PS: It’s Andre Dubus III :) My apologies for botching that.

***This summer, we’re introducing a brand-new benefit to build community here on LDAS. We’re piloting a “Listener Submission” segment where I will deconstruct a story from an audience member live on the air.

* The Format: I will pick a submission (up to 15 pages) and provide a “Report Card” with three specific areas that are working, plus ideas for revision.

* This is a Tiered Benefit for paid subscribers: All you have to do is join as a yearly member, leave a review on Apple or Spotify, and send me a copy of your story (up to 15 pages) at [email protected].

**

Congratulations to Let’s Deconstruct a Story podcast guest, Erika Krouse, who won the Joyce Carol Oates Prize this month for her collection, Save Me, Stranger. Erika discussed one of the stories, “Jude,” here on the podcast last year.

Congratulations also to ‘Pemi Aguda, whose new novel, One Leg on Earth, was published by Norton this month as well. It’s already racking up rave reviews! ‘Pemi discussed her story, “Manifest,” here on the podcast from her collection, Ghostroots, which was a finalist for the National Book Award.

**

Paid subscribers are welcome to join me for an interview with Madeleine Stein on June 11th at 6 pm EST about her prize-winning story, “Too Beautiful,” first published in The Hopkins Review.

***

How “Let’s Deconstruct a Story” works:

Read the story below carefully. This is important because the interview will contain spoilers.

During our session, the author will discuss their personal practice and analyze craft elements: plot, character, setting, dialogue, pacing, and revision. The aim is to learn how the story was built, with the hope that this will help you with your process.

Here’s a copy of Madeleine’s story:

Madeleine Stein is a fiction writer living in the Hudson Valley. Her work has appeared in The London Magazine, The Hopkins Review, The Kenyon Review, Ambit, Raymond Carver Review, Saranac Review, Cairo Times, and Orbis. She taught at the American University in Cairo and New York University.

**I’ll send the Zoom link to paid subscribers one week before we record.

**

Lastly, the podcast episode (audio only) with Molly Dektar will be released on Apple and Spotify for all listeners on June 1st. Be sure to read her story first here at The Harvard Review.

If you would like to access the video recording of our interview, it’s already available to paid subscribers here.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsdeconstructastory.substack.com/subscribe