Notes and Links to Daniel Tam-Claiborne’s Work

  Daniel Tam-Claiborne is a multiracial essayist and author of the short story collection What Never Leaves. His writing has appeared in Literary Hub, the Rumpus, SupChina, the Huffington Post, the Shanghai Literary Review, and elsewhere. He has received fellowships and awards from the U.S. Fulbright Program, the New York State Summer Writers Institute, Kundiman, the Jack Straw Writers Program, and the Yiddish Book Center. Tam-Claiborne serves as program director of partnerships and events at Hugo House in Seattle. He holds degrees from Oberlin College, Yale University, and the Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College, and is the author of Transplants, a finalist for the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction and longlisted for the 2026 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award.

Buy Transplants

Daniel Tam Claiborne's Website

Review and Informative Article for Transplants in the Seattle Times

At about 2:30, Daniel provides background on his reading and language life, including formative works and formative teachers 

At about 6:40, Daniel talks about inspiring contemporary writers

At about 10:50, Daniel responds to Pete asking about seeds for Transplants; Daniel expands on how he “processes the world through [his] work” and explores ideas of identity and perception

At about 16:35, Pete cites the book’s epigraphs and ideas of transference and ideas of changing places

At about 17:20, the book’s exposition is discussed, and Daniel reflects on ideas of the collective vs. individual, especially with regard to Lin

At about 20:30, Daniel talks about Liz’s frustrations in connecting with others and mindset in moving to her ancestral home of China for teaching

At about 24:50, Daniel talks about Lin and how she deals with her burgeoning relationship with Travis and later ideas of shame and agency

At about 28:00, Liz and her “existential crisis” are discussed and her altruistic and otherwise actions are examined by Daniel 

At about 31:20, The two discuss the real-life parallels involving a scene in the book that shows the back-and-forth between North Korea and China

At about 37:00, Pete talks about cultural misunderstandings in the book, and Daniel talks about the dissonance in the Chinese diaspora regarding new waves of Chinese immigrants and assimilation-he emphasizes Liz’s brother, Phil, and his views

At about 39:45, The two reflect on Liz’s budding relationship and growing pains in the beginning days of Covid in Shanghai

At about 41:20, Daniel replies to Pete asking about what Lin finds in Gua, her partner in the westward road trip

At about 45:10, The two reflect on ideas of “foreigners” and a caring nurse and her significance in the book

At about 49:00, Pete talks about feminism and Lin being “in control of her narrative” and ideas of moral clarity

At about 49:50, Daniel expands on Stephen, Liz’s boyfriend, and earlier iterations 

At about 51:40, Daniel responds to Pete wondering about the real-life background for the housing complex and organization for which Lin delivered groceries to elderly and isolated people, many of them former internees from the Japanese/Japanese-American internment camps

At about 55:20, The two muse about Liz and her motivations-subconscious or not-in traveling to China

At about 56:40, Daniel talks about the book’s ending and portions of the book as “surprising” to him

At about 59:00, Pete and Daniel reflect on Daniel’s writing the book only a few years after the beginning of the Covid pandemic and the balance between urgency and perspective

   You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

      Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

    Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

     Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

   This month’s Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.

   Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

   The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

    Please tune in for Episode 338 with Adam H. Johnson, a media analyst and co-host of the Citations Needed podcast. His book is an incredibly important accounting of the malfeasance, whitewashing, and misdirection of so much of the media that has enabled the tragedies of Gaza.

   The episode airs on April 21, Pub Day for How to Sell a Genocide: The Media's Complicity in the Destruction of Gaza.

   Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

   You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Rachel Khong’s Work

  Rachel Khong is a writer living in Los Angeles. Her debut novel, Goodbye, Vitamin, won the 2017 California Book Award for First Fiction, and was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist for First Fiction. From 2011 to 2016, she was the managing editor then executive editor of Lucky Peach magazine. With Lucky Peach, she also edited a cookbook about eggs, called All About Eggs. In 2018, she founded The Ruby, a work and event space for women and nonbinary writers and artists in San Francisco’s Mission district; she retired at the end of 2021. Her second novel, Real Americans, was published by Knopf in April 2024, and was an instant New York Times bestseller. Her story collection, My Dear You, is out now from Knopf. She writes the monthly newsletter, Short Story Short. Along with her friends Meng Jin, Susanna Kwan, and Shruti Swamy, she teaches writing workshops and retreats. Find them at The Dream Side.com

Buy My Dear You

Rachel Khong’s Website

Rachel Khong’s Wikipedia Page

At about 2:10, Rachel talks about her writing experience and philosophy involving eggs

At about 4:30, Rachel responds to Pete’s questions about her early language and literature background 

At about 7:25, Pete and Rachel geek out about The Best American Short Stories anthologies

At about 10:30, Rachel highlights wonderful writing mentors and passionate readers 

At about 12:00, Rachel describes her college “independent study” that exposed her to so much great writing, and Pete and Rachel cite Aimee Bender’s greatness

At about 15:45, Pete recounts his experience reading The Real Americans

At about 16:40, Pete lays out the story collection’s first resonant line and asks Rachel about the inspiration for the first story

At about 20:00, Rachel responds to Pete asking about the balance between the general and the specific, especially with regard to pathos

At about 22:50, Rachel reflects on a real-life parallel to a story in the collection, and an abstract/concrete connection to others in the world

At about 24:05, Cats and taking care of (literally!) their owners 

At about 25:20, Pete and Rachel discuss racial dynamics and diversity with regard to the story “The Freshening”

At about 27:25, Rachel reflects on the ways that Asians and Asian-Americans have reacted to racism in the past 

At about 30:10, Rachel discusses ideas of a “color-blind” society 

At about 31:20, Pete cites resonant and outsized lines in the collection

At about 32:05, Rachel reacts to Pete’s musing about her as the writer sitting in judgment or not of her characters, especially Greg from “The Family O”

At about 38:45, the two discuss lost loves, missed connections, and senses of comfortability and routines

At about 41:00, Rachel talks about how the beginning of the pandemic connects to looking for meanings of suffering and pain and led to some of her story collections

At about 43:00, The two discuss themes of connection and alienation and loneliness in various stories

At about 46:20, Pete reflects on the traumas carried in the collection, and Rachel’s deft touch with her writing about miscarriage and other heavy topics 

At about 48:10, Pete and Rachel discuss a story dealing with cultural change in Malaysia and shout out connections to the “beautiful book”-Rachel Heng’s The Great Reclamation

At about 51:20, Aihwa Ong’s article on possession by ghosts and worker protests are cited as seeds for Rachel’s work

At about 52:20, 

At about 53:20, The two discuss the “beautiful absurdity” of Rachel’s work and Pete cites the profundity of friendship

At about 54:30, Rachel gives out tour info and book purchasing info

   You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

      Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

      Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

       Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

       This month’s Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.

       Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show. You can also buy single episodes for $3.

        This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

      The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

       Please tune in for Episode 337 with Daniel Tam-Claiborne, a multiracial writer, multimedia producer, and nonprofit director. His debut novel, Transplants (Simon & Schuster, 2025), was a finalist for the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction and longlisted for the 2026 VCU Cabell First Novelist Award.

      He is the author of the short story collection What Never Leaves, and his writing has appeared in Michigan Quarterly Review, HuffPost, Catapult, Literary Hub, Off Assignment, The Rumpus, and elsewhere. Daniel is an award-winning producer for two public media initiatives at WNET, America’s flagship PBS station, including the digital documentary series be/longing: Asian Americans Now, Between Black & White: Asian Americans Speak Out, Voices Rising: What’s Next for Asian Americans in the Arts, and Climate Artists. 

       Daniel is an outspoken advocate for Asian American issues and increased global understanding through education, cultural exchange, storytelling, and effective philanthropy. He serves as Deputy Director at The Serica Initiative, a nonprofit organization that amplifies the impact of the Asian diaspora in America.

      The episode airs on April 14.

      Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

      You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Toni Ann Johnson’s Work

  Toni Ann Johnson won the 2024 Screen Door Press Prize for Fiction with her linked collection, BUT WHERE’S HOME? (UPK 2026).

   In 2021, she won the Flannery O’Connor Award for her linked short story collection LIGHT SKIN GONE TO WASTE (UGA Press 2022). The collection was shortlisted for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, and also shortlisted for the Saroyan Prize.

   A novella, HOMEGOING, won Accents Publishing’s inaugural novella contest in 2020 and was released in May of 2021.

   Short fiction and essays have been published in The Emerson Review, Hunger Mountain, Fiction Magazine, Callaloo, The Los Angeles Times, and elsewhere.

   A novel, Remedy For a Broken Angel, was published in 2014 and received a nomination for a 2015 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work by a Debut Author.

   Johnson is a screenwriter with a number of produced projects to her credit including, Ruby Bridges (ABC), Crown Heights (Showtime), The Courage to Love (Lifetime) the TV pilot, Save The Last Dance (Fox Television), and the feature film, Step Up 2: The Streets (Summit Entertainment). 

Buy But Where's Home?

“How But Where’s Home? by Toni Ann Johnson Got Made” from Publisher’s Weekly

Toni Ann Johnson’s Website

At about 1:50, Toni Ann shouts out Crystal Wilkinson and her great work in talking about Toni’s newest release, But Where’s Home? and awards

At about 3:25, Toni Ann speaks about working with real-life events as fodder for fiction 

At about 7:40, Toni responds to Pete’s questions about her book’s structure, especially her inclusion of a novella

At about 11:00, the two discuss the book’s opening story and exposition 

At about 13:30, Toni Ann expands on a real-life parallel in the story collection 

At about 14:20, The two discuss Livia, the narrator’s sister, and her feelings of marginalization and her efforts as girl to adjust 

At about 17:30, Pete and Toni Ann talk about traumas informing one’s own parenting, in relation to a deep quote in the book

At about 20:00, Toni reflects on a character in the book as a "generational nemesis” and a contentious neighbor’s links to the family’s generations and changing dynamics  

At about 22:00, Toni Ann reflects on ideas of “not seeing color” as a damaging ethic in American history 

At about 25:00, Pete and Toni Ann discuss changing ways of talking about race over the decades 

At about 26:15, Toni Ann expands on a meaningful family heirloom, a pen, in the collection

At about 27:40, The two discuss empathy and sympathy for characters whose actions the readers may not condone

At about 29:10, Pete asks Toni Ann about Maddie’s response to her sexual assault, and how her words towards her mother come from her traumas 

At about 31:55, Toni responds to Pete’s laying out of a resolution made by Maddie in discussing the actions of the children of narcissistic parents

At about 36:25, Pete remarks on the importance and skill of Toni Ann’s ancillary characters and veins of ancestors running through the collection 

At about 37:45, The novella’s opening is discussed, with Maddie interested in getting Zeke’s attention 

At about 39:25, Pete and Toni Ann talk about Zeke as navigating racism and tropes in a conservative town

At about 41:00, Muriel, Phil’s lover, and the events that lead to Velma’s “having her guard down” are discussed, as well as how Velma and Maddie interact 

At about 44:45, a turnabout with mother and daughter is explored 

At about 46:05, Pete cites important flashbacks and confrontations between Velma and Maddie

At about 47:20, Franny, a character who is in multiple of Toni’s works, is discussed as a reminder of home in Monroe, NY

At about 49:00, Pete and Velma highlight ideas of innocence and the traumatic experiences of childhood for Velma 

At about 50:25, the two discuss Olivia and Maddie’s grievances towards their parents and guilt (or lack thereof) from Maddie

At about 53:20, Toni Ann responds to Pete’s questions about self-esteem and the significance of the collection’s title

At about 57:10, Toni Ann highlights “moments of levity” in the book

   You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

      Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

    Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

     Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

   This month’s Patreon bonus episode deals with short, powerful poems and prose that pack a punch-take that, alliteration! The episode features meaningful and resonant work from Robert Hershon, Mosab Abu Toha, Ernest Hemingway, Sara Abou Rashed, Khaled Juma, Andrea Cohen, and Marwan Makhoul.

   Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

    This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

   The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

    Please tune in for Episode 336 with Rachel Khong, whose debut novel, Goodbye, Vitamin, won the 2017 California Book Award for First Fiction, and was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist for First Fiction. In 2018, she founded The Ruby, a work and event space for women and nonbinary writers and artists in San Francisco’s Mission district. Her second novel, Real Americans, was published by Knopf in April 2024, and was an instant New York Times bestseller. Her story collection, My Dear You, is out as of today, April 7.

   The episode airs on April 7, Pub Day for My Dear You.

   Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

   You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Lisa Lee’s Work

  Lisa Lee is the recipient of the Marianne Russo Emerging Writer Award from the Key West Literary Seminar, an Emerging Writer Fellowship from the Center for Fiction, and a Pushcart Prize. Her work has appeared in Ploughshares, VIDA: Women in Literary Arts, North American Review, Sycamore Review, and elsewhere. Her essay on racial invisibility and erasure in the writing workshop was featured on Bitch Media’s feminism & pop culture podcast Popaganda, on the episode “Writing About Race.” 

Today, March 31, is Pub Day for her novel, American Han.

Buy American Han

Lisa Lee’s Website

Review of American Han from Kirkus Reviews

At about 1:40, Lisa discusses the exhaustion and excitement that comes with Pub Day and the book’s unveiling

At about 4:45, Lisa gives info on publishing and buying her book

At about 5:40, Lisa and Pete shout out meaningful writers in her life and talk about her book events coming up

At about 6:15, Lisa responds to Pete’s question about her language and reading life in childhood and into young adulthood

At about 9:00, Lisa cites Housekeeping by Robinson and Everett’s Erasure as changing her perceptions of what writers

At about 10:30, Lisa expands upon the greatness of Percival Evertett, homing in on Erasure

At about 13:20, Pete reads a generic definition of han and compares it to a word like saudade that is virtually untranslatable 

At about 14L15, Lisa responds to Pete’s questions about the meaning(s) of han

At about 16:00, Pete sets the book’s exposition, and Lisa expands on the narrator Jane’s mindset at the beginning of American Han 

At about 20:45, The two discuss the competitiveness within the family and expectations of Jane’s mother 

At about 21:45, Lisa responds to Pete asking about the quote that Jane has succeeded “despite” her mother, not “because of” her mother 

At about 25:15, Pete cites the Korean folk tale of Chun in talking about parental-child relationships and sibling relationships 

At about 26:05, Lisa responds to Pete’s question about empathy/sympathy for her characters 

At about 29:05, Lisa reflects on Pete’s wondering about han and intergenerational traumas in the book, and expands upon differences in han’s impact in contemporary Korea and among members of the Korean diaspora

At about 33:30, Pete highlights a memorable scene that 

At about 34:05, Pete riffs on the "manosphere" and connections to Kevin, the narrator’s sister, and his misogyny; Lisa speaks on Kevin’s background and sense of han and sense of gender identity

At about 40:15, Lisa and Pete discuss the book’s timing and pacing and flashbacks

At about 42:40, Pete highlights an important and well-drawn scene about an alternate way of being mother and daughter 

At about 43:55, Lisa expands on a Korean custom of associating parents with their children through different forms of address

At about 45:40, The two reflect on children as the parents’ “identity”

At about 46:40, Pete points out the independence of the mother and father at a point in the book where Kevin’s horrific act shakes up the family 

At about 47:35, The two discuss the importance of a family vacation and ideas of “let[ting] the lid off”

At about 48:10, Pete asks Lisa about ending the book as she does, with a flashback, and with the tone that she uses

   You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

      Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

    Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

     Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

   This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

   Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

    This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

   The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

    Please tune in for Episode 335 with Toni Ann Johnson, who won the 2024 Screen Door Press Prize for Fiction with her linked collection, BUT WHERE’S HOME? (UPK 2026). In 2021, she won the Flannery O’Connor Award for her linked short story collection LIGHT SKIN GONE TO WASTE (UGA Press 2022). The collection was shortlisted for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, and also shortlisted for the Saroyan Prize. A novella, HOMEGOING, won Accents Publishing’s inaugural novella contest in 2020 and was released in May of 2021.

   She is also a screenwriter with a number of produced projects to her credit including, Ruby Bridges (ABC), Crown Heights (Showtime), The Courage to Love (Lifetime) the TV pilot, Save The Last Dance (Fox Television), and the feature film, Step Up 2: The Streets (Summit Entertainment).

   The episode airs March 31 or April 1.

   Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

   You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Keith O’Brien’s Work

  Keith O’Brien has written five books, won the PEN America award for best biography, and has contributed to multiple publications over the years.

   Keith's work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic, Rolling Stone, the Wall Street Journal, and on National Public Radio. His radio stories have aired on All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition, as well as Marketplace and This American Life. His latest gem is Heartland: A Forgotten Place, an Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird.

Buy Heartland: A Forgotten Place, an Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird 

Keith O'Brien's Website

Review for Heartland from The Wall Street Journal

At about 1:50, Pete shouts out his brother as a huge Larry Bird fan

At about 2:30, Keith talks about his book tour for the launch of Heartland and gives a summary of the book

at about 4:40, Keith responds to Pete asking about the time period covered in the book and how he figured out his angle for the book

at about 7:55, Keith talks about his attempts to talk to Larry Bird for the book

at about 10:00, Pete sets the record straight grammatically, and Keith expands on Indiana State University President Dick Landini's persona 

at about 11:20, The two discuss the book's opening sequence, and Keith explains why he started the book where he did, with an Indiana State NIT loss and Larry Bird fracas 

at about 16:25, Keith talks about Larry Bird's treatment as "The Great White Hope" and the ways in which he was talked about and treated in the late 1970s

at about 19:00, Larry Bird's childhood is discussed, including his father's military background, and Larry talks about his research and work to make Joey Bird "three-dimensional" 

at about 22:40, Keith gives background on the poverty and hardship in Larry Bird's upbringing

at about 23:40, Dave Bliss, Bobby Knight, and Larry Bird's college recruitment are discussed

at about 24:20, Keith recounts an amazing story involving Denny Crum and Larry Bird's recruitment 

at about 26:45, Larry's short time at Indiana University and Northwood Institute are highlighted

at about 29:40, The two discuss important recruits for Indiana State to team up with Larry Bird, including Harry Morgan and his upbringing in a racist town/society

at about 33:00, Larry responds to Pete's asking about the college basketball Magic Johnson/Larry Bird dynamic, and the racial dynamics and popularity of the NBA in the late 1970s

at about 36:30, Keith gives background on the Celtics drafting Larry Bird after his junior year of college

at about 37:10, Pete discusses the "glue guys" that Coach Hodges brought in to ISU for Larry's third year and the novelty of nationally-televised games 

at about 39:00, Keith reflects on the fact that while Magic Johnson is crucial to the book's events, he was at the time of the book's action, largely unknown to Larry, and vice versa

at about 41:30, Keith responds to Pete's referring to the book's last section, a sort of "Where are they now?" by calling it his favorite section and how the players and connections to ISU were irrevocably-changed

   You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

      Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

    Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

     Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

   This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

   Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

    This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

   The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

    Please tune in for Episode 334 with Lisa Lee. She is the recipient of the Marianne Russo Emerging Writer Award from the Key West Literary Seminar, an Emerging Writer Fellowship from the Center for Fiction, and a Pushcart Prize. Her work has appeared in Ploughshares, VIDA: Women in Literary Arts, North American Review, Sycamore Review, and elsewhere. Her essay on racial invisibility and erasure in the writing workshop was featured on Bitch Media’s feminism & pop culture podcast Popaganda, on the episode “Writing About Race.” 

   The episode airs on March 31, Pub Day for her novel American Han.

   Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

   You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Jordy Rosenberg’s Work

  Jordy Rosenberg is the author of the novel Confessions of the Fox, a New York Times Editors Choice selection, shortlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, a Lambda Literary Award, a Publishing Triangle Award, the UK Historical Writers Association Debut Crown Award, longlisted for The Dublin Literary Award, and named one of the best books of the year by The New Yorker, Kirkus Reviews and others. Jordy’s work has been supported by MacDowell, The Lannan Foundation, The Banff Centre, and The Ahmanson-Getty Foundation. He is a professor in the Department of English and Associated MFA Faculty in the Program for Poets and Writers at UMass-Amherst. His latest work is Night Night Fawn, published in early 2026.

Buy Night Night Fawn

Jordy Rosenberg’s Website

Review for Night Night Fawn from The New York Times

At about 0:45, Jordy responds to Pete’s questions about the feedback Jordy has received since Night Night Fawn has come out

At about 2:50, Jordy talks about tour events and purchase info

At about 4:15, Jordy talks about his background in reading and writing, especially the influence of the Marxist tradition 

At about 6:50, Jordy responds to Pete’s questions about what draws him to sci-fi, and Jordy expands on his interesting view of genre as “collective”

At about 9:00, Jordan cites contemporary writers whom he appreciates in his "omnivorous" writing, including Lara Sheehi

At about 12:30, Jordy reflects on seeds for his novel, which started out as memoir 

At about 16:10, the two discuss the narrator, Barbara, and the book’s exposition, and connections to Marx

At about 18:50, Jordy discusses how he wanted to explore Marxism through the voice of someone with a passing knowledge of it

At about 20:45, Part II of the book, a letter from Barbara, is discussed

At about 22:45, Jordy reflects on how he satirizes those so obsessed with anti-trans vitriol

At about 25:00, Jordy expands on Barbara’s antiquated and biased world view and victim mentality 

At about 26:45, Jordy discusses a pivotal scene at a funeral and the importance of a photo

At about 31:00, Jordy responds to Pete’s question about meta-writing and 

At about 35:00, Barbara’s job and it providing “ammunition” for her homophobia is the basis of discussion 

At about 36:00, Neil, a family friend, is discussed as a trope and anti-trope

At about 38:00, Pete compares Neil’s Marxism to “a la carte Catholicism”

At about 38:50, The beginnings of discussions of Israel and 1980s viewpoints and a “public relations nightmare” and a broken friendship are highlighted

At about 42:40, Jordy talks about the importance of the “carrot scene” and ideas of Jewish masculinity

At about 47:15, Pete cites Deni Avdija's story and Jordy expands on ideas of BDS and narratives of “the most moral army in the world”

At about 52:00, Jordy and  Pete posit some ideas about the adult daughter in the novel and talk about Jewish leadership in the BDS movement 

At about 54:10, The two discuss the scene in which Barbara reunites with her old friend and how Jordy uses satire in the scene

At about 57:15, Jordy reflects on real-life connections to Barbara sending her daughter to Israel for “support work”

At about 59:15, Jordy cites the book as adding to conversations that come from “bedside rants”

   You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

      Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

    Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

     Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

   This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

   Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

    This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

   The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

    Please tune in for Episode 333 with Keith O’Brien. Keith has written five books, won the PEN America award for best biography, and has contributed to multiple publications over the years.

   Keith's work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic, Rolling Stone, the Wall Street Journal, and on National Public Radio. His radio stories have aired on All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition, as well as Marketplace and This American Life. His latest gem is Heartland: A Forgotten Place, an Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird.

   The episode airs on March 29 or thereabouts.

   Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

   You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Davina Agudelo’s Work

     Davina Agudelo-Ferreria is a Colombian-American bilingual poet, writer and the founder of her independent publishing company, Alegría Publishing. Agudelo-Ferreira was born in Miami and raised in Medellín, Colombia until the age of 17.

   Alegría Publishing was created in 2020 to spotlight modern Latino/x stories and give a special opportunity for upcoming writers to have a platform to present their work. 

   She also runs the bilingual Alegría magazine, which was founded in 2012 and is published digitally and printed quarterly. 

2021 Article in Remezcla: “With Alegría Bilingual Media, Colombiana Davina A. Ferreira Is Uplifting Latine Storytelling

Publishing on Instagram

At about 1:40, Davina shares some good Medellin, Colombia slang

At about 3:20, Davina expands upon her upbringing and her language and literary lives and literature and writing were places of “refuge” for her

At about 6:10, Davina talks about “gatekeepers” and difficulty in getting to read diverse writers and publish; she talks about her publishing company as a response to that 

At about 7:50, Davina responds to Pete’s asking about her early writing-poetry, journals, etc.

At about 9:50, Pete cites Ingrid Rojas Contreras in asking Davina about connections between Colombian cultures and magic realism

At about 11:35, Davina responds to Pete’s wondering about her take on diversity in publishing and any positive changes in recent years

At about 14:15, Davina reflects on the usage of Latine and Latinx

At about 16:05, Davina talks about the name of her publishing company and its significance 

At about 17:45, Davina expands on alegria vs. joy and their power

At about 18:20, Davina talks about the publishing company and its mission and challenges around the COVID pandemic

At about 23:05, Davina responds (en español) to Pete asking about her own writing-likes and specialties 

At about 26:00, Pete asks Davina (en español) about balancing the personal and the universal, and the balance between the romantic and the cheesy 

At about 28:20, Davina outlines the year-round work at a publishing company 

At about 30:15, Davina discusses future projects for Alegria Publishing 

   You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

      Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

    Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

     Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

   This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

   Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

    This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

   The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

    Please tune in for Episode 332 with Jordy Rosenberg, the author of the novels Confessions of the Fox (2018) and Night Night Fawn (2026). Confessions of the Fox was a New York Times Editors Choice selection, shortlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, a Lambda Literary Award, and has been recognized by The New Yorker, the Huffington Post, among other places, as one of the Best Books of 2018. Jordy is a professor in the Department of English and Associated MFA Faculty in the Program for Poets and Writers at The University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

   The episode airs on March 24.

   Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

   You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Gaspare Randazzo’s Work

  Gaspare Randazzo is a NYC high school teacher in his 13th year in the classroom. When he’s not in the classroom, you can find Gaspare doing Stand Up Comedy all around the country where he talks about his life as a teacher and his experiences dealing with students from all walks of life. In addition to stand up comedy and teaching, Gaspare recently starred in the Netflix show “The Trust” and co-hosts “The Social Studies Podcast” along with Joe Dombrowski. You can find him on all social media platforms at StandUpRandazzo.

Gaspare Randazzo’s Instagram

Gaspare’s Website

Tickets for Gaspare’s Shows

At about 1:35, Gaspare relates the incredible story of him buying an Egyptian sarcophagus 

At about 7:50, Pete shouts out the connections between Gaspare and his AOL screen name

At about 9:00, Gaspare talks about his early connections to the comedy world, some tangential 

At about 10:15, Gaspare responds to Pete’s questions about catalysts for his comedy career

At about 12:00, Gaspare shares an anecdote about his first headlining show and how he stretched eight minutes of material into an hour of material  

At about 14:50, Gaspare talks about how he is “just him[self]” on stage

At about 15:45, Gaspare responds to Pete’s question about the “clip culture” of contemporary comedy

At about 16:30, Gaspare talks about “clean comedy”

At about 17:55, Gaspare talks about connections between teaching and comedy, and his public persona making it necessary to be a good teacher 

At about 19:00, Gaspare expands on his usage of costumes in his history classes

At about 21:00, Gaspare responds to Pete’s questions about privacy concerns and how he is “mindful” of not giving specifics 

At about 22:00, Gaspare discusses his evolving classroom management over the years 

At about 23:15, Gaspare reflects on the comment boards and positive and negative comments 

At about 26:10, Gaspare lays out his weekend schedule that integrates family time and comedy

At about 28:10, Gaspare talks about his time on Netflix’s The Trust and lays out his early experience and the concept of the show 

At about 31:00, Gaspare explains his mindset on the show 

At about 32:30, Gaspare talks about the shared experience with his castmates 

At about 33:25, Gaspare shares how the byzantine way he “resigned” from his teaching job in order to be on the show

At about 35:15, Pete asks Gaspare about “go-to” jokes and lessons 

At about 37:20, Gaspare cites about 92% of his audience being teachers and riffs on “translating” his comedy for non-teachers 

At about 38:30: Rigor!

   You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

      Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

    Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

     Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

   This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

   Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

    This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

   The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

    Please tune in for Episode 331 with Davina Agudelo, a Colombian-American bilingual poet, writer and the founder of her independent publishing company, Alegría Publishing, which was created in 2020 to spotlight modern Latino/x stories and give a special opportunity for upcoming writers to have a platform to present their work.

   The episode airs on March 19.

   Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

       You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Grant Ginder’s Work

  Grant Ginder is the author of the novels Let’s Not Do That Again, Honestly, We Meant Well, The People We Hate at the Wedding, Driver’s Education, and This is How It Starts. Originally from Southern California, he studied at the University of Pennsylvania and received his MFA from NYU, where he currently teaches writing. He lives in Brooklyn with his husband, Mac, and their disastrous dog, Frankie.

    Follow Grant on Twitter and Instagram at @GrantGinder.

Buy So Old, So Young

So Old, So Young Review for The Boston Globe

Grant Ginder’s Website

At about 2:05, Grant shares the fortifying feedback he has received since So Old, So Young has been out

At about 3:45, The two ruminate on aging and its “surprise” and its prevalence in 

At about 5:15, Grant gives out book-buying info and upcoming book events 

At about 7:15, Grant provides background on his rich reading life as a kid

At about 10:30, Grant talks about his love for Jane Austen’s work, and the two discuss connections in Austen and Grant’s work

At about 11:40, Grant talks about the “compulsion” and catalysts that led him to become a writer

At about 13:45, Grant reflects on how his speechwriting career has informed his novel writing 

At about 14:50, Grant responds to Pete’s questions about seeing his work on the big screen with The People You Hate at the Wedding

At about 17:15, Grant shares writing wisdom from his teacher E.L Doctorow in discussing the episodic nature of his book

At about 18:25, Grant talks about the seeds for his novel

At about 20:20, The two discuss the meaningful epigraph and its change; Grant shouts out James Salter’s Light Years

At about 23:55, Pete lays out the book’s opening and a cryptic comment

At about 24:40, the two discuss the book’s chronological opening in 2007 and discuss the characters 

At about 27:30, Grant explains the compliment of Adam being compared to a “roll of duct tape”

At about 28:50, Grant expands on why he steers clear of a straightforward cause-and-effect for his characters 

At about 31:30, 

At about 33:30, Pete shares some amazing coincidences in his life and the book’s second event, a 2014 wedding 

At about 35:10, Grant expands on Mia’s comment that going to friends’ weddings is “bloodsport”

At about 37:40, Poor Nina, in her complexities, is discussed, and Pete compares her to Cecily Strong’s SNL character 

At about 40:30, Ideas of expectations for women and the stakes “slowly getting ratched up” are discussed 

At about 42:44, the next event, 2018’s party, is discussed 

At about 44:00, Grant reflects on self-sabotage among longtime friends 

At about 45:10, Nina and her hyperawareness of social anxiety and isolation are discussed 

At about 47:50, Pete shouts out the wonderful invitation for Event #4 and the two discuss “dad rock” 

At about 48:45, the two discuss the book cover and a “madcap scene”

At about 49:20, Grant talks about the eventual moving to the suburbs and people digging in their heels to stay in “the city”

At about 51:10, the two discuss the ways in which youth or lack thereof affects your mindset

At about 52:20, Grant reflects on long-lasting friendships and grace and change 

At about 55:00, The two discuss connections between Grant’s book and The Big Chill 

   You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

      Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

    Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

     Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

   This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

   Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

    This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

   The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

    Please tune in for Episode 330, a conversation with Gaspare Randazzo, a New York City high school history teacher and stand-up comedian known for his humorous insights into education, social media presence, and appearance on Netflix's "The Trust." He has over a decade of teaching experience and performs comedy nationwide, co-hosting the "Social Studies" podcast. 

   The episode airs on March 18.

   Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

      You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.

Notes and Links to Tom Junod’s Work

  Tom Junod is an ESPN senior writer who has written some of the most enduring and widely read longform journalism of the last 30 years.

   He joined ESPN in 2016 and has specialized in deeply reported stories on subjects ranging from Muhammad Ali’s funeral to Tom Brady’s desire to play forever. He has been nominated for an Emmy for his work on “The Hero of Goodall Park,” an E60 program on the ancient secrets that were revealed when a car drove on a baseball field in Maine during a Babe Ruth League game in 2018. 

   In a 2022 piece, “Untold,” he and ESPN investigative reporter Paula Lavigne spent nearly two years uncovering the horrific crimes of Todd Hodne, a  Penn State football player who in the late 1970’s terrorized State College PA, and Long Island, NY, as a serial sexual predator.

   Before coming to ESPN, Junod wrote for GQ and Esquire, where he won two National Magazine Awards and was a finalist for the award a record 11 times. For Esquire’s 75th Anniversary, the editors of the magazine selected his 9/11 story “The Falling Man’ as one of the seven top stories in Esquire’s history. In 2019, his story on beloved children’s TV host Fred Rogers, “Can You Say…Hero?,” served as the basis for the movie “A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood,” starring Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys.

   His work has been widely anthologized in collections including The Best American Magazine Writing, the Best American Sports Writing, the Best American Political Writing, the Best American Crime Writing, and the Best American Food Writing.

Buy In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to be a Man

Esquire: “Mr Rogers Changed Tom Junod's Life. Here's the True Story Behind A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Esquire Magazine: “Can You Say…Hero” Article about Fred Rogers

New York Times Review: “Tom Junod Would Like to Tell You about His Father”

“My Father’s Fashion Tips”-1996 GQ Article

“Untold”: 2023 Article from ESPN Regarding Penn State and Todd Hodne

At about 1:00, Tom talks about his night and days leading up to Pub Day, and the sometimes-arbitrary nature of publishing and Pub Day

At about 3:00, Tom talks about his upcoming book tour/events

At about 4:15, Tom highlights the greatness and importance of Amy Wallace and her work, an upcoming conversation partner for him

At about 6:30, Pete is highly complimentary-joining thousands and ten of thousands of fans-of Tom’s legendary “The Falling Man” article  

At about 7:05, Tom responds to Pete’s questions about the ways in which Jerry Sandusky haunts Tom and Paula Lavigne’s master class in journalism, “ ”

At about 12:00, Tom expands on how the article about Todd Hodne pointed out the lies and hypocrisy regarding Joe Paterno and Penn State 

At about 13:35, Tom responds to Pete’s questions about the seeds for In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to be a Man; he emphasizes the importance of a 1996 GQ article 

At about 17:30, Pete brings up some intriguing quotes in making some connections between Lorenzo Carcaterra’s A Safe Place and Tom’s memoir

At about 18:30, Tom highlights the classic portrait of her father for the GQ article by Marion Ettlinger (also featured in the book), and talks about his father’s essence being captured 

At about 20:20, Tom responds to Pete asking about his father Lou as a distinctive type of “man’s man”

At about 25:00, Tom talks about his dad as “Italian-adjacent”

At about 26:30, Tom discusses the two funeral services held for his father, and how “having the last word” in dealing with his father led to him becoming a writer 

At about 30:50, Tom highlights a stunning eulogy from a former lover of his father 

At about 32:10, Tom responds to Pete’s questions about balancing his father’s behaviors in his mind and in his feelings towards him; Tom emphasizes the “suspicions” about his father that he harbored for decades about his father 

At about 36:50, Tom talks about love “unlocking” so much for his writing of the book, including his father but also his wife, his mother, his siblings, his aunts, etc.

At about 38:55, Tom reflects on ideas of grace and scrutiny involving his father, his paternal grandmother, and their life histories 

At about 42:35, Tom responds to Pete’s question about how his life with his father has affected him as a father 

   You can now subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and leave me a five-star review. You can also ask for the podcast by name using Alexa, and find the pod on Stitcher, Spotify, and on Amazon Music. Follow Pete on IG, where he is @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where he is @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both the YouTube Channel and the podcast while you’re checking out this episode.

      Pete is very excited to have one or two podcast episodes per month featured on the website of Chicago Review of Books. The audio will be posted, along with a written interview culled from the audio. His conversation with Jeff Pearlman, a recent guest, is up now at Chicago Review.

    Sign up now for The Chills at Will Podcast Patreon: it can be found at patreon.com/chillsatwillpodcastpeterriehl

     Check out the page that describes the benefits of a Patreon membership, including cool swag and bonus episodes. Thanks in advance for supporting Pete’s one-man show, DIY podcast and extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!

   This month’s Patreon bonus episode features an exploration of formative and transformative writing for children, as Pete surveys wonderful writers on their own influences.

   Pete has added a $1 a month tier for “Well-Wishers” and Cheerleaders of the Show.

    This is a passion project, a DIY operation, and Pete would love for your help in promoting what he’s convinced is a unique and spirited look at an often-ignored art form.

   The intro song for The Chills at Will Podcast is “Wind Down” (Instrumental Version), and the other song played on this episode was “Hoops” (Instrumental)” by Matt Weidauer, and both songs are used through ArchesAudio.com.

    Please tune in for Episode 329 with Grant Ginder Please tune in for Episode 325 with Grant Ginder, the author of the novels Let’s Not Do That Again, Honestly, We Meant Well, The People We Hate at the Wedding, Driver’s Education, and This is How It Starts, a few of which have been made into movies. His latest is So Old, So Young. 

   The episode airs on March 13 or 14.

   Please go to ceasefiretoday.org, and/or https://act.uscpr.org/a/letaidin to call your congresspeople and demand an end to the forced famine and destruction of Gaza and the Gazan people.

   You can also donate at chuffed.org, World Central Kitchen, and so many more, and/or you can contact writer friend Ursula Villarreal-Moura directly or through Pete, as she has direct links with friends in Gaza.