Annaliese discusses the poem "Use It in Our Daily Lives" with author Lara Niedermeyer. We cover the various ways we've learned that we need trials in our lives and how we cope with them. 

Read "Use It in Our Daily Lives" - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/post/use-it-in-our-daily-lives-by-lara-niedermeyer 

Lara recommends: "The Chosen" TV series 

Find Lara online: Segullah - https://segullah.org/ 

This interview was produced in coordination with the Mormon Lit Lab Podcast. 

Audio editing: Liz Busby 

Website - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mormonlitlab/ 

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/044rQa8Up9gbJPz4Z1oz37 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064573994131 

Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/mormonlitlab

Annaliese discusses the short story "Thief" with author Lee Ann Setzer. We cover how her research into Mesoamerican traditions influenced her choices in this story, and how to make scripture stories come to life.

Read "Thief" - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/post/thief-by-lee-ann-setzer

Lee Ann recommends:
The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lyon by Beth Brower - https://amzn.to/49F7aUR (commission link)

Works by Lee Ann:
"Compassed About" - https://irreantum.associationmormonletters.org/20-2-compassed-about/
"Last Miracle Standing" - https://www.wayfaremagazine.org/p/last-miracle-standing
blog - https://lookunderthings.blogspot.com/

This interview was produced in coordination with the Mormon Lit Lab Podcast.

Audio editing: Liz Busby

Website - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mormonlitlab/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/044rQa8Up9gbJPz4Z1oz37
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064573994131
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/mormonlitlab

Annaliese discusses the poem “Mad Poet Passes” with J.S. Absher. We discuss how he employed the various poetic tools, and how the series this poem is a part of can speak truth in ways that people often avoid.

Read “Mad Poet Passes” - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/post/mad-poet-passes-by-j-s-absher

J.S. Absher recommends:

Rainer Maria Rilke
Elias Canetti

The Ruin of Kasch by Roberto Calasso - https://amzn.to/3JWfS6E (commission link)

W.H. AudenW.B. YeatsElizabeth BishopMarianne MooreConstantine P. CavafySeamus Heaney

Find J.S. Absher online:

“Patient Doe Escapes the Asylum and Goes on the Town” - https://issuu.com/eastcarolina/docs/2023-nclr-online-winter/88

https://www.jsabsherpoetry.com/

This interview was produced in coordination with the Mormon Lit Lab Podcast.

Audio editing: Liz Busby

Website - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mormonlitlab/ 

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/044rQa8Up9gbJPz4Z1oz37 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064573994131 

Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/mormonlitlab

Editor and creator of the Mormon Lit Blitz, James Goldberg discusses some of his favorite pieces, and what he’s looking for in selecting finalists.

Highlighted Mormon Lit Blitz pieces:

“The Five Year Journal” by Katherine Cowley - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/post/the-five-year-journal-by-katherine-cowley

“Disability, Death, or Other Circumstance” by Annaliese Lemmon -

https://lit.mormonartist.net/2015/05/disability-death-or-other-circumstance-by-annaliese-lemmon/

“A Sunday at Laginha” by César Augusto Medina Fortes - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/post/a-sunday-at-laginha-by-c%C3%A9sar-augusto-medina-fortes

“TIME a particle” by Citlalli H. Xochitiotzin (English) – https://lit.mormonartist.net/2019/04/time-a-particle-by-citlalli-h-xochitiotzin/ (Spanish) - https://lit.mormonartist.net/2019/04/tiempo-una-particula-de-citlalli-h-xochitiotzin/

James Recommends:

Souls on Fire by Elie Wiesel - https://amzn.to/43HFdYB (commission link)

“Tonight” by Agha Shahid Ali - https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51652/tonight-56d22f898fcd7

Irreantum – https://irreantum.associationmormonletters.org/

Wayfare – https://www.wayfaremagazine.org/

Sunstone - https://sunstone.org/

Dialogue - https://www.dialoguejournal.com/

Exponent II – https://exponentii.org/

Segullah – https://segullah.org/

Further Light - https://www.furtherlightmag.com/

James’ work:

Wayfare’s Summer Festival AI panel - https://youtu.be/cfW6r1Kgqhk?si=9LG7-c1DWppIvOTL

Latter-day Sikh - https://amzn.to/47veobg (commission link)

This interview was produced in coordination with the Mormon Lit Lab Podcast.

Audio editing: Liz Busby

Website - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mormonlitlab/

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/044rQa8Up9gbJPz4Z1oz37

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064573994131

Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/mormonlitlab

Annaliese discusses the essay "Lifecycle of Strawberries" with Michelle. We talk about our various experiences with gardening and how it relates to the gospel. Read "Lifecycle of Strawberries" - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/post/lifecycle-of-strawberries-by-michelle-graabek-wallace 

Michelle recommends: 

Song of Names edited by James Goldberg and Ardis Parshall - https://amzn.to/4n3qcr3 (commission link) 

See Michelle's work: 

Global Mormon Studies - globalmormonstudies.org 

This interview was produced in coordination with the Mormon Lit Lab Podcast. 

Audio editing: Liz Busby 

Website - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mormonlitlab/ 

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/044rQa8Up9gbJPz4Z1oz37 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064573994131 

Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/mormonlitlab

Annaliese discusses the poem “Living Room” with MerrijaneRice. We discuss the events in Merrijane’s life that led to the creation of this poem, and the symbolism of mending past mistakes.

Read “Living Room” - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/post/living-room-by-merrijane-rice

Merrijane recommends:The Name of the Rose by Umberto EcoPoetry by Darlene Young - https://amzn.to/46KqInx(commission link)
The Adam Dalgliesh series by P.D. James - https://amzn.to/42l6WxM(commission link)

Merrijane’s work:Grace Like Water – https://amzn.to/4o1TRSy(commission link)Out of the Dust - https://amzn.to/3KthdBZ(commission link)Like a Fire Burning - https://amzn.to/4mJzUyy(commission link)Not in the Wind - https://amzn.to/46JJgEt(commission link)Website - https://www.merrijanerice.com/

Follow: a Latter-day Saint Poetry Podcast:Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/2sFdQijBVgOyg6mFFkXVAsApple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/follow-a-latter-day-saint-poetry-podcast/id1649001512Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/latterdaysaintpoetry

This interview was produced in coordination with the Mormon Lit Lab Podcast. Audio editing: Liz Busby Website - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mormonlitlab/ Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/044rQa8Up9gbJPz4Z1oz37 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064573994131 Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/mormonlitlab

Annaliese discusses the story “Escondida” (“Hidden” in English) with author Jesús Baldemar Liévano. We cover the spiritual experiences of children, and why children are so beloved of our Lord. 

Read “Escondida” en español – https://www.mormonlitlab.org/post/escondida-by-jes%C3%BAs-baldemar-li%C3%A9vano 

Read “Hidden” in English - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/post/hidden-by-jes%C3%BAs-baldemar-li%C3%A9vano 

Anthology created by Jesús's writing group: Horror Vacui - https://amzn.to/4mlgcsF (commission link) 

Jesús recommends: Eleusis by R. de la Lanza - https://amzn.to/46loD19 (commission link) 

This interview was produced in coordination with the Mormon Lit Lab Podcast. 

Audio editing: Liz Busby 

Website - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/ 

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mormonlitlab/ 

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/044rQa8Up9gbJPz4Z1oz37 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064573994131 

Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/mormonlitlab

Annaliese discusses the story “Rebecca, La Misionera” (“Rebecca, the Missionary” in English) with author Arisael Rivera. We cover why we like superheroes so much, and what questions arise from having an LDS missionary be a superhero.

Read “Rebecca, La Misionera” en español – https://www.mormonlitlab.org/post/rebecca-la-misionera-by-arisael-rivera

Read “Rebecca, the Missionary” in English - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/post/rebecca-the-missionary-by-arisael-rivera

Arisael recommends:
The Office – show released on NBC
Let Me Drown with Moses by James Goldberg - https://amzn.to/4p2Cz8X

Find Arisael online:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/arisael_riv/?hl=en
Word to the People Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wordtothepeopleco/
Word to the People Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wordtothepeopleco

This interview was produced in coordination with the Mormon Lit Lab Podcast.

Audio editing: Liz Busby
Website - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mormonlitlab/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/044rQa8Up9gbJPz4Z1oz37
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064573994131
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/mormonlitlab

Annaliese discusses the story "A Ward House Stirring" with author William Morris. We cover the origin of the story, and what some of the surrealist imagery means.

Read "A Ward House Stirring" - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/post/a-ward-house-stirring-by-william-morris

William recommends:
Irreantum - https://irreantum.associationmormonletters.org/
Andor - show on Disney+

Find William online:
A Motley Vision - https://motleyvision.org/
Frozen Sea Press - https://frozenseapress.com/

This interview was produced in coordination with the Mormon Lit Lab Podcast.
Audio editing: Liz Busby
Website - https://www.mormonlitlab.org/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mormonlitlab/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/044rQa8Up9gbJPz4Z1oz37
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064573994131
Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/mormonlitlab

This episode contains all thirteen finalists for the 14th Annual Mormon Lit Blitz held in June 2025. Each year, we give out a small cash prize to the writer of the audience’s favorite piece. To vote, please listen to all twelve pieces, then visit our website and rank your favorite four. 

Voting is open from Monday, June 30th until the end of the day on Sunday, July 6th. The winners of the Audience Choice and Judge's Choice Prizes will be announced on Monday, July 7th. 

The Mormon Lit Lab podcast reads finalists from the Mormon Lit Blitz, the world's premier contest for Mormon microliterature. The Mormon Lit Lab is a nonprofit organization established to promote the production of Mormon literature through contests, workshops, and publications. For more information, visit ⁠mormonlitlab.org⁠.

Audio Editing: Liz Busby