20 Author Nona Caspers & “The Fifth Woman”

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We laughed. We (nearly) cried. We had a fantastic conversation!

I loved having award-winning author Nona Caspers in the studio!

We talked Edgar, writing, and all about her beautiful book, The Fifth Woman, this week named a Lambda Literary Award Finalist AND Foreword INDIES Book of the Year finalist- and already awarded the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction! While we were at, we also discussed grief, magical realism, the malleability of time - and humor!

Nona's work has been supported by a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, and her stories have appeared in literary reviews such as Kenyon Review, Glimmer Train, and The Sun. She is a professor of creative writing at San Francisco State University.

Next show No show next week. Next show is Sunday, March 31, when I’ll talk stage performance and podcasting with Natacha Ruck.

Links:
nonacaspers.com
sarabandebooks.org
themarsh.org
wordspacestudios.com

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19 Acupuncture, Cupping, Moxibustion, Chinese Herbs & More with Acupuncturist Jan Feichtmeir

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Janis Feichtmeir, Licensed Acupuncturist, is co-founder of Clouds Rest Healing Center in San Francisco. I talked with Janis all about acupuncture, from what it is to why it works to needles and herbs and much more, including moxibustion, cupping, and qi!

After completing her Masters degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1989, Janis Feichtmeir traveled to Nanjing, China and completed advanced coursework at the Nanjing College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Upon her return, she began a decade-long study with Daoist priest Jeffrey Yuen, who presented a more in-depth and complex understanding of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with an emphasis on its spiritual roots. Janis has also studied the use of western supplements and diet, and integrates findings in the field of functional medicine into her practice. In addition to private practice, for years Janis supervised students providing acupuncture care at the Women's Community Clinic in San Francisco. She also provided adjunct ear acupuncture services to recovery settings, including at the San Francisco Drug Court, the San Francisco County Jail, the Ohlhoff Recovery Program, and the Epiphany Center for Families in Recovery.

Next week I’ll talk all about jazz with Savanna Jazz Club owner Pascal Bokar Thiam.

Links:
cloudsresthealing.com
themarsh.org
wordspacestudios.com

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18 Paris Mystery Writer Cara Black

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MURDER IN PARIS 🔪😲

Cara Black is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 17 books in the Private Investigator Aimée Leduc series, which is set in Paris. I talked with Cara about her current and forthcoming books in the series, writing mysteries, her love affair with Paris, and much more!

Cara has received multiple nominations for the Anthony and Macavity Awards, a Washington Post Book World Book of the Year citation, the Médaille de la Ville de Paris—the Paris City Medal, which is awarded in recognition of contribution to international culture—and invitations to be the Guest of Honor at conferences such as the Paris Polar Crime Festival and Left Coast Crime.

With more than 400,000 books in print, the Aimée Leduc series has been translated into German, Norwegian, Japanese, French, Spanish, Italian, and Hebrew.

Shout-outs went to: The Marsh theater; LitWings’ Erin Bryne; Ernest White II, Host of the travel documentary series Fly Brother; photographer and writer Lone Mørch; Tony Alberto Rigettini, poet, playwright, and screenwriter; as well as host of SpokenWord Paris; WordSpace Studios; and special thanks to Kimberley Lovato and Diane LeBow for submitting questions for Cara. Thank you!

Next week I’ll talk all about acupuncture with acupuncturist Janis Feichtmeir.

Links:
carablack.com
themarsh.org
wordspacestudios.com

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17 Space Tourism, Astrotourism, & Space Camp with Lonely Planet Travel Guide Writer Valerie Stimac

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Valerie Stimac is founder and editor of Space Tourism Guide. She started the site after realizing how many friends and family had never seen the Milky Way, and that space tourism was going to unlock the next great travel destination: space!

For this, my first show of 2019, I talked with Valerie about what “space tourism” encompasses, from happenings here on Earth (e.g., stargazing, watching rocket launches, and her experience at space camp!) to when we might be able to plan our next vacation on Mars (i.e., the latest on space-travel efforts underway by Branson, Musk, Bezos, and more).

Next week it’s New York Times bestselling author of the Aimée Leduc mystery series, Cara Black, talking about her most recent book, Murder on the Left Bank, and hopefully her upcoming book in the series as well!

Links:
spacetourismguide.com
valisemag.com
spacecamp.com
Monday Night Marsh
Cara Black
wordspacestudios.com

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16 Dark Sky Conservation & Light Pollution

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More than 80% of the world and more than 99% of the U.S. and European populations live under light-polluted skies. Scientists estimate that in about 10 years, America will have only three dark patches of land where people will be able to clearly see the Milky Way. I talked with photographer and writer Sivani about Dark Sky Conservation, a movement working to protect the night skies - and why it’s so important.

Sivani Babu is the co-founder and Creative Director of online magazine Hidden Compass. She is an award-winning writer and photographer who has contributed work to BBC Travel, CNN, Backpacker, Outdoor Photographer, Nature Photographer, Iron Horse Literary Review, and more.

Links:
hiddencompass.net
sivanibabu.com
darksky.org
wordspacestudios.com

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15 NPR Storyteller & Writer Doug Cordell on Storytelling, Morocco, & More

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In the lead-up to our Book Passage Morocco event with Erin Byrne and Deep Travel's Christina Ammon and Anna Elkins next Friday, 12/7, I talked with NPR storyteller and Emmy-nominated writer Doug Cordell about the art of storytelling, including what he taught on a workshop in Morocco - and what he learned from a legendary traditional Moroccan storyteller.

Doug Cordell’s true-life radio stories air on NPR’s Snap Judgment and APM's Marketplace. He delivers talks and workshops on the Power of Storytelling, and is a member of the Writers Guild of America with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Dramatic Writing. Doug’s television credits include PBS, Disney and Nickelodeon.

Links:
dougcordell.com
e-byrne.com
deeptravelworkshops.com

Next Sunday: Sivani Babu on Dark Sky Conservation!

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14 Speciality Coffee w/ Willem Boot: Roasting, Cupping, Growing in Ethiopa & Panama, Barista Training

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I talked with coffee expert Willem Boot all about specialty coffee: the business, the art, the ethics and more. We also discussed Willem’s company, Boot Coffee, including its offerings (consulting, courses, trips), Willem’s farms in Ethiopia and Panama, and the coffee that turned his world upside down.

Willem Boot is the founder of Boot Coffee, located in San Rafael, California. He’s also a coffee expert who has advised coffee companies, coffee associations, development banks and governments around the world. Willem appears in Dave Egger’s recent book, The Monk of Mokha. He has never lived in Istanbul, despite what a blog on his website might claim.

Links:
bootcoffee.com
coffeecourses.com
lamulacoffee.com

Next Sunday: Erin Byrne, Doug Cordell, and I talk Morocco!

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13 Author Linda Watanbe McFerrin on Her new Prose & Poetry Collection, Travel in cuba, and Zombies

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Linda Watanabe McFerrin is a poet, travel writer, novelist and founder of Left Coast Writers. Linda has a new collection of her work coming out in 2019 and is editor of a Cuba anthology out soon. We talked poetry and prose, travel, zombies, staying connected to loved ones who have passed on, her books - including her two forthcoming ones - and much, more more. A great conversation!

Next Sunday: Sivani Babu talks about Dark Sky conversation!

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12 Humor & Travel Writing: Porcelain Travels!

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With the 11/11 release date just one week away, Matthew presented his new book, Porcelain Travels: Humor, Horror and Revelation in, on and around Toilets, Tubs and Showers for the very first time - both from the studio and a couple of other unorthodox - but very fitting - locations. Porcelain Travels has already been designated an Amazon #1 New Release in both Travel Humor and Literary Travel.

Next Sunday: Novelist, poet, Left Coast Writers founder, and former San Francisco Chronicle book reviewer Linda Watanbe-McFerrin talks about a new anthology of her work, a Cuba travel-writing anthology she’s editing, and more.

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11 Stroke & Autoimmune Disease APS: Suffering & Surviving with Travel Writer Anne Sigmon

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Anne Sigmon had it all: love, career, world travel. Then, at the young age of 48, she also had a stroke.

I had the pleasure of reading Anne’s unreleased memoir, “Scrambling Back,” which describes how her life was changed overnight - and how she fought hard to reclaim much of what was lost, including her passion for traveling the world. We talked about stroke and memory loss, autoimmune disease, and much, much more.

Anne Sigmon is an award-winning writer and traveler whose work has been published in national magazines and ten anthologies including Good Housekeeping and Stroke Connection magazines; The Good Housekeeping and American Heart Association websites; and the digital magazines Best Travel Writing.com, GeoEx.com, Wanderlust and Lipstick, and Southern Sampler.

Links:
annesigmon.com
junglepants.com
stroke.org
strokeassociation.org
apsfa.org

NEXT SUNDAY: I present my new book, out 11/11, “Porcelain Travels!”

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10 LGBT Senior Housing with Michelle Alcedo from San Francisco’s Openhouse

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LGBTQ seniors face a unique set of challenges as they age, particularly when trying to find affordable housing. They are much more likely to be single, live alone, and have no children compared to the general population, as a result of which they tend to be more isolated and have less support. In care homes, LGBTQ seniors often confront homophobia and unfair treatment that drives them back into the closet.

San Francisco’s Openhouse helps to provide housing, direct services, and community programs to Bay Area LGBT seniors. I talked with Director of Programs about Openhouse’s missions, programs, and successes.

NEXT SUNDAY: Author and adventure traveler Anne Sigmon talks about her in-progress memoir about recovering from stroke and continuing to travel the globe!

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09 Literary Death Match San Francisco!

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The LA Times called Literary Death Match “...the most entertaining reading series ever."

In the lead-up to next week’s 10/17 San Francisco Literary Death Match, I talked with producer Matthew DeCoster about what it is, how it attracts such top-notch talent and celebrity judges, and why it’s been such a success the world over, from New York to London to Shanghai and beyond.

Matthew DeCoster is a producer at Literary Death Match San Francisco and a former member of Litquake's Executive Committee. At Litquake, he produced Write On and hosted Barely Published Authors. He's been published in sPARKLE & bLINK, SFWire, and BANG OUT, and featured at numerous reading series.

NEXT SUNDAY: Openhouse’s Michelle Alcedo tells us all about the great work that organization does for LGBT seniors.

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08 Cannabis: Medical marijuana, recreational pot, and cannabis law with San Francisco activists David Goldman and Michael Koehn

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Cannabis activists David Goldman and Kenneth Michael Koehn talk about the past, present, and future of pot, from medical marijuana to legalization of recreational pot to current cannabis-related issues on the political scene.

David Goldman and Kenneth Michael Koehn have lived in San Francisco for over 45 years. Active in the past in the civil rights movement for the LGBT community, for the past 12 years, they have worked tirelessly for the rights of medical cannabis patients and for cannabis law reform. From 2008 through 2013, they were on the leadership team of the San Francisco chapter of Americans for Safe Access, the nation's largest organization devoted to medical cannabis advocacy. In 2014, they became leaders in the San Francisco chapter of the Brownie Mary Democratic Club, continuing their work on cannabis law reform. David served on San Francisco's Medical Cannabis Task Force from 2009 - 2011.

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07 Litquake San Francisco with Co-Founder & Writer Jack Boulware

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Litquake co-founder Jack Boulware filled us in on what’s in store for this year’s San Francisco festival, October 11 - 20!

Litquake is an annual literary festival started in 1999 in San Francisco that has since spread to cities throughout the country and abroad. The festival consists of readings, discussions, and themed events, and it’s heralded as the largest literary event west of the Mississippi. To date 7,100 authors and 145,854 attendees have participated in the festival.

Next Sunday: Cannabis activists David Goldman and Kenneth Michael Koehn!

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06 Film: The Mill Valley Film Festival with Zoë Elton

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Director of Programming for the Mill Valley Film Festival, Zoë Elton, talks about what’s going on in film and what’s in store for this year’s festival, which takes place 10/4 - 10/14!

In addition to a who’s who of A-listers, including past guests Helen Mirren, Ryan Gosling, Glenn Close, Edward Norton, and too many others to mention, every year the 11-day Mill Valley Film Festival welcomes more than 200 filmmakers and 60,000 attendees from around the world.

Next Sunday: Litquake’s Jane Ganahl!

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05 San Francisco Travel: 100 Things to Do Before You Die

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Travel writers Kimberley Lovato and Jill Robinson presented their new book, for tourists and locals alike! We had a hilarious and informative talk ranging from why they decided to write a book for people about to die; the truth about fortune cookies, the color of the Golden Gate Bridge (not gold!), and the name of San Francisco’s fog. We also learned about Irish coffee, how Jill became a certified ninja demi-goddess of tequila, and the risks involved running naked in San Francisco’s famed Bay to Breakers race. And much, much more (seriously)…

Next Sunday: Zoë Elton of the Mill Valley Film Festival!

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04 Afghan Refugee to Poet to Psychologist

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Nahid Fattahi is a humanitarian, storyteller, poet, yogi, and soon-to-be psychologist. She is also an Afghan refugee.

We talked about her incredible escape from Afghanistan, the work she’s done with refugees both in Greece and with Partnerships for Trauma Recovery, and why she decided to give up her lucrative marketing career to become a psychologist.

We also pondered her beguiling love of Canada’s Tim Horton’s coffee, clarified for listeners that Afghanistan is not located in Africa, and mused upon the difference between mules and donkeys—without coming to any conclusions. Nahid also read for us a poem in Farsi, and another in English, which she wrote for her son.

Episode link:
Partnership for Trauma Recovery: https://traumapartners.org

Next show: Travel writers Kimberely Lovato and Jill Robinson tell us 100 Things to Do in San Francisco Before You Die.

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03 Books, Bookselling, and Independent Bookstores with Borderlands Books Indie Bookstore

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I had a wide-ranging talk with Borderlands Books' owner and founder Alan Beatts. We discussed Borderlands' history -- including the controversy that garnered it unexpected national attention in 2015, landing Alan everywhere, from the pages of the New Yorker to on camera for Fox and other news outlets. We also talked about what the climate is like today for indie bookstores, both how they've dealt with Amazon and some of the innovative ways they continue to adapt to the future.

Borderlands Books is a new and used bookstore specializing in science fiction, fantasy, mystery and horror, located in San Francisco's Mission District. Borderlands is one of the largest stores in their specialty in the world, with nearly 30,000 titles in stock. The store has been mentioned in AAA's travel magazine VIA, Gourmet Magazine, and the Washington Post. Last April, Borderlands made Atlas Obscura’s list of 62 of the World's Best Independent Bookstores.

Alan Beatts is founder and owner of Borderlands Books. Alan was born and raised in the Bay Area and, after spending a decade working an eclectic collection of jobs, he opened Borderlands Books in 1997. Alan frequently and freely says that was probably the best and smartest thing he's ever done.

Episode link:
Borderlands Books website: https://borderlands-books.com

Next show: Nahid Fattahi is a humanitarian, storyteller, poet, yogi, and soon-to-be psychologist. She is also an Afghani refugee, and we’ll talk about some of her incredible experiences.

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02 Dreams, Dreaming & Dreamwork with Dream Expert Jane Carleton

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I had a fascinating talk with dream expert Jane Carleton about dreams, dreaming, dream work, and more! What are dreams? Why do they matter? How can we remember them? What about nightmares? Recurring dreams? How can we understand what they might be trying to tell us? How can dreams be used to heal?

Jane Carleton has a BA in Psychology from the University of California at Berkeley, and an MA in Consciousness and Transformative Studies, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Dream Studies from John F. Kennedy University. She has taught graduate level courses on dreams, the imagination, and synchronicity at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, and she is a presenting member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams.

Episode links:
Jane's website: www.yourdreamingself.com
Robert Moss’ website: www.mossdreams.com

Next week: Jennifer Chapin from Cynthia’s Sisters is going to be on the show. Cynthia’s Sisters is an organization that helps give all women in the Democratic Republic of Congo a legal future by providing scholarships to outstanding female law students.

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01 Me, Myself, & I: Matthew Félix on Writing; Spain, France, and Central Asia; intuition; and His Podcast

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For his first-ever video podcast episode, Matthew's first guest was...himself!

After author, filmmaker, and LitWings founder Erin Byrne was on a previous episode of the show, she enthusiastically declared she wanted to turn the tables and interview Matthew. And so, for the inaugural video podcast episode, she did just that.

Erin and Matthew talked about his two published books, as well as his forthcoming one; his time living in Spain, France, and Turkey; and his recent trip to Central Asia. The conversation also ventured into intuition, the show itself, and much more.

A fun, in-depth, wide-ranging interview. Click on player under the show logo, or watch/listen on one of the following sites:

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