Season 2 Authors to Include Schappell, Gurganus, and Hawthorne!

Poor Marc and John.  They've been talking books since their last episode on December 17th but you haven't been listening!  Part of the reason you haven't been listening is they haven't been broadcasting!  So join them again on Tuesday, January 28th LIVE from 3:30 to 4:30 on wxlv.org and iheart.com for their next talk about books in a pretention- and cliche-free zone, or click on the link above for the podcast to follow.  Enter at your own risk!

The author lineup is nothing short of astounding, thanks to (frankly) the generosity of our authors.  We can't wait!  (It's tentative so don't get too far ahead of yourselves.)

1/28:  Paul Vitagliano, or DJ Paul V, author of "Born This Way"

2/4:  Helen Frost, author of "Keesha's House"

2/11:  Heather Jacobs, editor of "Big Fiction"

2/18:  Elissa Schappell, novelist, editor, essayist

2/25:  Pam Houston, author of "Contents May Have Shifted"

3/4:  Nathaniel Hawthorne, screenwriter, miscellaneous crew

3/11:  (Spring Break!)

3/18:  Paul Lisicky, author of "Unbuilt Projects"

3/25:  Allan Gurganus, author of "Local Souls"

4/1:  Eric Spitznagel, journalist, writer, editor

4/8:  Caketrain Editors

4/15:  Alexander Hamilton, founding father of the United States

4/22:  Aaron Burr, a better shot

The author interview is our signature segment but as you know week-to-week we'll also be covering book news and discussing what we're reading.  And don't forget to CALL IN between 4:15 and 4:30 of our live broadcasts at 610.799.4141 or 610.799.1891.  We want to hear from you!

WE'RE BACK!

The good news:  we're back!  The bad news:  climate change.

There's so much to summarize from our first season of Read First, Ask Later, including the extraordinarily wonderful authors who have called in, but I think this says it all.

In the Bridget Jones Diary trivia contest in Episode 14, Marc LOST to John (and Susan Petrole, our guest questioner) and paid the consequences.  By a hair!  Actually it was many hairs.  In short, his students were dumbfounded (most), disgusted (some), disquieted (a few), and impressed (one or two).

Thanks again to our first season authors:  Douglas James Troxell, Mark Canter, Sarah DiCello, Julianna Baggott, Alissa Nutting, Jesus of Nazareth, Elizabeth Crane, Vu Tran, A.T. Grant, Herman Melville, C.J. Hribal, Scott Beatty, Darin Strauss, Jerome Lucido, Howard Bryant, and Richard Davies.

What's coming next?  Well, as we're negotiating royalties we have to stay hush hush.  By royalties we mean effusive thank you's and the delivery of listeners / readers in Kazakhstan and Indonesia.  And by negotiating we mean begging.  And by hush hush we mean we'll tell you tomorrow.  Until then, followers and listeners.  

Now get back to your reading . . . 

Bridget Jones Trivia Loser to Shave

I know we've kept our discussion light to date but please pardon us for a moment as we reflect on a very serious matter during this holiday season . . .

Our Beards!

Inspired by baseball players in Oakland and Boston, and as part of No-Shave November, Marc and John have been crafting and caring for these precious facial features more carefully than Mr. Miyagi did his Bonsai trees.  (It's a cultural reference from the 80s, young people, you know, before you were a consideration, and posting a link would require us to reflect on our advancing age.)

In a development we hardly understand, November was also Movember, in celebration of the mustache.  This seems to us an unnecessary conflation on behalf of the facial hair community, so much facial hair excitement all in one month, but we also see the mustache as -- though a symbol of unbridled virility in this guy and that guy -- a worthy consequence of losing a critical Read First, Ask Later contest.

So . . . for our end-of-the-year episode, on December 17th, listen in as Marc and John answer trivia questions related to the rich, elaborate, and complicated world of all things Bridget Jones, as a winner is decided.  The exact terms:                                                                 the winner chooses the style in which the loser will shave.

Again, extended adolescents, relevant google terms are mustache, mutton chops, and the connector.  Or just watch a movie from the 70s.  For the record, we're not saying which movies.And stay tuned for pictures of the build up -- mostly of crumbs and dander in our beards -- and the contest itself, all a precursor to a stylistic precedent in the arena of facial hair.

You know, in addition to books, stuff that really matters.

Updates, Author Lineup, and Reading List!

Marc and John are shocked and awed by the show's lineups of guest authors, past and upcoming!

First a few Updates, from the Read First, Ask Later family:

Douglas James Troxell, guest author of our very first episode, has published a story, "The Working Dead," on DarkFutures.net . . .

Alissa Nutting, besides being poised for her novel to be on end-of-year lists everywhere, has published articles on banned books for Pen America and as part of John Boehner fan fiction on salon.com . . .

and Flavorwire.com named Darin Strauss' "Half a Life" as one of the "50 Books that Define the Past Five Years in Literature."

Upcoming Authors:

Nov. 26:  Jerome Lucido, LCCC English faculty member and writer of the novels, "Cotu" and "Shellfish College."

Dec. 3:  Howard Bryant, of ESPN, and author of the books "The Last Hero," "Shut Out," and "Juicing the Game."

Dec. 10:  Eric Spitznagel, contributor to Esquire, Men's Health, Bloomberg Businessweek, Rolling Stone . . . oh hell, just click on the link.

What We're Reading (or planning to read):

"Tenth of December," by 2013 National Book Award Finalist, George Saunders;  "The Good Lord Bird," by 2013 National Book Award Winner, James McBride;  "Best American Short Stories:  2013," edited by Elizabeth Strout and Heidi Pitlor;  "Bridget Jones's Diary," by Helen Fielding.

Upcoming Authors Include Melville, Jesus

In response to listener requests, we've posted a schedule below of authors to be interviewed on our upcoming shows:

11/5:  C.J. Hribal, author of "The Company Car" (confirmed)

11/12:  Scott Beatty, of DC Comics (confirmed)

11/19:  Darin Strauss, author of "Half a Life" (confirmed)

11/26:  Herman Melville, author of "Moby Dick" (pending)

12/3:  Jesus of Nazareth, author of your redemption (pending)

Stay in touch for book news and discussions of what we're reading!  Marc and John will try to split the list of National Book Award finalists before the winner is announced November 20th.  (Considering there are 5, we'll need to borrow a saw.)  Listen, and call in!

Read First, Ask Later Spooktacular

Join us for our Tuesday, October 29 Gothic and Horror special, with guest A.T. Grant, author of "Collected Alex"!  We'll also discuss Shirley Jackson's "The Haunting of Hill House" and H.P. Lovecraft's stories, as well as the publishing industry . . .  speaking of horror!  Don't forget to call in with your questions and comments at approximately 4:15 p.m.  Marc and John can't wait to field your Twilight questions!

Episode 7 with Alissa Nutting

Join us this week as we discuss the National Book Award finalists, our favorite baseball books, and the 7 most effective habits of successful writers, none of which are exhibited by your hosts.  Listen also to our interview with Alissa Nutting, author of "Tampa" and "Unclean Jobs for Women and Girls"!