Walter Mosley on GHALEN
In this episode of Poured Over, host Miwa Messer chats with prolific author Walter Mosley about his newest novel, *Galen*. Mosley explains how the book emerged from a desire to explore romance within a genre‑bending framework, focusing on a precocious teen navigating love, family, and community in West‑side Los Angeles. He delves into the characters’ complexities—Galen’s early‑forced adulthood, his father Robert’s unconventional parenting, and the supportive yet flawed community—while also reflecting on his own writing process, the surprise elements that arise, and the broader social themes of class, race, and belonging.
Vincent Yu on SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER
In this debut interview, author Vincent Yu discusses his novel *Seek Immediate Shelter*, which imagines a false ballistic missile alert in a small Massachusetts town and follows nine residents as they react to the crisis and its aftermath. Yu explains...
Ruta Sepetys on A FORTUNE OF SAND
In this episode of Poured Over, author Ruta Sepetys discusses her adult debut, *A Fortune of Sand*, a 1920s Detroit saga about the eccentric Lennox family, owners of a windshield dynasty, and the youngest daughter Marjorie who uncovers their web...
Rebecca Solnit on THE BEGINNING COMES AFTER THE END
In this hour‑long conversation, acclaimed essayist Rebecca Solnit discusses her new book *The Beginning Comes After the End*, which weaves together feminism, climate change, indigenous rights, and broader social movements to illustrate how the past 70 years have reshaped our...
Paige Lewis on CANON
In this episode of Poured Over, bookseller Jen Nasiri chats with poet‑novelist Paige Lewis about Lewis’s debut novel *Canon*, a genre‑bending work that follows two parallel heroes—one sent by God, the other defying divine will—on a quest to kill the...
Jon Krakauer on INTO THIN AIR
In this episode of Poured Over, host Miwa Messer interviews author Jon Krakauer about his seminal book *Into Thin Air* and the broader arc of his career. Krakauer reflects on the 1996 Everest disaster, the rise of commercial expeditions, the...
Poured Over: Sarah Jessica Parker and Alexandra Oliva on The Radiant Dark at the LAT Festival of Books
In this episode of Poured Over, host Miwa Messer chats with publisher Sarah Jessica Parker—also a 2025 Booker Prize judge—and author Alexandra Oliva about her new novel, The Radiant Dark. Parker shares insights from her Booker judging experience, describing how...
Joe Abercrombie on THE DEVILS
In this episode of Poured Over, bookseller Jenna Siri chats with fantasy author Joe Abercrombie about his new historical‑fantasy series, The Devils, marking the 20‑year anniversary of his debut The Blade. Abercrombie reflects on how the genre and publishing landscape...
Douglas Stuart on JOHN OF JOHN
In this episode of Poured Over, author Douglas Stuart discusses his latest novel, *John of John*, set on Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. He explains how a 12‑week research trip to the islands inspired the story of John, his son Cal, and...
Marcus Kliewer on THE CARETAKER
In this episode of Poured Over, host Jenna Seery chats with horror author Marcus Kleber about his latest novel, The Caretaker. They explore the book's premise—a financially strained college graduate who takes a seemingly perfect caretaking job that spirals into...
Karen Tei Yamashita on QUESTIONS 27 & 28
In this episode of Poured Over, author Karen Tei Yamashita discusses her latest novel, *Questions 27 & 28*, which intertwines fiction with the history of Japanese American internment during World War II. She explains how personal family archives—letters, photos, and oral...
Caroline Bicks on MONSTERS IN THE ARCHIVES
In this episode, host Jenna Seery chats with Shakespeare scholar and Stephen King Chair Caroline Bix about her year spent in King’s climate‑controlled archives, which inspired her book *Monsters in the Archives*. Bix recounts how a chance call from King led...
Xochitl Gonzalez on LAST NIGHT IN BROOKLYN
In this episode of Poured Over, Barnes & Noble bookseller Isabel McConville chats with novelist Xochitl González about her latest book, *Last Night in Brooklyn*. González explains how the novel grew out of her own post‑college years in Brooklyn, serving...
S.A. Cosby on KING OF ASHES
In this episode of Poured Over, award‑winning author S.A. Cosby discusses his latest thriller, *King of Ashes*, which follows the Carruthers siblings—Roman, Nevaeh, and Dante—as they confront family secrets, a dangerous debt, and the legacy of a missing mother in...
Maria Semple on GO GENTLE
In this episode of Poured Over, host Miwa Messer chats with bestselling author Maria Semple about her new novel *Adora* and the creative journey that led to it. Semple explains how a decade-long hiatus, a move from Seattle to New...