Episode 176 Notes and Links to Raegen Pietrucha’s Work
On Episode 176 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Raegen Pietrucha, and the two discuss, among other things, her early voracious reading, her pivot to poetry and being amazed and inspired by writers like Louise Gluck and Mona Simpson, her interest in particular myths around Medusa, her collection’s genesis, and attendant themes and motifs in the book around sexual violence, misogyny, grief, trauma, and resilience and reinvention; additionally, she discusses her important fundraisers that combine Sexual Assault Awareness Month and National Poetry Month in raising money for and awareness of victims of sexual violence.
Raegen Pietrucha writes, edits, and consults creatively and professionally. Her chapbook, An Animal I Can’t Name, won the 2015 Two of Cups Press competition; her debut poetry collection, Head of a Gorgon, was published by Vegetarian Alcoholic Press in May, 2022; and she has a memoir in progress. She received her MFA from Bowling Green State University, where she was an assistant editor for Mid-American Review. Her work has been published in Cimarron Review, Puerto del Sol, and other journals. Connect with her at raegenmp.wordpress.com and on Twitter @freeradicalrp.
Get Involved in Raising Money for and Awareness of Victims of Sexual Violence through Raegen’s Fun and Unique Fundraisers through Resilience
Buy Head of a Gorgon from Vegetarian Alcoholic Press
Buy Head of a Gorgon from Amazon
Raegen Pietrucha's Website
2022 Interview with FourWay Review
At about 7:35, Raegan talks about her early reading prowess and early creations of creative work, including the reading contests that she and Pete remember so well
At about 11:20, Raegen talks about memorable reads as she developed as a reader and writer and an ever-growing TBR pile due to her wide reading
At about 13:00, Shout outs to the quiiiiite eccentric Shel Sílverstein
At about 15:10, Raegen sings the praise of Louise Gluck, especially her poem “Mock Orange,” and Mona Simpson’s “Lawns” as pivotal/revelatory for Raegen
At about 20:00, Raegen responds to Pete’s inquiries about how she reads differently after having served as an editor over many years; she discusses the ways in which her choices have changed over the years in valuing the visceral more
At about 28:05, Pete makes an incredibly terrible/smooth transition as the two talk about the background and important facts around Head of a Gorgon-publishing, etc.
At about 29:35, Pete reads one of the collection’s epigraphs and Raegen discusses seeds for the books and connections in her life and those of loved ones to the myths of Medusa
At about 35:35, Raegen delineates her view of and focus on a particular lesson and her lens in looking at a particular version
At about 36:50, Pete and Raegen discuss the book’s trigger warnings and lay out the book’s outline and structure and ideas of “rein
At about 41:20, Pete highlights skillful onomatopoeia, sound, and creative and active verbs in the collection’s first poem; Raegen talks about decapitation (!) and describes her rationale in writing the poem in 20-30 lines and reads the poem-it is called “The Gorgon’s Parting Thought”
At about 45:50, The two discuss water as a motif throughout the collection, as well as speaker and audience for the collection and the multiple “Your Captain is Speaking” poems in the collection
At about 50:10, The two discuss the poem “Sex Ed” and its implications about “willful ignorance” and an imagining of a young Medusa
At about 53:10, Pete gives an example of a humorous Simpsons scene that pokes at the the often “woefully adequate” ways
At about 56:10, Pete reads the powerful ending of “Sex Ed”
At about 56:50, The themes of misogyny and women as existing in juxtaposition with powerful men through reading of resonant lines
At about 58:00, Raegen discusses the ideas in her work and beyond about women as being viewed as “sacrificial”
At about 59:20, Raegen relates some of her early encounters with Medusa in an artistic way
At about 1:01:40, Ideas of snakes as venomous and victimizing and treacherous and men as predatory, though less so as the woman discovers her power as the book goes on are discussed
At about 1:05:15, Pete likens parts of the collection to ideas of “light” and “blinders” in the collection and “Allegory of the Cave”; Raegen answers Pete’s questions about sources of strength for survivors in “finding the light”
At about 1:09:35, Pete cites lines from the collection, connecting ideas of fate and free will and self-worth in Greek myth
At about 1:10:50, Pete quotes from the powerful poem “Cheer,” with its meditations of grief and “reinvention”
At about 1:11:40, Pete and Raegen discuss the collection's denouement and the ways in which internalized shame and grief and the external relate
At about 1:13:50, Pete compliments the ways in which realizations and growth are shown throughout the collection, quoting from a powerful ending
At about 1:15:40, Raegen gives details on SAAM (Sexual Assault Awareness Month) and National Poetry Month, and the extensive work she is doing to fundraise in so many fun and unique ways for victims of sexual violence-here’s the link for her work in partnership with Resilience
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 me on IG, where I’m @chillsatwillpodcast, or on Twitter, where I’m @chillsatwillpo1. You can watch other episodes on YouTube-watch and subscribe to The Chills at Will Podcast Channel. Please subscribe to both my YouTube Channel and my podcast while you’re checking out this episode.
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 my one-man show, my DIY podcast and my extensive reading, research, editing, and promoting to keep this independent podcast pumping out high-quality content!
NEW MERCH! You can browse and buy here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChillsatWillPodcast
This is a passion project of mine, a DIY operation, and I’d love for your help in promoting what I’m 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 177 with Laura Warrell. She is the author of Sweet, Soft, Plenty Rhythm, a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the Barnes & Noble Discover Prize, and long-listed for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and the Golden Poppy Book Award through the California Independent Booksellers Alliance; her writing has been published in the New York Times, Lit Hub, Los Angeles Review of Books, Huffington Post, The Rumpus, The Writer, and other publications.
The episode will air on April 11.
Episode 232 with Kate Brody, Author of Rabbit Hole and Master of Writing Intriguing and Flawed Characters and Crackling Plotlines
Episode 231-April 13, 2024 Live Event to Launch Jose Vadi's Chipped, a reflective, creative, subtly brilliant essay collection
Episode 230 with Chelsea T. Hicks, Author of the Story Collection, A Calm & Normal Heart, Revitalizer and Student of the Osage Language, and Crafter of Poetic, Timely, and Timeless Stories
Episode 229 with Will Sommer, Author of Trust the Plan: The Rise of QAnon and the Conspiracy That Reshaped America, and Keen and Thorough Chronicler of the QAnon Movement Through The Washington Post
Episode 228 with Jennifer Croft, Author of The Extinction of Irena Rey and Award-Winning Translator, and Master of Worldbuilding, Highly-Allegorical Yet Masterfully-Plotted Fiction, and Nuance
Episode 227 with Gina Chung, Author of Green Frog, a Dazzling Collection of Poignant, Offbeat, Chillingly-Realistic and Fantastical Stories
Episode 226 with Priscilla Gilman, Author of The Critic's Daughter and Skilled and Thoughtful Chronicler of the Universal and the Intimately Personal
Episode 225 with Andrés N Ordorica, Author of How We Named the Stars and Generous Creator of Poignant, Resonant "Love and Loss" Scenes and Utterly Memorable Characters
Episode 224 with Peter Coviello, Enthusiastic and Deeply Knowledgeable Critic and Celebrator of Moving Art, and Author of the Essay Collection, Is There God After Prince
Episode 223 with Sarah Rose Etter, Master Balancer of Surrealism, Realism, Dark Humor, and Themes of Grief and Anxiety that are Timely and Timeless
Episode 222 with Andrew Leland, Author of The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight, and Masterful Chronicler of His and Other Journeys with Blindness and its Intersections with our World
Episode 221 with Martha Anne Toll, Renaissance Woman, Book Reviewer, Creative, and Award-Winning Writer of the Moving, Contemplative Three Muses
Episode 220 with Aniefiok Epoudom: Keen Chronicler of Hip-Hop, Football Culture and Pop Culture in the UK, and Savvy and Nuanced Master of Telling Personal Stories; Author of
Episode 219 with Roxanna Asgarian, Principled and Dogged Reporter, Caring and Clear-Eyed Journalist and Author of We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America
Episode 218 with Melissa Rivero, Author of Flores and Miss Paula, Keen Observer of Modern Corporate Life and Nuanced Chronicler of Grief’s Many Permutations
Episode 217 with Jeff Sharlet, Author of The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War, and Sharp-Eyed Chronicler of Impending Fascism and Previous Fighters in The Movements
Episode 216 with Kate Maruyama: Author of Bleak Houses, Master Worldbuilder, and Skilled Observer and Chronicler of Family Traumas, Class and Privilege, and Psychological Horrors Modern and Timeless
Episode 215 with Nick Fuller Googins, Reflective and Dynamic Worldbuilder, Educator, and Creator of the ”Hopeful” Climate Crisis Novel, The Great Transition
Episode 214 with Leah Myers, Chronicler of the Heartfelt, the Specific, the Universal, and the Myth and Proud History of the Jamestown S’Klallam in the Memoir, Thinning Blood
Episode 213 with Andrew Porter, Reflective and Genius of the Understated and Resonant, Creator of Unforgettable Characters, and Author of the Story Collection, The Disappeared
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Lit Society: Books and Drama
Ex Libris
Write The Book: Conversations on Craft
Black Beauty
The Turn of the Screw
Fresh Air
Myths and Legends