Episode 139 Notes and Links to Felicia Taylor’s Work
On Episode 139 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Felicia Taylor, and the two discuss, among other topics, the ways in which memory and her childhood and her family histories have informed her work, her creative process, living a creative life as poet, playwright, actor, etc., and themes and thought processes manifested in her standout poetry collection.
Felicia Taylor E is a writer, poet, storyteller, performer and arts educator, along with being a "gently nudging" wife to her hubby and a fun "trying to stick to a schedule" mom for her son. She has been writing since elementary school and has kept a diary or a journal since the 5th grade. Southern Spiced: A Brown Girl's Tale is her first book.
Felicia Taylor's Website
Buy Southern Spiced: A Brown Girl's Tale
Felicia performs “Echoes in my Spirit”
At about 1:45, Felicia describes her childhood, mainly spent in Denton, Texas, and her relationship with language, reading, and “oral preservation of history”
At about 4:30, Felicia details some of her favorite books and writers growing up, including the great Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes
At about 6:25, Pete and Felicia meditate on the beauty and strength of Maya Angelou’s work, including her piece from Bill Clinton’s inauguration; thanks to Professor Winston for her contribution to Felicia’s reading!
At about 8:00, Felicia discusses the reading of varied genres that she read in college and beyond, including Stephen King (Pete shares a favorite piece of his from King) and Alice Walker
At about 11:30, the two discuss Langston Hughes’ impact on them
At about 12:45, Felicia discusses her creative history and impulses including her mindset in creating her short film and then elaborates on films’ advantages versus books’ advantages
At about 17:35, Felicia responds to Pete’s questions about “muses” and how she accentuates her creativity, especially the power of memory (19:05)
At about 19:50, Felicia answers Pete’s questions about what it is like to write about intimate relationships in her life
At about 22:00, Felicia expands upon some real-life and profound connections to particular poems in her collection, including to the staggeringly-upsetting case of Timothy Cole
At about 24:50, Pete and Felicia cite the four distinct parts of the novel and discuss the reasoning behind her many “dedications” in the book; she cites “Freedom Tree” as an especially powerful example of work “echoing in her head”
At about 26:40, Pete and Felicia ruminate on the importance of Sesame Street as they discuss the collection’s first poem
At about 27:45, Pete wonders about Felicia’s mindset in writing about racism and hate in conjunction with the beauty of innocence
At about 29:45, Pete highlights the carefree, breezy language that is childlike yet profound
At about 33:20, Felicia speaks to the disparate experiences expressed in back-to-back poems that involve her hair
At about 38:20, Felicia details the event and the feelings and fears associated with a childhood encounter with the KKK that compelled Felicia to write about it
At about 43:20, Pete and Felicia reflect on Part II and its highlighting of Soul Train and beautiful times with family
At about 46:20, Part III and its historical connections are highlighted, in addition to a “heart wrenching” quote from Timothy Cole
At about 49:10, the two explore “White Lies, Part I” and its focus on dementia and a reversal of roles
At about 51:35, Ideas of absurdist and dark humor are discussed in connection to “A Dignified Death, Please”
At about 54:10, Pete makes a Sopranos’ reference (evergreen statement??)
At about 54:45, Felicia reads “Red Lips”
At about 56:10, ---silence---as Pete makes a 112 reference
At about 56:40, Felicia outlines some contact info and provides contact/social media info
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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 140 with Oscar Hokeah, who is a regionalist Native American writer of literary fiction, interested in capturing intertribal, transnational, and multicultural aspects within two tribally specific communities: Tahlequah and Lawton, Oklahoma. In addition, author of the recent standout novel, Calling for a Blanket Dance.
The episode will air on August 30.
Episode 234 with Sasha Vasilyuk, Author of Your Presence is Mandatory, and Master Chronicler of Fiction that Parallels and Expands Upon Real-Life Secrecy, Grief, Trauma, and Shared Humanity
Episode 233 with Jazmina Barrera Velázquez, Author of Cross-Stitch/Punto de Cruz, and Wise Chronicler of the Vagaries of Friendship and History and their Effects on the World
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
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