In our Season Two premiere, co-hosts Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton talk with the beloved ZZ Packer, author of Drinking Coffee Elsewhere, a collection first published in 2003 that went on to inspire countless writers. Packer talks about how she found her voice, style, and authenticity as a young, Black, female writer who hadn’t even planned on becoming a writer. She addresses ideas of navigating both physical and figurative spaces and learning how to find a place in the literary world.
Reading List: Authors, Stories, and Books Mentioned
Read more from Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton:
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Episode editor: Kelly Araja
Associate producer: Marina Leigh
Producer: Mark Armstrong
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Story: 'Dance the Fiya Dance,' by Nana Nkweti
Book Club: 'The Secret Lives of Church Ladies'
Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s Creative Journey from Lawyer to Award-Winning Writer
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The Life and Stories of Diane Oliver, Part Two (with Michael A. Gonzales)
The Life and Short Stories of Diane Oliver (Part One)
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Story: 'Fog,' by Cleyvis Natera
Chelsea T. Hicks on the Stories and Wazhazhe Language in 'A Calm & Normal Heart'
William Pei Shih on ‘Happy Family,’ Flawed Characters, and the Messiness of Life
Story: 'Happy Family,' by William Pei Shih
Introducing Ursa: Why We Love Short Fiction
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