Show Notes and Links to Chris Stuck’s Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode 68
On Episode 68, Pete welcomes Chris Stuck, author of 2021’s Give my Love to the Savages. Chris and Pete discuss, among other topics, Chris’ standout debut short story collection, Give My Love to the Savages, the line between “writing what you know” and its opposite, art and its connection to social justice, themes of identity, privilege, and loneliness, and Chris’ aptitude with humor and place.
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Show Notes and Links to Chris Stuck’s Work and Allusions/Texts from Episode 68
On Episode 68, Pete welcomes Chris Stuck, author of 2021’s Give my Love to the Savages. Chris and Pete discuss, among other topics, Chris’ standout debut short story collection, Give My Love to the Savages, the line between “writing what you know” and its opposite, art and its connection to social justice, themes of identity, privilege, and loneliness, and Chris’ aptitude with humor and place.
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Chris L. Terry’s Interview with Chris Stuck for Electric Lit
At about 2:25, Chris talks about his experience in the run-up to the July 6 publication of his short story collection
At about 3:50, Chris gives background on his childhood relationship with the written word-both in what he read and what he
At about 6:15, Chris reflects on ways in which he did and didn’t feel represented in what he read as a kid
At about 7:30, Chris discusses his hip-hop influences and how they, as well as comedians, have impacted his writing and reading
At about 10:30, Chris talks about writers and texts that have given him “chills at will,” including James Alan McPherson, Nafissa Thompson-Spires, Jamel Brinkley, Robert Stone, Roxane Gay, and Charles D’Ambrosio
At about 13:00, Chris details what it means on a daily basis to be a writer
At about 14:45, Pete asks Chris about his views of art and social justice
At about 17:55, Chris explains why he sees James Baldwin’s work as chill-inducing
At about 20:00, Chris outlines his journey to published writer, including his time under fellowships and at George Mason University
At about 27:35, Chris talks about humor on the page and seeing it as as organic process
At about 29:20, Chris discusses any inspirations for his short story collections in connection with the adage “Write what you know”
At about 31:55, Chris and Pete fanboy out about epigraphs and Chris explains the significance of his book’s epigraph
At about 36:00, Chris talks about the first short story of his collection, as well as why he choose to use second-person
At about 46:30, Chris and Pete discuss identity as a theme in the story collection, including the story “Lake of No Negro” and its connections to Get Out
At about 56:35, Chris and Pete talk about privilege and guilt and make connections to Dave Chappelle’s Clayton Bigsby while discussing two stories from Chris’ collection; Chris talks about trope expectations that are often foisted on works by writers of color
At about 1:02:45, Pete details some standout lines-both funny, poignant, and thought-provoking-from the collection, and Chris comments on themes that are connected to these stories, especially the titular story
At about 1:07:00, Chris discusses the standout story “Cowboys” and one haunting scene
At about 1:08:20, Chris and Pete talk “And Then We Were the Norisses” and “This is Music” and their connections, to loneliness and alienation and Pete’s remembrance of Andre Dubus’ “Girls Unpopular Together”
At about 1:12:30, Chris explains his grasp of place in his writing
At about 1:15:00, Chris reads from his story “Give My Love to the Savages”
At about 1:21:00, Chris talks about future projects
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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.
