February 16, 2014- Steven Seidenberg Live!

Yesterday we welcomed Steven Seidenberg to Lightrail Studios to discuss his brilliant new book Itch (RAW ArT PRESS 2014). Steven's book of both philosophy and narrative questions how one grasps the experience of being in the now, in the body; how language might endeavor to grasp being without the perhaps inevitable gap between words and experience. The 'I' ponders this dilemma from a place of experiencing the itch. Itch is comprised of lyrical vignettes in paragraph form, which inspired some of us to read out loud or while walking. Steven talked about his work in relevance to other philosophical traditions; how the attempt to work out a solution can then create a new philosophical question. The 'I' is continually grappling with his own 'failure' to capture what is being sought. At the same time, the itch provides an experience that is embodied and which does not require the mediator of language. Like other philosophical works, Itch employs words in very specific ways that manifest particular meanings within the context of the larger work. Since the book uses an itch as its launching point, the position and the role of the body is inherent throughout; while there is thought, there is no thought without the senses.
Keep your eye out for Steven's forthcoming chapbook, Null Set (Spooky Actions Books), from which he read in the last few minutes of the interview.
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February 9, 2014: Benjamin Hollander

We met with Benjamin Hollander a few weeks ago to discuss his new book, In the House Un-American (Clockroot Books, 2013). What ensued was extraordinary discussion about what it means to be both American and Un-American, and how both of those seemingly black-and-white terms are in constant flux and contestation. Ben treated us to several readings from his book, including a re-enactment of Bertolt Brecht's testimony in front of the House of Un-American Activities Committee. Among other topics, we discussed the paradoxes one encounters in a "melting pot" society, and the use of compassionate, non-snarky irony. We ended the conversation with a focus of the extraordinary last chapter of his book which envisions the heart of Islam as American. Click here to listen.

February 2, 2014: Cassandra Troyan's poetry and round table discussion

We were thrilled to accept an audio submission from Casandra Troyan, Chicago poet, who recorded two pieces from her new book  BLACKEN ME BLACKEN ME, GROWLED (Tiny Hardcore Press, 2014). (Thanks Cassandra!!!). After playing her work, we had a short discussion about what we heard there, the details of physicality and relationship she depicts so sharply. Through hearing Cassandra's wonderful and affective presentation of her work, we considered how poetry tends to get read and performed. What are the differences of reading styles between different poets and poets of different regions? What affects those differences? How does setting affect reading?
Hey awesome writers, please keep sending submissions!!!!
Later in the show, we discussed our talk with Ben Hollander, whom we met with a few weeks ago and whose interview will be aired on the 9th. Ben talked about his new book In the House Un-American (Clockroot Books, 2013). This mixed genre book investigates what it means to be American and shows us our own contradictions and complexities. By looking closely, being American is made strange. Poetry also works to make language strange; it liberates us from our language habits and unhinges us. Ben's book has been described as a 'trickster book' because it incorporates fiction and documentary styles while also being poetic, personal and political; in this way it both surprises the reader and brings the reader along as it investigates the question of this culture we think we live in. Listen on Sunday to hear Ben's interview!!!
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January 12, 2014- Stephen Lloyd Webber part 2

On January 12th, we played the second half of  Stephen Lloyd Webber's interview. We continued our conversation about his book Writing From the Inside Out (Divine Arts 2013). He talked about his work in prose poetry and 'language yoga.' We discussed how yogic figures (or different parts of our ego) can manifest in our attention and our writing. Stephen has trouble 'telling the same story' so uses different practices, like writing twenty books in a year. After our ten minute break, we talked about self-doubt as negative capability. Uncertainty does not have to be anxiety.
Stephen revealed to us how his book got published. He used much of the material he originally compiled for his Writing Immersion Retreat compendium. Through this discussion we talked about why we write, perhaps in an effort to 'affirm the world.' Having a yoga practice helps Stephen have balance in terms of what writing challenges are right for him. Stephen's philosophy of sharing his experience with others is something that emerged for him through his practice. In this vein, he and his wife are creating a home where they will invite people to share their gifts with them and the space. We talked about his wife Jade who is a the yoga teacher and holistic guide for their writing retreats. Towards the end, we heard some more of Stephen's writing.
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January 5, 2014: Stephen Lloyd Webber Part one

Happy New Year!!!
In the fall we recorded our interview with the lovely Stephen Lloyd Webber and on January 5th we played the first part of our talk. His book Writing From the Inside Out was published by Divine Arts in 2013. To start out, Stephen talked his past study of different spiritual practices as well as yoga, and how these are important to his writing practice. In this vein, we jumped right into discovering the writing marathon, a method that Stephen assigns the participants of his and his wife, Jade Webber's, Writing Immersion Retreats. He took part in a 24-hour writing marathon and he describes this practice as a way to 'cultivate mindfulness.' The book itself combines writing exercises with spiritual teachings that help guide the writer in the writing practice as well as through the pitfalls and negative self-talk that writers tend to encounter. Stephen outlines the writing retreats he created with his wife; these retreats prioritize three elements: being present/aware, attention to the holistic self and spiritual practice and offering of the creative self. It should be said that Stephen's wife Jade is a yoga teacher and painter and she provides yoga teaching and spiritual guidance. Many of the exercises in this book are also included in the compendium that Stephen created for the retreats. These retreats and this interview reveal the interconnection between the mind and the body.
We played the second half of this interview on January 12th. Check back here for part two!
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December 8, 2013 Stephen Ratcliffe LIve!

This past Sunday, Stephen Ratcliffe came to Lightrail Studios to discuss his book Selected Days (Counterpath, 2012). This aptly named collection contains a selection from much larger collections, in which Stephen wrote a poem a day for several years. The book is divided into six sections; three sections contain consecutive day poems chosen from 474-poem collections and three sections contain consecutive day poems from 1000-poem collections. Stephen used rather strict constraints when constructing these pieces, both in form and in content. The poems largely contain the morning view from Stephen's home but he also lets artists, musician and characters from To The Lighthouse into the pieces. He injects thought into the poems, so they combine the internal world with the external. His interest in photography is evident in these pieces which perfectly depict the changes in sky, greenery and wildlife from day to day; the reader witnesses the slow changes of season and the passing of time. Stephen performed the larger collections four times; three of which can be listened to on Pennsound at http://writing.upenn.edu/pennsound/. The readings were several hours long, during which he performed with musicians. Listen to our show and then listen to his readings!
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November 24, 2013: Miranda Mellis Live

This past Sunday, Miranda Mellis met with us to talk about her books None of This is Real (Sidebrow Books, 2012) and The Spokes (Solid Objects, 2012). Miranda's short fiction is compelling in its surrealist narrative. Her background in poetry is evident in her incredibly beautiful prose. Her stories seek to illustrate our habits, our interactions with time, the goals that propel us into action and the ways in which we make sense of our places in the world. At the same time, her stories are political in how they mirror how we are caught up in the wheel of capitalism or how we look away when we know we are acting as part of a societal machine that may be harming others. Miranda's characters seek knowledge, seek approval and are sometimes not sure why they do the things they do. In this way, we can relate to them, even within the surrealist landscape of her worlds. Her stories deal with death, family dynamics, ancestral powers and the growing line at the cafe. She talked about the things she resists in her narrative, like locating the events in a specific time and place. At the same time, she is able to work through a sentence that perfectly represents her character's emotional state in the same way a poet will work through a line until it's just right.
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