Transit Insight

A vagabond, a coin-filled paper cup, and a homemade comb-kazoo collide to create this flash fiction piece that moves as quickly as stepping between train cars. After the story we talk with director-producer-writer-extraordinaire Gina Angelone about her journey into, and through, the creative arts. She reveals her art-making process and makes a call to action on how all writers can get their own works out into the world. It’s a flash story but a long and inciteful interview. If you’d like to read this story or learn more about Gina Angelone, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio and story material are copyright 2023, all rights reserved.

A story of curiosity, love, and implication spills from the curves and turns of an inherited landmark hotel spoon. Journey with the author as she explores the wonder and meaning of time, dreams, and humanity through all of their complexities and conundrums. After the reading we talk with Arlene Tribbia about the creative process, how some of her stories start as poems, and managing the internal critic. If you’d like to read this story or learn more about Arlene Tribbia, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio and story material are copyright 2023, all rights reserved.

A party, a bridge, a crash. Once Mystic Canyon has you, it keeps you. This excerpt from a work-in-progress novel by Peter Gooch will make you want to read more. We interviewed Peter in August of 2021 and recommend you listen to that show to get a sense of Peter Gooch the author, painter, and all around creative spirit. If you’d like to read this excerpt or learn more about Peter Gooch, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio and story material are copyright 2023, all rights reserved.

When a husband feels compelled to learn ice fishing, trying to be that father-figure for his son, bad things can happen. Travel onto the ice and experience the wonder of a lonely night sky and the father-son bond that makes adults do crazy things. After the reading, we talk with Chad Broughman about the spiritual nature of this story, his path to writing, and his call to all writers about their work. If you’d like to read this story or learn more about Chad Broughman, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio and story material are copyright 2023, all rights reserved.

On today’s show we hear A Selection of Poems by Claire Scott. You'll experience the world through paper doll gods and accidents, alcoholic mothers, and stressed therapists. You'll smile as you cringe at the introvert's funeral and laugh at the search for lost purpose. Afterward, we talk with Claire about how her work as a therapist led to emotional release and healing through poetry, her experience of being published as well as her approach to writing, which sometimes includes approaching poetry through prose. If you’d like to read these poems or learn more about Claire Scott, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio, poetry, and story material are copyright 2023, all rights reserved.

Red. Blue. Which are you? Journey with Chloe and Ashland as they search for lost relatives after the partition. What they discover might just change both of them, and you. After the reading Eric Diekhans talks about the historical inspiration for the story and how he's built confidence as a writer. He also reveals a writing resource you won't want to miss and lays out his path from screenwriting to novel writing. If you’d like to read this story or learn more about Eric Diekhans, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio, poetry, and story material are copyright 2023, all rights reserved.

What do you get when you mix a beat-down-silicon-valley-exile-turned-High-School-teacher and an attractive student with a dangerous proposition? You get Man-man by Bruce Overby. During today's show we talk with Bruce about the inspiration for this piece and his proclivity for writing about challenging societal topics and his focus on character in storytelling. Bruce also reveals how persistence, even after jumping into the writing game 'late in life', eventually yields results. If you’d like to read this story or learn more about Bruce Overby, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio, poetry, and story material are copyright 2023, all rights reserved.

Broken hips, sick calves, and the snake-like strike of COVID coalesce in this narrative poem before unwinding into grief and choice. After the reading, Cathy Hammond reveals the unfortunate circumstance that created this piece and the iterative process she went through to create it. You'll learn how she writes when inspiration crashes into her, and the unique way she pulls ideas out of the 'pool.' She discusses her slow journey to writing and shares her tips on getting the ideas while the ideas are hot. If you’d like to read this story or learn more about Cathy Hammond, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio, poetry, and story material are copyright 2023, all rights reserved.

A midwestern woman takes a nine-month reprieve from her clockwork husband and average life to study cooking at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. There she discovers sumptuous temptations beyond delicate pastries and French accents and embarks on a flight that leads to unexpected outcomes. After the story, award winning food writer, chef, and novelist, Mary Carroll Moore, reveals her own journey to writing, the types of stories she finds most engaging, and the idea of deserved happiness. If you’d like to read this story or learn more about Mary Carroll Moore, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio, poetry, and story material are copyright 2022, all rights reserved.

Addiction, redemption, death and Greek gods will inhabit your soul after hearing these poems by one of our Fall Contest Honorable Mention winners, Meggie Royer. After the reading, Meggie reflects upon her struggles and personal journey revealed through these works. She also discusses her passion for helping others and the creation of a literary and arts journal for abuse survivors, Persephone’s Daughters. If you’d like to read these poems or learn more about Meggie, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio, poetry, and story material are copyright 2022, all rights reserved.

Birds, the evaporation of time, and constellations are all featured in these poems of reflection by one of our Fall Contest Honorable Mention winners, Delaney Gray. During the interview Delaney reveals her passion for food, cooking, and capturing everyday moments in words. She’s a Nashville resident with a treasure trove of cookbooks, as well as insights, into the recipe of productive writing and journaling. If you’d like to read these poems or learn more about Delaney, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio, poetry, and story material are copyright 2022, all rights reserved.

Today’s show features our Fall Contest Third Place winner, Tess is her Name, by Michail Mulvey. Prose contest judge Katie McDougall said “With a voice that sings with subtle characterization and musicality, the narrator suggests “in-between” lives of his neighbors below and above, ultimately illuminating his own lonesomeness, a pining for meaning and connection. The author masters the art of flash fiction; short in length, Tess is her Name is expansive in aboutness.” Michail was unable to participate in our interview, so after the reading, Melissa and JW discuss Michail Mulvey’s background and how it relates to this flash piece. Melissa and JW also discuss the merits of NaNoWriMo, Writers Groups, some of the writing resources they've used over the years, and most importantly, how to sign-up for Melissa’s weekly newsletter and Onyx Publications’ mailing list! If you’d like to read this story or learn more about Michail Mulvey, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio, poetry, an

Funerals, lost companions, and complicated doctors feature in these poems of grief by our Fall Contest Second Place winner, Smeep. Poetry judge AM Ringwalt said “I was struck by the author’s playful command of sound and syntax in Funereal Dis-ease. Grief and the grotesque are repeatedly alluded to as the speaker almost sings through an uncanny—and not-quite-dissectable—situation.” During the interview we hear Smeep’s inspiration for these poems, what it’s like to survive a plane crash, and how just living life will improve your writing. If you’d like to read these poems or learn more about Smeep, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio, poetry, and story material are copyright 2022, all rights reserved.

Can a relationship built on movie-watching survive? Today’s show features our Fall Contest First Place winner, Rome, by all means Rome, by Kevin Broccoli. Prose contest judge Katie McDougall said “Rome, by all means Rome, takes the reader into the theater of a failing marriage, characterized by the couple’s obsession with the movies. The self-assured voice, artful structure, and robust use of metaphor work in tandem to create a nuanced narrative of the relationship and of the narrator’s own sense of self.” Afterward we talk with Kevin about his own experience with relationships and movies, and the inspiration for this story. Kevin also reveals how his background in theater influences his approach to writing. Most importantly, we learn his secret to writing a short story every week. If you’d like to read this story or learn more about Kevin Broccoli, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio, poetry, and story material are copyright 2022, all rights reserved.

Today’s show is a special edition from our archives. One of our Fall 2022 Contest judges, AM Ringwalt, discusses poetry by Dennis Maloney as well as reads and unpacks her own work, Some People. These six poems by Dennis Maloney will take you from beaches to mountains to bedrooms. Lush with imagery and loss, we're sure you'll enjoy them all. After the narration, special guest AM Ringwalt, professor of creative writing at Belmont University and a premier Nashville poet and singer-songwriter, talks with us about poetry basics.  All audio, poetry, and story material are copyright 2022, all rights reserved.

Today’s show is a special edition from our archives. We hear the prologue for a work-in-progress by local Nashville writing fixture, and one of our Fall 2022 Contest judges, Katie McDougall.  It’s Allison Bosch’s sixtieth birthday and she’s hiking a seldom-traveled ridge in the San Juan Mountains where her husband died sixteen years prior. What happens when her dog, Jez, encounters a mountain goat will leave you wanting to read the next chapter. After the reading, we talk with Katie about her teaching background, writing method, working with agents on this novel-in-progress, and about The Porch, a Nashville non-profit that support writers through education and community. If you'd like to learn more about Katie McDougall, head over to www.katiemcdougall.com. Find more information about Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio and story material are copyright 2022, all rights reserved.

In a futuristic, post invasion Taiwan, a woman reflects upon beauty, lovers, and things that never change. Afterward we speak with author Juan Torregrosa (a multi-lingual interpreter) about this work and his experience of living in China for over 15 years, writing in non-native languages, and the hot and cold relationship he has with reading and writing. If you’d like to read this story or learn more about Juan Torregrosa, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio, poetry, and story material are copyright 2022, all rights reserved.  

Noodle is pleased to discover a ‘special’ born amongst the newest chicks. His older sister is even more pleased, knowing this will keep Noodle occupied as she seeks enlightenment without interruption. Follow these siblings on their individual journeys that coalesce into a singular discovery. After the reading we talk Ronly Blau about the various inspirations for this work, as well as her own journey with meditation, yoga, and ayurveda. Ronly provides insight to the benefits of co-authoring her book, The Mindbody Cleanse: A 14-Day Detox and Rejuvenation Program from Ancient Ayurveda, and most importantly, she recalls the first book that brought her to tears, and revealed the power of storytelling. If you’d like to read this story or learn more about Ronly Blau, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio, poetry, and story material are copyright 2022, all rights reserved.

On today’s show we talk with interdisciplinary artist, Skye Gilkerson. Her essay relays a personal journey revealing a parallel link between humanity’s connection with our planet and our bodies. During the interview, you’ll learn of Skye’s unique outlook on making both visual and prose art. She discusses burning her decades of journals as a form of creation, as well as the benefits of not completing your work. If you’d like to read this essay or learn more about Skye Gilkerson, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio, poetry, and story material are copyright 2022, all rights reserved.

After receiving repeated phone calls, messages, and inquiries asking to purchase her home, widowed Deloris sets out on a mission to deliver her own kind of justice to these phone spammers. What she discovers might surprise you. What she does about it reveals the true character of shrewd women. Afterward, we talk with Lynn about her previous work as a police lieutenant and how that influenced and impacted her writing. You’ll also hear how Lynn’s maverick ways, and role as one of the early women to take on police work, shaped her community and her personal life. If you’d like to read this work, or learn more about Lynn Hesse, head over to Etched Onyx Magazine at www.onyxpublications.com. All audio, poetry, and story material are copyright 2022, all rights reserved.