Zin E. Rocklyn speaks on their Shirley Jackson Award-winning novella “Flowers for the Sea" with fellow speculative fiction author and Lesley University faculty Laurie Foos.

Read Zin's essay, "My Genre Makes a Monster of Me" from Uncanny Magazine

Read more about Zin and Laurie and find a transcript for this episode on our website.

Learn more about Lesley University's low-residency MFA in Creative Writing program.

Creative Writing alum Nathan Tavares talks about his debut novel, "A Fractured Infinity," a sci-fi love story that's "like the movie 'Arrival,' but really gay." In this episode, Nathan gives us a view into writing sci-fi, his career as a freelance journalist, and what he learned in his MFA program.

Read more about Nathan and our MFA in Creative Writing program.

P.S. See Nathan speak about his book live at Brookline Booksmith on Dec. 7.

Being friends with Toni Morrison, one of the most influential writers in American literature was a life-changing experience for A.J. Verdelle, but it came with its ups and downs. A.J. writes about her relationship with the Beloved author, including their "two and a half spats" in Miss Chloe: A Memoir of a Literary Friendship with Toni Morrison. In this episode, A.J. sits down with nonfiction author Jane Brox to give us insight into her writing process and the impact of being chosen by Toni Morrison.

A. J. Verdelle is the award-winning author of the novel, The Good Negress, as well as a number of essays and short stories. She was awarded the Whiting Award in fiction, the Vursell Distinguished Fiction Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters; the Bunting Fellowship and the NEA Critical Studies Award. She was also a finalist for PEN/Faulkner Award. A.J. teaches in Lesley's MFA in Creative Writing program.

Mentioned in this episode:

• ‘Miss Chloe’ recounts A.J. Verdelle’s friendship with Toni Morrison
• Get writing advice from A.J. on Ep. 35 of Why We Write
• The sound of 'Silence' with Jane Brox