Writers at the Well

Tess Callahan
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Books
  • Updated Monthly

Interviews with authors about their experience "at the well." How do they draw words and images up from the depths? What underground streams fuel them? How they know when they are aligned, in flow, attuned to the will of their story, and when they are off course? Do they incorporate meditation or other forms of spiritual practice to keep them connected to their truth? Let's find out! Writers at the Well is a sister to Tess's meditation podcast, Heart Haven Meditations: which offers practices that draw from modern neuroscience and ancient wisdom traditions. Heart Haven Meditations: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1998903.rssTess Callahan, Ed.M., MFA, is the author of the novel APRIL & OLIVER and DAWNLAND, and a certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher. You can find her at: https://tesscallahan.com/. Podcast "Chalice Well" Cover Image by Angela Latham: www.celticmystery.co.uk www.sacredearthsoundtherapy.com DISCLAIMER: Any advice or suggestions mentioned by the guest or host is to be vetted by you. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred by you acting or not acting as a result of listening to these conversations. You acknowledge that you use any information provided at your own risk. 

  1. Sep 29

    Ayad Akhtar on The Radiance: What If the Sentence Knows More than the Writer?

    Ayad Akhtar, Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright and novelist, author of American Dervish and Homeland Elegies, joins host Tess Callahan to talk about his new novel, The Radiance. The book follows a writer (also named Ayad) who wakes from a hit-and-run accident into an unbidden state of heightened perception that unfolds over eight months as he navigates an academic scandal in a politically divided town.  Ayad talks about writing as “melding” with a register of experience rather than executing a plan; the idea of autofiction as “doing the truth, but better”; the influence of Montaigne, Rousseau, and Plato’s cave; and what it means to come back down the mountain after a genuine experience of grace. He asks the political meaning of grace. We also get into Falstaff, Ayad’s father, and what constitutes greatness in a person. The Radiance was published September 29, 2026.  Ayad is touring 28 cities this fall, dates available here:  https://ayadakhtar.com/ Tess Callahan is the author of the novels APRIL & OLIVER and DAWNLAND. She holds an MFA from Bennington College and is a certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher taught by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. She offers author interviews on her Substack: https://tesscallahan.substack.com, and guided meditations on her sister podcast Heart Haven Meditations, available on Apple, Spotify and elsewhere. By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show. Thank you for listening! Host: Tess Callahan Substack: Writers at the Well Guided Meditation Podcast: Heart Haven Meditations Meditations on Insight Timer Meditations on ...

    Ayad Akhtar on The Radiance: What If the Sentence Knows More than the Writer?

  2. Sep 22

    Hallie Shepherd on Writing a Gothic Thriller with a Screenwriter's Intincts and a Poet's Heart

    Novelist Tess Callahan interviews screenwriter, actress, and producer Hallie Shepherd about her debut novel Call Off the Dark, just out from HarperCollins. Shepherd’s dramatic and cinematic instincts are evident in this genre-bending gothic thriller/love story about a grieving young widow who reinvents herself as a tradwife in the dense woods of the Pacific Northwest. The novel is being adapted for TV by Warner Bros. and Berlanti Productions.  Shepherd is co-owner of Fireshoe Productions, whose films have featured Academy Award–winning actors and played in theaters across the United States. Her work as a writer and actor has appeared on Netflix, Hulu, Showtime, Amazon Prime, and Paramount Plus. She grew up on a farm in a small town in western Washington, the same landscape that inspired the setting of her novel. She lives in Los Angeles with her filmmaker husband, Eric Colley. Tess Callahan is the author of the novels APRIL & OLIVER and DAWNLAND. She holds an MFA from Bennington College and is a certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher taught by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. She offers author interviews on her Substack: https://tesscallahan.substack.com, and guided meditations on her sister podcast Heart Haven Meditations, available on Apple, Spotify and elsewhere. By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show. Thank you for listening! Host: Tess Callahan Substack: Writers at the Well Guided Meditation Podcast: Heart Haven Meditations Meditations on Insight Timer Meditations on ...

    Hallie Shepherd on Writing a Gothic Thriller with a Screenwriter's Intincts and a Poet's Heart

  3. May 18

    Andrew Holecek on the Power of Darkness to Unleash Creativity

    Dr. Andrew Holecek discusses Dark Retreat—a Buddhist practice of spending extended periods in complete darkness—and its transformative effects on creativity, healing, and spiritual insight. Dark Retreat is “big medicine” not to be undertaken lightly. Like any retreat, its power relies on its integration. His new book is:  Total Eclipse of the Mind: Unleashing the Power of Darkness for Creativity, Healing, and Transformation Dr. Holecek is an interdisciplinary scholar-practitioner in Tibetan Buddhism and other nondual wisdom traditions. He is the Resident Contemplative Scholar at the Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies, and a research consultant for the Cognitive Neuroscience Program at Northwestern University. His work involves studies on dream yoga and the practice of dark retreat. Dr. Holecek is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the author of nine books, and a concert pianist. He has completed the Tibetan Buddhist three-year retreat and is a frequent subject in scientific studies on meditation and lucid dreaming. His work integrates ancient wisdom traditions with contemporary perspectives, aiming to help individuals navigate spiritual challenges and end-of-life experiences. He is currently writing a book on “gray” retreat—a more gradual approach to dark retreat. He holds degrees in classical music, biology, and a doctorate in dental surgery.  Retreat Centers: Sky Cave Dark Havens  Chamma Ling  Menla Tess Callahan is the author of the novels APRIL & OLIVER and DAWNLAND. She holds an MFA from Bennington College and is a certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher taught by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. She offers author interviews on her Substack: https://tesscallahan.substack.com, and guided meditations on her sister podcast Heart Haven Meditations, available on Apple, Spotify and elsewhere. By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show. Thank you for listening! Host: Tess Callahan Substack: Writers at the Well Guided Meditation Podcast: Heart Haven Meditations Meditations on Insight Timer Meditations on ...

    Andrew Holecek on the Power of Darkness to Unleash Creativity

  4. Jan 27

    George Saunders on Writing with Fierceness and Compassion

    Novelist Tess Callahan sits down with George Saunders to discuss his new novel Vigil. Saunders reflects on writing morally complex characters, the balance between empathy and fierceness, and the challenges of inhabiting the consciousness of a character who is in his words "a real stinker." He discusses how revision, attention, and trust in the reader shape his work.  George Saunders is the author of thirteen books, including the novel Lincoln in the Bardo, which won the Man Booker Prize, and five collections of stories, including Tenth of December, which was a finalist for the National Book Award, and the recent collection Liberation Day. Saunders hosts the popular Story Club on Substack, which grew out of his book on the Russian short story, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain. In 2013, he was named one of the world’s 100 Most Influential People by Time. He teaches in the creative writing program at Syracuse University. Author photo by Pat Martin. Tess Callahan is the author of the novels APRIL & OLIVER and DAWNLAND. She holds an MFA from Bennington College and is a certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher taught by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. She offers author interviews on her Substack: https://tesscallahan.substack.com, and guided meditations on her sister podcast Heart Haven Meditations, available on Apple, Spotify and elsewhere. By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show. Thank you for listening! Host: Tess Callahan Substack: Writers at the Well Guided Meditation Podcast: Heart Haven Meditations Meditations on Insight Timer Meditations on ...

    George Saunders on Writing with Fierceness and Compassion

  5. 09/15/2025

    Novelist Carrie Birde on Writing as an Act of Grace

    Join debut novelist Carrie Birde author of A Small Tale of Uncommon Grace  (Blydyn Square Books) as she discusses her creative process, her road to publication, and the unique spiritual and artistic practices that help her transmute suffering—her own and the world’s—into daily acts of beauty. A literary fairy tale, her novel explores themes of community, connection, and communication. Carrie shares her personal rituals, including yoga, Qigong, and creating paper cranes, which help her manage anxiety and connect with her environment. She offers advice for aspiring writers to stay true to their heart and maintain a sense of aliveness in their creativity. Carrie is a poet, fiction writer, artist, and amateur photographer. Like many characters in those stories, she has personal friendships with wild animals, especially birds, who know her by face.  I also interviewed Carrie in written format on Substack where she further explored these topics. I hope you enjoy this heartfelt interview about things ordinary and extraordinary.  Attend Carrie’s virtual book launch Friday, September 19, 2025, 7:00pm via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84707033106. Attend her live event at the Boonton Coffee House Saturday, Octboer 11, 2025 at 7pm. Learn more about her work at CarrieBirde.com. Follow her on Instagram. Tess Callahan is the author of the novels APRIL & OLIVER and DAWNLAND. She holds an MFA from Bennington College and is a certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher taught by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. She offers author interviews on her Substack: https://tesscallahan.substack.com, and guided meditations on her sister podcast Heart Haven Meditations, available on Apple, Spotify and elsewhere. By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show. Thank you for listening! Host: Tess Callahan Substack: Writers at the Well Guided Meditation Podcast: Heart Haven Meditations Meditations on Insight Timer Meditations on ...

    Novelist Carrie Birde on Writing as an Act of Grace

  6. 08/26/2025

    Novelist Paula Saunders on Starting from Here, and Writing as an Act of Compassion

    Join novelist Paula Saunders as she discusses her moving autobiographical novel Starting from Here, just out from Penguin Random House. A stand-alone sequel to The Distance Home, the novel follows 15-year old René through the challenges of adolescence within the pressure cooker of cultural and socioeconomic stressors. Saunders draws from her own experiences as a ballet dancer. She shares her spiritual journey, particularly her practice of Buddhism, and references beloved teachers teachers Toni Morrison, Doug Unger, and Tobias Wolff. Paula describes how writing has helped her integrate the past, and instilled in her a more compassionate relationship to her younger self and her family of origin. Paula grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota. She is a graduate of the Syracuse University creative writing program and was awarded a postgraduate Albert Schweitzer Fellowship at SUNY Albany, under Schweitzer chair Toni Morrison. Her first book, The Distance Home, was longlisted for The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and named one of the best books of the year by Real Simple. She lives in California with her husband. They have two grown daughters. Learn more about her work at paulasaundersbooks.com.  Tess Callahan is the author of the novels APRIL & OLIVER and DAWNLAND. She holds an MFA from Bennington College and is a certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher taught by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. She offers author interviews on her Substack: https://tesscallahan.substack.com, and guided meditations on her sister podcast Heart Haven Meditations, available on Apple, Spotify and elsewhere. By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show. Thank you for listening! Host: Tess Callahan Substack: Writers at the Well Guided Meditation Podcast: Heart Haven Meditations Meditations on Insight Timer Meditations on ...

    Novelist Paula Saunders on Starting from Here, and Writing as an Act of Compassion

  7. 06/03/2025

    Novelist Karen Dukess on Writing with a Spirit of Play

    Novelist Karen Dukess talks about daring to write with joy and the fun she had with her new book, Welcome to Murder Week.  Karen is the author of The Last Book Party and Welcome to Murder Week, (6/10/25). She contributed to the forthcoming anthology Ladies in Waiting: Jane Austen's Unsung Characters. Karen lives outside of New York City and in Truro on Cape Cod, where she interviews some of today’s most acclaimed writers as host of the Castle Hill Author Talks for the Truro Center for the Arts.  Find Karen on Substack, Instagram, Facebook, and her website: https://karendukess.com/. Enjoy this inspiring conversation! Tess Callahan is the author of the novels APRIL & OLIVER and DAWNLAND. She holds an MFA from Bennington College and is a certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher taught by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. She offers author interviews on her Substack: https://tesscallahan.substack.com, and guided meditations on her sister podcast Heart Haven Meditations, available on Apple, Spotify and elsewhere. By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show. Thank you for listening! Host: Tess Callahan Substack: Writers at the Well Guided Meditation Podcast: Heart Haven Meditations Meditations on Insight Timer Meditations on ...

    Novelist Karen Dukess on Writing with a Spirit of Play

  8. 01/29/2025

    Dr. Samra Zafar on Breaking Old Patterns to Transform Your Future

    Internationally renowned speaker and physician Dr. Samra Zafar speaks with Tess about her new book Unconditional: Break Through Past Limits to Transform Your Future, which explores breaking free from old conditioning and embracing self-acceptance. She shares her journey from an abusive marriage to building a better life, emphasizing the importance of meditation, visualization, and unlearning. Zafar highlights the concept of "parts work" therapy to understand and heal different aspects of oneself. She stresses the significance of solitude, self-compassion, and community in personal growth. Zafar also underscores the power of self-trust, mentorship, and the courage to pursue dreams, despite fear, to achieve unconditional self-acceptance. Dr. Zafar has been recognized among the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada and the Top 25 Canadian Immigrants. Her memoir A Good Wife: Escaping the Life I Never Chose, was a national bestseller. She is the founder and executive director of Brave Beginnings, a national charity that provides mentorship to women who have escaped abuse. Her work has impacted millions and has been featured in national and global media. Samra Zafar’s speaking portfolio includes four successful TEDx Talks and many leading organizations around the world. You can find out more about her work at: www.samrazafar.com. Samra's huge heart and depth of wisdom are evident in this fascinating conversation. Enjoy! Tess Callahan is the author of the novels APRIL & OLIVER and DAWNLAND. She holds an MFA from Bennington College and is a certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher taught by Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. She offers author interviews on her Substack: https://tesscallahan.substack.com, and guided meditations on her sister podcast Heart Haven Meditations, available on Apple, Spotify and elsewhere. By tapping "like" and "follow" you help others find the show. Thank you for listening! Host: Tess Callahan Substack: Writers at the Well Guided Meditation Podcast: Heart Haven Meditations Meditations on Insight Timer Meditations on ...

    Dr. Samra Zafar on Breaking Old Patterns to Transform Your Future
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Interviews with authors about their experience "at the well." How do they draw words and images up from the depths? What underground streams fuel them? How they know when they are aligned, in flow, attuned to the will of their story, and when they are off course? Do they incorporate meditation or other forms of spiritual practice to keep them connected to their truth? Let's find out! Writers at the Well is a sister to Tess's meditation podcast, Heart Haven Meditations: which offers practices that draw from modern neuroscience and ancient wisdom traditions. Heart Haven Meditations: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1998903.rssTess Callahan, Ed.M., MFA, is the author of the novel APRIL & OLIVER and DAWNLAND, and a certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher. You can find her at: https://tesscallahan.com/. Podcast "Chalice Well" Cover Image by Angela Latham: www.celticmystery.co.uk www.sacredearthsoundtherapy.com DISCLAIMER: Any advice or suggestions mentioned by the guest or host is to be vetted by you. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred by you acting or not acting as a result of listening to these conversations. You acknowledge that you use any information provided at your own risk. 

Information

  • Creator
    Tess Callahan
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Writers at the Well
  • Show Website
    Writers at the Well

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