Its All Write

It's All Write
  • 4.8 (21)
  • Books

It’s All Write is a podcast about the writing life and those who live it. Hosted by Meryl Branch-McTiernan and Ariana McLean, multidisciplinary writers and lovers of high and low culture, catch candid conversations with scribes of all stripes every two Tuesdays.

  1. It's All Write to Tell Tall Tales (on Cocktail Napkins)

    6d ago

    It's All Write to Tell Tall Tales (on Cocktail Napkins)

    Happy Solstice! In this Midsummer Night's Dream of an episode, we chat with Hawley Hussey AKA Mermaid Hawley about the tall tales she likes to tell, scribbled on cocktail napkins in diners and beach boardwalks, some composed alone and some in community. Hawley traffics in love letters, breakup letters and thank you notes, which inspired her first book, or "language object" as she thinks of it, The Lonesome Threesome, published by Nauset Press (2024).  We recommend listening to this episode with the waves in the background. -- Hawley Hussey is a muti-disciplinary artist, year-round swimmer, and Coney Islander who works between the visual, the written word, the performing arts, and contemporary art education & activism. Here most recent publication The Lonesome Threesome (Nauset Press, 2023) is a hybrid memoir tells tales of “Survival! Lies! [and] Lust!”  The book was derived from over 300 cocktail napkin notes created while driving alone from LA to Brooklyn. Hawley’s  new writing project (and possibly next book with Nauset) is a collaborative writing project called: Men Die Sooner. Hawley began her career with a residency & grant from the Women’s Studio Workshop in 1987 that lead to the creation of artist books including You Can Have Him, the Mansion is Mine and The Devil and Me that are now housed in numerous permanent and prestigious collections at The Smithsonian, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, The Library of Congress, and numerous Universities.  Arriving in NYC in the fall of 2000 she served as Education Coordinator and Director of Contemporary Art Education at BRIC Arts Media and as an Art Education Mentor for the New York State Council on the Arts.   Her work in art-ed and activism includes co-founding Bronx Envision Academy, launching HH:ArtLab at public schools across NYC (including PS 119 in Brooklyn and the International Community School in the Bronx), and serving as a teaching artist-in-residence at the Park Avenue Armory, and writing love/break-up/thank you letters for the public on the Coney Island boardwalk.  -- Purchase your copy of The Lonesome Threesome ! --  Press for The Lonesome Threesome: Nauset Press OverviewReview in Chronogram: “5 Books to Read in September 2024”Heart felt reviews on Good ReadsArtist Books by Hawley Hussey: You Can Have Him, the Mansion is Mine (Women's Studio Workshop, 1987)The Devil and Me (Women's Studio Workshop, 1987)Mentioned in this episode: The Redneck Way of Knowledge by Blanche McCrary BoydPale Fire by Vladimir NabokovHopscotch by Julio CortázarThe Lure of the Local by Lucy Lipard The Swimmer (1968) film based on the short story “The Swimmer” by John Cheever (1964)-- Catch Meryl on tour with her debut What You Should Worry About. See which cities she's hitting next by following along on instagram @outerboroqn -- Follow us on Instagram @itsallwritepod. And send us a note at itsallwritepod@gmail.com.

    34 min
  2. It's All Write to Be the King of Swords

    Jun 2

    It's All Write to Be the King of Swords

    Season two kicks off with It's All Write's very own Meryl Branch-McTiernan as our guest, discussing the inception of her debut novel, What You Should Worry About, writing during lockdown, being inspired by horny jews, and the joys of chosen family.  Get your own copy of What You Should Worry About, release June 2, wherever you get books (preferably from you local bookstore or library). And catch Meryl on the road. Follow her on Instagram @outerboroqn for tour stops and readings this summer! -- -- Catch Meryl on tour with her debut What You Should Worry About. See which cities she's hitting next by following along on instagram @outerboroqn -- Follow us on Instagram @itsallwritepod. And send us a note at itsallwritepod@gmail.com.

    36 min
  3. It's All Write to Take Your Time

    12/30/2025

    It's All Write to Take Your Time

    In the season finale, we chat with bestselling novelist, Dawnie Walton, about how her journalism background inspired the unusual structure of her first novel, The Final Revival of Opal and Nev. She digs into how she developed the many voices in the novel by finding the characters' syntax, deciding how they would curse, and listening to hours of The Dick Cavett Show. She talks about the challenges of writing her second book and the benefits of working with a wonderful editor. And she shares the one workshop note that changed everything!  Stay tuned for Season 2 in spring 2026! -- Dawnie Walton is a writer, editor, and author of the award-winning novel The Final Revival of Opal and Nev, named one of the best books of 2021 by The Washington Post, NPR, Esquire, and former U.S. President Barack Obama, among others. Her work explores identity, place, and the influence of pop culture. Formerly an editor at Essence and Entertainment Weekly, she has received fellowships from MacDowell and Tin House, and an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop (where she has since taught a fiction seminar). In partnership with acclaimed writer Deesha Philyaw and Longreads founder Mark Armstrong, she is the co-founder of Ursa Story Company, a podcasting and storytelling venture, and co-hosts and produces its shows. Her short fiction and essays have appeared in Oxford American, Bon Appetit, NPR, and Lithub. Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, she lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter. -- Buy The Final Revival of Opal and Nev on Bookshop.org or at your local bookshop. Pre-Order Meryl's debut novel What You Should Worry About at Bookshop.org or  Barnes & Nobles (coming out summer 2026)! -- Follow us on Instagram @itsallwritepod. And send us a note at itsallwritepod@gmail.com. -- Catch Meryl on tour with her debut What You Should Worry About. See which cities she's hitting next by following along on instagram @outerboroqn -- Follow us on Instagram @itsallwritepod. And send us a note at itsallwritepod@gmail.com.

    42 min
  4. It's All Write to Claw at the Moon

    12/02/2025

    It's All Write to Claw at the Moon

    In Episode 10 Loretta Lopez joins us. Her middle grade novel, City Girls, chronicles the lives of three middle schoolers facing some pretty big challenges, such as immigration, adultery, and a parent with cancer. Loretta explains how the book is intended for all audiences and was originally conceived for adults. She talks about how her work as a translator and therapist informs her writing and how an obsessive nature fuels her desire to write anywhere she can, even the public bus. -- Loretta Lopez is a Mexican-American author living in Brooklyn, NY.  She is also a therapist and board member at The Brave House. Her debut novel, City Girls, published by Seven Stories Press in Spring 2024. City Girls, was inspired by the lives of the girls she has worked with at The Brave House, a non-profit offering holistic services to immigrant girls. Part of the book's proceeds will go to supporting their mission. -- Buy City Girls on Bookshop.org or at your local bookshop. Pre-Order Meryl's debut novel What You Should Worry About at Bookshop.org or  Barnes & Nobles (coming out summer 2026)! -- Follow us on Instagram @itsallwritepod. And send us a note at itsallwritepod@gmail.com. -- Catch Meryl on tour with her debut What You Should Worry About. See which cities she's hitting next by following along on instagram @outerboroqn -- Follow us on Instagram @itsallwritepod. And send us a note at itsallwritepod@gmail.com.

    33 min
  5. It's All Write to Teach

    11/04/2025

    It's All Write to Teach

    In Episode 9, we are back from a fall hiatus with our professor Robert Lopez (of Stony Brook University), author of eight books and numerous pieces in literary journals & magazines. Robert shares his unconventional path to becoming a writer (without having read a full book 'till his 20s!), his thoughts on voice & form, how playing music impacts his fiction, and how teaching has allowed him to build a comfortable writing life for himself.  - Robert Lopez is the author of seven novels and one non-fiction book (listed below with links to purchase). His fiction, nonfiction, and poetry has appeared in dozens of publications, including Bomb, The Threepenny Review, Vice Magazine, New England Review, The Sun, and the Norton Anthology of Sudden Fiction – Latino. He teaches at Stony Brook University and has previously taught at Columbia University, The New School, Pratt Institute, and Syracuse University. He lives in Brooklyn, New York. Robert's Books The Best People (novel, 2025)Dispatches from Puerto Nowhere: An American Story of Assimilation and Erasure (nonfiction, 2023)A Better Class Of People (novel-in-stories, 2022)All Black Full (novel, 2017)Good People (novel-in-stories, 2016)Asunder (stories, 2010)Kamby Bolongo Mean River (novel, 2009)Part of the World (novel, 2007)For more of Robert's work visit his website: www.robertlopez.net --- To support the show, please, subscribe to, rate, and review the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow the show on Instagram @itsallwritepod Email us at itsallwritepod@gmail.com -- Catch Meryl on tour with her debut What You Should Worry About. See which cities she's hitting next by following along on instagram @outerboroqn -- Follow us on Instagram @itsallwritepod. And send us a note at itsallwritepod@gmail.com.

    30 min
  6. It's All Write to Call Yourself a Writer

    08/26/2025

    It's All Write to Call Yourself a Writer

    Essayist Shaan Sachdev contemplates what it means to be a writer & how to be a writer in the context of today's world; discusses the impact of unconscious bias in corporate journalism; and shares his process for writing on everything from gay bathhouse culture to geopolitical conflicts. It's a sexy and cerebral episode that even includes a little discourse on Queen Bey..."Bounce on that sh***, dance..." After this episode, check out Shaan's Beyonce podcast "Diva Discourse" on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. -- Shaan Sachdev is an essayist, cultural critic, journalist, and writer based in New York. He writes about a range of topics including philosophy,  America's preoccupations with race thinking, masculinity, biases in media, city life, and his two favorite divas, Beyoncé and Hannah Arendt.  -- Shaan's Work mentioned in the show: "Steamography" (Strange Matter) "Portrait of the Technocrat as a Stanford Man" (New England Review, Pushcart Prize Winner, Best American Essays 2024 Runnerup) "Hysterical Empathy" (The Point)  "God Save the Top"(The Point) "The Gaza Generation" (LA Review or Books) "The Key to Beyoncé’s Lasting Success" (Slate) -- Also mentioned in this episode: The Writer's Room Winners Takes All  by Anand Giridharadas Allan Bérubé Rachel Cusk  Garth Greenwell  Naomi Klein  Maggie Nelson -- Follow the show in Instagram @itsallwritepod. Email us at itsallwritepod@gmail.com -- Catch Meryl on tour with her debut What You Should Worry About. See which cities she's hitting next by following along on instagram @outerboroqn -- Follow us on Instagram @itsallwritepod. And send us a note at itsallwritepod@gmail.com.

    45 min
  7. It's All Write to Kill Your Babies

    08/12/2025

    It's All Write to Kill Your Babies

    Writer/Director Tyrrell Shaffner joins her writing partner (and It's All Write cohost) Meryl Branch-McTiernan to discuss the gulfs they crossed to bring Katie's Mom from script to screen. Spoiler, it took a cemetery full of dead characters & deleted scenes... plus a couple of exes for inspiration. Katie's Mom stars Dina Meyer as a recent divorcee whose holiday with her adult children derails when she falls for her daughter's charming new boyfriend (Aaron Dominguez). Playgirl calls it “raunchy, MILF-y fun.” Watch the official trailer here. If you like messy female characters, stream Katie's Mom on Tubi, Roku, and Amazon, and then rate it IMDB. Sites like IMDB skew male, giving (on average) lower ratings to movies starring women. Let's flip the script! Also mentioned in this episode: The Sandbox Collective -- Tyrrell Shaffner is a director and storyteller whose work threads the needle between drama, comedy, and romance—regularly spotlighting characters on the fringes, told from a distinctly female point of view. She studied directing at USC Film School, where her comedic thesis film Different screened at over 40 festivals. She later earned her MFA in screenwriting from UCLA, where she was awarded the George Burns and Gracie Allen Fellowship in Comedy. Tyrrell began her career as a staff director/producer for Oscar-winning producer Rob Fried’s SVOD channel Feeln (bought by Hallmark) and director Jon Chu’s Google-funded channel DS2DIO. She has since crafted hundreds of pieces of content for clients including Lionsgate, M ss ng P eces, and Crypt TV. Her debut feature, Katie’s Mom, stars Dina Meyer and premiered at Dances With Films, where it won the Audience Award for Best Fusion Feature. The film is now available on digital and on demand. Tyrrell is currently developing her second feature and a comedy series inspired by her real-life experience substitute teaching. -- Follow the show on Instagram @itsallwritepod. And, feel free to send us a note to itsallwritepod@gmail.com. -- Catch Meryl on tour with her debut What You Should Worry About. See which cities she's hitting next by following along on instagram @outerboroqn -- Follow us on Instagram @itsallwritepod. And send us a note at itsallwritepod@gmail.com.

    30 min
  8. It's All Write to Fuhgeddabout the Plot

    07/29/2025

    It's All Write to Fuhgeddabout the Plot

    Best-Selling author Jennifer Belle shares the method she's used to write five novels, that time she worked with Madonna, how to write sex scenes, and the path that led to publishing her latest novel, Swanna in Love with Akashic Books.  Jennifer Belle is the best-selling author of five novels, Going Down (which was named best debut novel by Entertainment Weekly and optioned for the screen twenty-seven times), High Maintenance, Little Stalker, and The Seven Year Bitch; and Animal Stackers, a picture book for children (illustrated by David McPhail). Her stories and essays have appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, the Independent (London), Harper’s Bazaar, Ms., BlackBook, the New York Observer, Post Road, and many anthologies. Her most recent work is Swanna in Love. You can follow her on Instagram @jenniferbellewriter. -- Books & Writers referenced in this episode True Grit by Charles Potis Who Will Run the Frog Hospital by Lorrie Moore All Fours by Miranda July The F**k Up by Arthur Nersesian Marilyn Rothstein Liz Tigelaar  Movies & TV shows mentioned: Katie's Mom I Love Lucy The Carol Burnett Show Saturday Night Live -- Catch Meryl on tour with her debut What You Should Worry About. See which cities she's hitting next by following along on instagram @outerboroqn -- Follow us on Instagram @itsallwritepod. And send us a note at itsallwritepod@gmail.com.

    41 min
See All (13)

4.8
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

It’s All Write is a podcast about the writing life and those who live it. Hosted by Meryl Branch-McTiernan and Ariana McLean, multidisciplinary writers and lovers of high and low culture, catch candid conversations with scribes of all stripes every two Tuesdays.

Information

  • Creator
    It's All Write
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Its All Write
  • Show Website
    Its All Write

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