The Metaworker Podcast The Metaworker Literary Magazine

Editors Matthew, Elena, and Melissa talk to Stella Meadows about her brilliant nonfiction (as well as what makes brilliant nonfiction in general), identity, introspection, LGBT+ representation in art, and specifically LGBT+ representation in the science fiction and fantasy genres. 

Stella Meadows is a writer to know. Born in 1996, she’s been active since the age of eight, ever in search of the perfect sentence. Her first story was published in Quirk Literary Magazine in May, 2020. Her other work is forthcoming. Meadows takes a personal approach to story-telling, focusing primarily on issues of identity and self-expression. When not reading or writing, she can be found drinking espresso and chasing down scared raccoons (they need affection too!). A student of Humanities and Communications at California State University, Monterey Bay, she will graduate in early 2021. 

Referenced in this episode: 

Meditations on Water by Stella Meadows on The Metaworker website; 

Paradise is a Feeling by Stella Meadows on The Metaworker website; 

House in the Cerulean Sea by Tj Klune, book recommended by Stella; 

The Pervert by Remy Boydell & Michelle Perez, comic book recommended by Stella; 

Drop-Out, web comic recommended by Stella; 

Grease Bats by  Archie Bongiovanni, comic recommended by Stella 


Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/metaworker)

Editors Matthew, Elena, and Melissa talk to Veronica Lupinacci about her wonderful poem, Kurt. We talk about nonfiction, how we remember people, and the general topic of learning to write well.

Veronica Lupinacci is poet, an adjunct writing professor at State College of Florida, and a Grant Officer for Mote Marine Laboratory is Sarasota, Florida, U.S. where she crafts foundation proposals and reports to grow philanthropic support for marine conservation research and education. Her poetry has been published in journals including BOAAT, Gravel, McNeese Review, Haiku Journal, and The Pinch, and she is the author of a children’s book used for ESL education in Beijing, China.


Referenced in this episode:

Kurt by Veronica Lupinacci on The Metaworker website; 

Beating a Dead Horse or Good Prose Writing by Matthew Maichen on The Metaworker website; 

Neighbor by Darrell Pateska on The Metaworker website; 

Daniele Pantano, poet recommended by Veronica; 

Billy Collins, poet recommended by Veronica 


Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/metaworker)

Editors Matthew, Elena, Marina, and Darin talk to Kate Shannon about her wonderful poetry! We touch on the history of the form, some of the brutal inspirations that Kate uses for her work, and what we love about beautiful poetry of all kinds.
 
Kate Shannon is a farmer, editor, and poet from Upstate NY where she lives with her partner and too many dark secrets. She writes speculative poetry and fiction and hopes to not be eaten by one of her hideous creations. Her publication history includes The Mithila Review, Anti-Heroin Chic, and High Shelf Press.
 
Referenced in this episode:

thick crusts of midnight in the late Ordovician, a wilderness of morning elsewhere by Kate Shannon on The Metaworker website; 

ghazal for aguas del sur by Kate Shannon on The Metaworker website;

a quote by Richard Siken, from his poetry collection Crush; 

Hip-Hop Ghazal by Patricia Smith 
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/metaworker)

Editors Matthew, Elena, Darin, and Melissa talk to Paul Rabinowitz about his piece Little Gem Magnolia and its surreal mix of genres. We touch on New Orleans, art, making time for art, and so much more.
 
Paul Rabinowitz is an author, photographer and founder of ARTS By The People, a nonprofit arts organization based in New Jersey. Paul’s photography, short fiction and poetry have appeared in many magazines and journals including Nailed, Long Exposure Magazine, Linden Avenue Literary Journal, Pif Magazine, The Metaworker, Burningword and others. Paul is the author of Limited Light, and a novella, The Clay Urn, (Main Street Rag, 2020). Paul is currently at work on a novel Confluence and a collection of prose poems, Grand Street, Revisited. 
 
Referenced in this episode:

Little Gem Magnolia by Paul Rabinowitz on The Metaworker website;

I've Loved You So Long, film recommended by Paul;

The Selfish Giant,  film recommended by Paul;

Paul Rabinowitz's Website 
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/metaworker)

The Metaworker Editors (Matthew Maichen, Elena L. Perez, Marina Shugrue, Darin Milanesio, and Melissa Reynolds) talk to Omar Hussain about his wonderful piece "The Dog in You." We introduce the larger idea of the podcast, Omar reads an excerpt, and then we talk about the piece, morality, and interpreting stories in different ways than the author intends.
 
Omar Hussain is a writer from the San Francisco Bay Area, transplanted to Ann Arbor, Michigan. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in X-R-A-Y Magazine, The Cabinet of Heed, Ellipsis Zine, Spelk, Dream Noir, Fleas On the Dog and (mac)ro(mic), among others. Omar’s beta-test novel, The Outlandish and the Ego, debuted in late 2017. It received some praise, remarkably. 
 

Referenced in this episode:

The Dog in You by Omar Hussain on The Metaworker website;

Lobster by Rachel Reeher in SmokeLong Quarterly 
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/metaworker)

In this pilot episode, Editor-in-Chief Matthew Maichen and then-intern (now editor) Melissa Reynolds have a conversation about The Dinner Party by Alexa Hailey, in which they touch on comedy, magical realism, originality in writing, and the wonderfully bizarre suburban parody that is this story.
 
Alexa Hailey is a freelance and fiction writer living in Massachusetts. Her fiction work has been published in Flash Fiction Magazine, Vamp Cat Mag, and Detritus. You can follow her on Twitter at @lexabobexa. 
 
Referenced in this episode:

The Dinner Party by Alexa Hailey on The Metaworker website;

And Then He Died writing tips by Matthew Maichen
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/metaworker)