All posts by Francesca Rheannon

About Francesca Rheannon

Francesca Rheannon is an award-winning independent radio producer. In addition to hosting Writer's Voice, she's a freelance reporter for National Public Radio and its affiliates. Recipient of the prestigious Nancy Dickerson Whitehead Award for reporting on substance abuse issues for her news series, VOICES OF HIV, produced for 88.5 WFCR public radio in western Massachusetts. She is also finishing a book on Provence (PROVINCE OF THE HEART) and working on a memoir of her father, THE ARGONAUTS.

Podcast

Writers Voice Special Series: The River Runs Through Us – Episode One

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Susan Stinson
Kerry Buckley

Writers Voice inaugurates a special, six-part series exploring the literature, spirit and meaning of the Connecticut River: The River Runs Through Us.

In Episode One, historian Kerry Buckley talks about the history and impact of the Connecticut River in New England. Also, author Susan Stinson talks about her forthcoming historical novel SPIDER IN A TREE. Based in Northampton, Massachusetts, it’s about the life of 18th century Calvinist theologian Jonathan Edwards.

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Podcast

Karen Dillon: HOW WILL YOU MEASURE YOUR LIFE? And Bruce Frankel (encore)

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Karen Dillon
Bruce Frankel

Karen Dillon talks about the book she co-authored, HOW WILL YOU MEASURE YOUR LIFE? And Bruce Frankel tells us about his 2010 book,WHAT SHOULD I DO FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE? (encore interview.)

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Podcast

Karen Thompson Walker, AGE OF MIRACLES & Kij Johnson, AT THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER OF BEES

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Karen Thompson Walker
Kij Johnson

WV talks with two women writers of speculative fiction: Karen Thompson Walker talks about her acclaimed debut novel, AGE OF MIRACLES. It’s about what happens to one young girl, her family and her world when the Earth’s rotation slows down. And Kij Johnson discusses her new short story collection AT THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER OF BEES.
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Podcast

Junot Diaz, THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE HER & Daniel Lang Levitsky, DREAMING IN PUBLIC

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Junot Diaz
Daniel Lang-Levitsky

Junot Diaz talks about his collection of short stories, THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE HER and Daniel Lang Levitsky talks about the collection of writings, DREAMING IN PUBLIC: Building the Occupy Movement. Also, a clip from last year’s interview with Occupy organizer and author, Marina Sitrin.

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Podcast

Richard Selznick, SCHOOL STRUGGLES; Marc Meyer, MINDUP; & Sanjay Nambiar, MAYBE

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Richard Selznick
Sanjay Nambiar

Educational psychologist Richard Selznick talks about his book, School Struggles: A Guide to Your Shut-Down Learner’s Success. Marc Meyer discusses the school-based MindUp curriculum; and children’s book author Sanjay Nambiar talks about his new series, A Little Zen for Little Ones. Continue reading →

Podcast

Amanda Coplin, THE ORCHARDIST & Rowan Jacobsen, AMERICAN TERROIR

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Amanda Coplin
Rowan Jacobsen

Amanda Coplin talks about her novel THE ORCHARDIST. It’s about a man who takes in and shelter two young women escaping horrible abuse. And Rowan Jacobsen talks about his book, AMERICAN TERROIR: Savoring the Flavors of Our Woods, Waters, and Fields.  Continue reading →

Podcast

Linda McCullough Moore, THIS ROAD WILL TAKE US CLOSER TO THE MOON & Marisa Silver, ALONE WITH YOU

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Linda McCullough Moore

 

Marisa Silver

Linda McCullough Moore talks about her short story collection, THIS ROAD WILL TAKE US CLOSER TO THE MOON & we air a 2010 interview with Marisa Silver about her short story collection, ALONE WITH YOU. Continue reading →

Podcast

Tracie McMillan, THE AMERICAN WAY OF EATING & Katherine Gustafson, CHANGE COMES TO DINNER

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Tracie McMillan
Katherine Gustafson

Journalist Tracie McMillan talks about how the poor, including those who work in the food system, are treated by that system. Her book is THE AMERICAN WAY OF EATING: Undercover at Walmart, Applebee’s, Farm Fields and the Dinner Table. Also Katherine Gustafson tells us about CHANGE COMES TO DINNER: How Vertical Farmers, Urban Growers, and Other Innovators Are Revolutionizing How America Eats. Continue reading →

Podcast

Brita Belli, THE AUTISM PUZZLE & Nancy Nichols, LAKE EFFECT

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Brita Belli

What’s causing the autism epidemic in American children? Brita Belli talks about her book, THE AUTISM PUZZLE: Connecting the Dots Between Environmental Toxins and Rising Autism Rates. And it’s not just autism. It’s also cancer and other diseases. We air our 2008 interview with journalist Nancy Nichols about her memoir LAKE EFFECT: Two Sisters and a Town’s Toxic Legacy.  Continue reading →

Podcast

Richard Zacks, ISLAND OF VICE & Stan Cox, LOSING OUR COOL

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Richard Zacks

 

Stan Cox

Richard Zacks discusses ISLAND OF VICE: Theodore Roosevelt’s Doomed Quest to Clean Up Sin-Loving New York and Stan Cox talks about his book, LOSING OUR COOL: Uncomfortable Truths About Our Air-Conditioned World. Then Drew Adamek reviews Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain. Continue reading →

Podcast

Andrew Nagorski, HITLERLAND & Jonathan Rabb, THE SECOND SON

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Andrew Nagorski
Jonathan Rabb

Andrew Nagorski talks about his book, HITLERLAND, a first-ever account of the American eyewitnesses to Hitler’s rise to power. And novelist Jonathan Rabb discusses his latest in the Chief Inspector Nikolai Hoffner series, THE SECOND SON. It’s about a Berlin detective in the midst of the Spanish Civil War. Continue reading →

Podcast

Magical Realism: Jacqueline Sheehan, PICTURE THIS & Jeanne Ray, CALLING INVISIBLE WOMEN

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Novelist Jacqueline Sheehan talks about her latest work of fiction, PICTURE THIS. It’s a sequel to her bestseller, LOST AND FOUND. And Jeanne Ray discusses her newest novel CALLING INVISIBLE WOMEN. It’s about what happens when one woman discovers she has become invisible. Continue reading →

Podcast

Walter Mosely, GIFT OF FIRE/ON THE HEAD OF A PIN & Eric Klinenberg GOING SOLO.

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Walter Mosely
Eric Klinenberg

Walter Mosely talks about his two new speculative fiction novellas, the GIFT OF FIRE and ON THE HEAD OF A PIN; and sociologist Eric Klinenberg discusses his new book, GOING SOLO: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone. Continue reading →