Catch our latest episodes
Host Daniel Chacón invites author, poet, and professor Inmaculada Lara Bonilla, Ph.D., into the Poets’ Cove to discuss her new book of poems, decir bóveda.
Inmaculada is an author and Associate Professor of Latin American and Latinx Literature and Cultural Studies at Hostos Community College, CUNY, where she also serves as the Director of the Latin American Writers Institute and as Chief Editor of the Hostos Review/ Revista Hostosiana.
Poets' Cove #19
On this episode, host Daniel Chacón speaks with acclaimed author Cristina García. They discuss Cristina’s new book, Vanishing Maps (Knopf, 2023), a follow-up to her best-selling novel, Dreaming in Cuban.
Poets' Cove #18
Host Daniel Chacón speaks with native Nicaraguan poet and UC Davis lecturer León Salvatierra about his collection of poetry, To the North/Al norte (University of Nevada Press 2022). Poet Javier O. Huerta, who translated To the North/Al norte into English, also joins the conversation.
Poets' Cove #17
Host Daniel Chacón speaks with poet Gabriel Dozal about his new collection of poetry, The Border Simulator (One World/Random House 2023). Poet Natasha Tiniacos, who translated The Border Simulator into Spanish, also joins the show to discuss the ground-breaking new book.
Poets' Cove #16
In a special episode recorded in the heart of Madrid, Spain, Host Daniel Chacón speaks with author and world traveler, Santiago Vaquera-Vásquez. They discuss a wide range of topics, including travel, artificial intelligence, and tacos in Poland.
Poets' Cove #15
Host Daniel Chacón speaks with author M. Evelina Galang about her incredible new collection of stories, When the Hibiscus Falls (Coffee House Press, 2023).
Poets' Cove #14
Host Daniel Chacón speaks with poet Brian Turner about his forthcoming three-part poetry series from Alice James Books: The Wild Delight of Wild Things, The Goodbye World Poem, and The Dead Peasant’s Handbook.
Poets' Cove #13
Where to Listen
Featured Episode
June 4, 2022
In this episode Daniel talks with international best selling fiction writer Mariana Enriquez. From Buenos Aires, Argentina, she writes what might best be described as literary horror stories, which are translated into multiple languages. She often takes us into dark and horrible spaces and situations, but she does it with a skillful narrative voice and compassion for her characters. They talk about her writing process, the difference between writing short stories and writing a novel, and the effect of psychogeography on how she travels and generates story ideas. They mostly speak of her collection of stories entitled, in English, The Dangers of Smoking in Bed, or Los peligros de fumar en la cama.
MARIANA ENRÍQUEZ
The Best of Words on a Wire
Ana Castillo
Daniel Chacón speaks with celebrated poet, essayist, editor, activist, novelist, and translator Ana Castillo, about her most recent poetry book, My Book of the Dead (University of New Mexico, Press, 2021).
Joy Harjo
A special episode of Words on a Wire where host Daniel Chacon interviews US Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo. Harjo is an internationally renowned performer and writer of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. She is serving her second term as the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States.
Tracy K. Smith
Daniel talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Tracy K. Smith. She has written her first memoir, Ordinary Light, and she talks about why she waited many years to write about the death of her mother. She also explains why the memoir allowed her to explore the subject of race and to reflect on how her parents lived and coped in the segregated South.
Benjamin Alire Saenz
Benjamin Alire Sáenz visits us in Studio B to discuss his recent work. Dr. Sáenz taught as a professor in UTEP’s Creative Writing department for over twenty-three years before retiring to dedicate his time entirely to writing and there was so much to discuss, Dr. Sáenz is being featured in a special two-part edition of Words on a Wire.
Edward Hirsch
Edward Hirsch speaks with Words on a Wire about his latest book, A Poet’s Glossary, which is not so much a book of definitions as it is an exploration of the history of the terms and how those terms interrelate to each other. Hirsch explains why it took 15 years to compile the information for this book, and why he believes it can still be more expansive (it’s already over 700 pages long). We’ll learn about the terms “Duende,” “Flarf,” and “Spam Poetry.”
Juan Felipe Herrera
Juan Felipe Herrera previously served as the Poet Laureate of the United States. Before that he was Poet Laureate of California. And before that he was a Fresno poet who was inspiring the dreams and imaginations of thousands of children, their parents, and fellow poets. Herrera joins us again on WORDS ON A WIRE to talk about his Laureateship and how his life has changed (and how it hasn’t) since he was appointed Poet Laureate of the U.S. in 2015.
Words on a Wire and eRadical Books are based out of the El Paso, Texas / Ciudad Juárez, Mexico region, but proudly serve the greater literary community, across all borders.