Words on a Wire

In this episode of The Storykeeper on Words on a Wire, host Tim Z. Hernandez sits down with poet, performer, and educator Darren J. de Leon to explore his new collection The Hoops and Crosses of Mt. Vernon (Hinchas Press, 2025). Blending poetry and fiction, de Leon’s debut offers vivid portraits of life in San Bernardino’s working-class neighborhoods and the formative tensions of growing up between danger and possibility.De Leon reads from his stories “Kmart” and “This Street Does Not Go Through,” weaving memories of skateboarding under the glow of a department-store sign with reflections on inheritance, family, and survival. He discusses how his years teaching youth “in risk” shaped his desire to write for young adults—those on the edge of choices that can determine their futures. For de Leon, language itself becomes liberation: “There are no laws in poetry, only the word.”The conversation traces his journey from the Mission District classroom to San Francisco’s electrifying 1990s spoken-word scene, where he co-founded the avant-garde ensemble Los Delicados. With Hernandez, de Leon revisits that era’s fusion of poetry, politics, punk energy, and Afro-Cuban rhythm that redefined Latinx performance art.The episode closes with de Leon’s powerful reading of a coming-of-age poem about youth, desire, and self-discovery—an echo of the book’s central themes: voice, risk, and the freedom to define one’s own story.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Will Rose speaks with award-winning author and translator Anton Hur, celebrated for bringing contemporary Korean literature to English-speaking readers through works like Bora Chung’s Cursed Bunny.What began as a practical skill evolved into a creative calling that now connects readers to voices from Korea’s vibrant literary scene. He also explains how his interest in coding and AI influenced the philosophical ideas in his novel, Toward Eternity, a story exploring consciousness and identity in a technological age.The conversation also delves into Hur’s collaboration with Bora Chung, whose Cursed Bunny became an international sensation and Booker Prize finalist. Hur reflects on their trust-based process and on the growing recognition of Korean fiction worldwide. From Han Kang’s Nobel Prize win to the work of rising authors, Hur describes this moment as both exciting and transformative for global literature.

On this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón speaks with Jessica Powers—publisher at Catalyst Press, author, and editor—about the hard truths and hopeful possibilities of a writing life. Jessica, who also writes under the name J.L. Powers, reflects on why so few books sell beyond a hundred copies, what creative writing students need to thrive, and how authors must learn to think like entrepreneurs as much as artists. She also discusses the evolution of publishing models, including hybrid approaches, and shares why she remains committed to championing human-driven stories at Catalyst Press. Together, Daniel and Jessica explore the shifting landscape of literature, creativity, and business in an era of AI, self-publishing, and new definitions of success for writers.

On this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón welcomes award-winning author Stephanie Elizondo Griest, whose adventurous spirit has carried her from the Texas/Mexico borderlands to 50 countries and 49 states. A celebrated writer of six books—including Around the Bloc, Mexican Enough, All the Agents and Saints, and her latest, Art Above Everything: One Woman’s Global Exploration of the Joys and Torments of a Creative Life—Griest brings a lifetime of stories that bridge cultures, geographies, and personal journeys.Her work, featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, VQR, The Believer, and Oxford American, explores identity, creativity, and resilience. In this conversation, she and Daniel reflect on the joys and challenges of a writer’s life, the power of storytelling across borders, and what it means to turn even life’s hardest journeys—such as her fight with cancer—into art.Tune in for an inspiring and deeply personal exchange with one of today’s most dynamic voices in creative nonfiction.

On this episode of The Storykeeper on Words on a Wire, host Tim Z. Hernandez speaks with poet and journalist Adolfo Guzman-Lopez about his collection, California Southern: Writing from the Road, 1992–2025. Together they reflect on three decades of poetry, journalism, and cultural activism—spanning the San Diego–Tijuana border, Los Angeles, and beyond. Guzmán-López shares the stories behind his work, his journey from performance-poetry with the Taco Shop Poets to award-winning reporting at NPR affiliates, and how history, migration, and community shape his art.

Antena es la primera novela de misterio extraterrestre ubicada en las entrañas de la Argentina agroexportadora de los últimos años. Francisco Marzioni retrata la interioridad y la subjetividad de los entornos rurales agropecuarios de un país que ha sabido usar la Ciencia Ficción como una poderosa metáfora de sus tensiones y contradicciones políticas ¿Quienes son los extraterrestres en un país saqueado por el oportunismo extractivista? El viaje de los visionarios cósmicos no parece haber acabado para un país que apunta al Sur como respuesta.Antena is the first extraterrestrial mystery novel set in the bowels of agro-exporting Argentina in recent years. Francisco Marzioni portrays the interiority and subjectivity of the rural agricultural environments of a country that has been able to use Science Fiction as a powerful metaphor for its political tensions and contradictions. Who are the aliens in a country plundered by extractivist opportunism? The journey of the cosmic visionaries does not seem to be over for a country that points to the South as an answer.

La Cuarta Raya Del Tigre y Casa Barullo son la manera en que la escritura se hace comunidad, juego, amistad y consigue sobrevivir al aislamiento y la desfinanciación cultural de este nuevo milenio en Colombia y el mundo. En esta charla aprendemos sobre el arte del encuentro, el contagio y la identidad en los extremos donde la literatura y la autoría devienen colectivos ¿Cómo podemos madurar y crecer en la creación literaria, y de un nuevo mundo?La Cuarta Raya Del Tigre and Casa Barullo is the way in which writing becomes community, play, friendship and manages to survive the isolation and cultural defunding of this new millennium in Colombia and the world. In this talk we learn about the art of encounter, contagion and identity in the extremes where literature and authorship become collective. How can we mature and grow in literary creation, and of a new world?

Una joven operaria de una fábrica, ¿puede aspirar a convertirse en escritora, ganar premios, publicar y ayudar a otras escritores-operarios a publicar? En el paisaje de la frontera estas historias resultan posibles invocando y subvirtiendo a personajes fantásticos como los superhéroes que ahora hacen justicia donde históricamente ha reinado el abuso y la explotación. Elpidia García Delgado nos cuenta su maravillosa historia con una alegría y un orgullo revolucionario.Can a young factory worker aspire to become a writer, win awards, publish and help other writer-workers publish? In the frontier landscape these stories are made possible by invoking and subverting fantastical characters such as superheroes who now bring justice where historically abuse and exploitation have reigned. Elpidia García Delgado tells her wonderful story with revolutionary joy and pride.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón speaks with Javier Sagarna, a Spanish writer and director of Escuela de Escritores in Madrid. Sagarna shares his journey from pharmaceuticals to fiction, reflecting on how literature and workshops can create community and foster imagination. He discusses the role of utopias in storytelling, arguing that writers should move beyond dystopian visions to imagine better futures. The conversation also touches on a major blackout in Madrid, where instead of chaos, neighbors gathered, talked, and supported one another—an experience Sagarna likens to the potential of creative writing communities. With insights on craft, teaching, and the transformative power of desire over talent, Sagarna emphasizes writing as both an art and a way of life. This episode explores imagination, resilience, and the courage to live—and write—your own story.

In this wide-ranging conversation, host Daniel Chacón speaks with poet Matt Sedillo— called “America’s greatest political poet”—about his poetic mission, international travels, and deep commitment to social justice. Sedillo reflects on the legacy of revolutionary poets like Roque Dalton and Pablo Neruda, and shares his experiences participating in international poetry festivals, including a recent trip to Cuba where he read a poem to Olympic gold medalist Mijaín López.The episode explores Sedillo’s literary and political inspirations, his role in building bridges between Chicano poetry and audiences across Latin America, and his passion for promoting working-class voices through El Martillo Press, which he co-founded. He also speaks candidly about the importance of mentorship, cultural reciprocity, and networking for emerging writers.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón speaks with UTEP math professor Lawrence Lesser and digital humanities scholar Elisabet Takehana about the surprising connections between poetry, mathematics, and data. What starts as a discussion about a poem on the number π unfolds into a wide-ranging conversation about creativity, meaning, and the human role in interpreting both language and numbers. Together, they explore how algorithms, literature, and mathematics all reflect a deeply human impulse to find patterns—and beauty—in the world around us.

In this thought-provoking episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón welcomes author and theologian Keith Giles for an engaging conversation about his book The Quantum Sayings of Jesus: Decoding the Lost Gospel of Thomas. Giles shares his spiritual journey from being a Southern Baptist pastor immersed in conservative evangelicalism to becoming what he calls “mystic-curious.”The episode dives deep into the Gospel of Thomas, a non-canonical collection of Jesus’ sayings that Giles argues holds profound spiritual insight when read through the lens of non-duality and oneness. Giles explains how his rethinking of foundational Christian doctrines led to a years-long process of spiritual deconstruction, culminating in a series of books challenging traditional views of politics, scripture, and more.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, hosts Daniel Chacón and Tim Z. Hernandez sit down with Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz—award-winning author, respected curandera, and revered herbal educator—whose healing practices are rooted in the traditions of the Sonoran Desert. Known affectionately as the “Kitchen Curandera,” Felicia shares stories from her journey into traditional healing, from her great-grandmother’s teachings in Old Town Albuquerque to her own transformative work with food, dance, and plant medicine.Felicia discusses the philosophy behind her acclaimed book Earth Medicines, her evolving role as a healer, and the importance of language, ancestry, and “indigenizing” wellness practices. She reflects on the power of naming, the wisdom of plants, and the spiritual connection between body and creativity. With warmth and insight, she explores how ancient indigenous knowledge is often validated—if not co-opted—by modern science, and emphasizes the importance of honoring traditions rather than rebranding them.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón welcomes back poet Adela Najarro to discuss her powerful new collection, Variations in Blue, published by Red Hen Press. With warmth, candor, and insight, Najarro reflects on how art, memory, and community shape her work. Najarro also pays tribute to her literary influences, including Pablo Neruda, while critically reimagining their legacies through a feminist lens. This moving dialogue is a testament to the power of poetry to confront silence, reclaim narrative, and build connection.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón sits down with veteran journalist Robert Moore, founder and CEO of El Paso Matters, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to high-impact local reporting. Together, they trace Moore’s career from writing obituaries at a small-town paper to leading one of the most respected independent news organizations on the U.S.–Mexico border.Moore shares why he walked away from his role as editor of the El Paso Times, how the 2019 Walmart mass shooting and COVID-19 pandemic shaped his newsroom’s mission, and why storytelling—especially in underserved communities—is central to democracy. The conversation touches on the challenges facing journalism today, from financial instability to political pressure, and the role of local news in countering misinformation and holding power to account.

In this special episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón sits down with four graduating creative writing students from his Senior Seminar at the University of Texas at El Paso: Diego Cerda, Cristina Flores, Sophia Ortega-Carlos, and Jesus Morales. What unfolds is a spirited, funny, and deeply personal roundtable conversation about life, art, and what comes after college.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host William Alfred Rose speaks with journalist and author Kyle Paoletta about his new book, American Oasis: Finding the Future in the Cities of the Southwest. Paoletta takes listeners on a journey through the urban heart of the American Southwest—El Paso, Albuquerque, Phoenix, Tucson, and Las Vegas—exploring how these desert cities reflect the challenges and possibilities of a rapidly changing climate and culture.Paoletta, a New Mexico native, shares his personal journey from the mountains outside Albuquerque to the editorial offices of New York, and how that distance shaped his desire to reconnect with the Southwest. The conversation touches on climate change, water scarcity, urban development, and the cultural divide between older, historically Mexican and Indigenous cities like El Paso and Tucson, and newer, booster-built cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas.

In this special episode of Words on a Wire, host Tim Z. Hernandez brings listeners into a moving panel discussion recorded live at the Tucson Festival of Books. Joined by acclaimed authors Rex Ogle (Abuela, Don’t Forget Me) and Melani “Mele” Martinez (The Molino: A Memoir), the conversation dives deep into the role of storytelling in shaping identity, healing generational trauma, and reclaiming cultural narratives.Through personal reflections and powerful anecdotes, the panelists explore how family histories, community roots, and lived experiences influence their writing. From the quiet resilience of an abuela to the complexities of growing up in multicultural neighborhoods, this episode celebrates the ways stories can preserve memory, challenge stereotypes, and offer transformation.Tune in for an inspiring conversation about memory, voice, and the many layers of what it means to be a storyteller today.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón sits down with acclaimed poet, translator, and world traveler Liliana Valenzuela for a rich and reflective conversation recorded just after her return from a silent meditation retreat. Liliana discusses her journey as a “reverse Chicana”—a Mexican-born writer shaped by both Mexican and Chicano cultural traditions—and the ancestral and creative forces that shape her work. From her fascination with Aztec codices to solo travels through West Africa, Liliana shares the stories and experiences that inform her poetry collections Codex of Love and Codex of Journeys. The conversation also explores her influential career as a translator of major Latinx authors, including Sandra Cisneros Julia Alvarez, Cristina Garcia, Denise Chavez (and more), as well as her lifelong commitment to amplifying women's voices in literature.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Daniel Chacón talks with debut author Eugenie Montague about her novel Swallow the Ghost, a genre-bending narrative that plays with the conventions of crime fiction, digital life, and storytelling itself.Montague shares how the novel began as a writing experiment that grew into something larger—originating with the character Jane and evolving into a story told in three interconnected parts. Set in New York City, Swallow the Ghost follows characters navigating identity, routine, and the search for meaning in a chaotic, media-saturated world.The conversation dives into themes of control, narrative structure, and the addictive nature of both mystery plots and social media. Montague explores the creation of a fictional Twitter character named Rita, whose digital presence begins to shape and disrupt the story in unexpected ways, blurring the line between fiction and reality.Montague also reflects on her path as a writer, her MFA experience at UC Irvine, and how living in El Paso has influenced her current work—a collection of linked stories set in the border city.Thoughtful, funny, and rich with insight, this episode offers a compelling look at one of today’s most exciting literary voices.