"'Transfigurations' is a real opportunity to stare."
—Jana Marcus
I've known Jana Marcus for some time now, as a publicist for Cabrillo College. I've spoken with her over the years about music recitals, plays, local events celebrating arts and artists — but never Jana herself. This was my first opportunity to get to know Jana as an artist.
Having immersed myself in 'Transfigurations,' it was truly a pleasure to talk with Jana about her methods and influences and the journey she took in making the book. We talked about equipment, lighting, camera and her influences, which may on the surface seem surprising but when you see the work — well, it makes perfect sense. You can hear my conversation with Jana by following this link to the MP3 audio file.
10-25-11 UPDATE:Podcast Update: Time to Read, Episode 15: Russell Banks, 'Lost Memory of Skin'
Here's the fifteenth episode of my new series of podcasts, which I'm calling Time to Read. The podcasts/radio broadcasts will be of books worth your valuable reading time. I'll try to keep the reports under four minutes, for a radio-friendly format. If you want to run them on your show or podcast, let me know.
My hope is that in under four minutes I can offer readers a concise review and an opportunity to hear the author read from or speak about the work. I'm hoping to offer a new one every week.
Michael Reynier's perplexity is authentic. He seems more than a bit shocked that he has managed to do what he accomplishes in 'Five Degrees of Latitude.' But that perplexity is tempered by the obvious drive it took to create this unique collection of stories. He's like a man who has walked a tightrope for the very first time. He's both amazed he made it across and anxious to do so again.
I spoke with Michael Reynier only due to the best of circumstances. Most of the time, he resides in England, but he had reason to be in Northern California, and on a sunny but cool summer afternoon not long ago, I had the opportunity to drive up to a gorgeous mansion that overlooked the San Francisco Bay and talk with Reynier about how he created these stories.
That story in itself is every bit as mind-boggling as the stories in this book, and indeed it goes a long way to explain just how and why he was able to create the concise, intense, concentrated-but-still luxurious style of story we find in 'Five Degrees of Latitude.' This is really quite incredible, and I want readers to hear him tell it, not have me spoil the surprise.
Given what I've read in 'Five Degrees of Latitude,' and what Michael told me about its creation, I'm honored to have what I believe to be the first audio interview with what I feel is a major literary talent. You'll hear a detailed discussion of each story and how each was created. I'd recommend buying the book first, and reading it first, but you will certainly want to do so after hearing the interview. Reynier also discusses what he is working on now, which I suspect will really break him out.
Reynier and I talked for long enough that I'm offering three different files and two different ways to hear the interview.
08-21-15: Agony Column Podcast News Report : Senator Claire McCaskill is 'Plenty Ladylike' : Internalizing Determination to Overcome Sexism [Incudes Time to Read EP 211: Claire McCaskill, Plenty Ladylike, plus A 2015 Interview with Senator Claire McCaskill]
Agony Column Podcast News Report : Emily Schultz Unleashes 'The Blondes' : A Cure by Color [Incudes Time to Read EP 210: Emily Schultz, The Blondes, plus A 2015 Interview with Emily Schultz]
07-05-15: Commentary : Dr. Michael Gazzaniga Tells Tales from Both Sides of the Brain : A Life in Neuroscience Reveals the Life of Science
Agony Column Podcast News Report : A 2015 Interview with Michael Gazzaniga : "We made the first observation and BAM there was the disconnection effect..."
04-21-15: Commentary : Kazuo Ishiguro Unearths 'The Buried Giant' : The Mist of Myth and Memory
Agony Column Podcast News Report : A 2015 Interview with Kazuo Ishiguro : ".... by the time I was writing this novel, the lines between what was fantasy and what was real had blurred for me..."
Agony Column Podcast News Report : A 2015 Interview with Marc Goodman : "...every physical object around us is being transformed, one way or another, into an information technology..."
Agony Column Podcast News Report UPDATE: Time to Read Episode 199: Marc Goodman : Future Crimes: Everything Is Connected, Everyone Is Vulnerable and What We Can Do About It
