Back in February, Mike sat down with poets Eric Morago, Nan Cohen, and Victoria Chang to discuss how becoming a publisher can affect one’s writing, the influence of history and religion, and intense poetry projects, plus a whole lot more! Writers’ Block Live! is recorded at the 1888 Center in Orange, California. 

Eric Morago is a two-time Pushcart Prize nominated poet who believes performance carries as much importance on the page, as it does off. Currently he hosts a monthly reading series, teaches writing workshops, and serves as publisher and editor-in-chief of Moontide Press. Eric is the author of What We Ache For (Moon Tide Press) and Feasting on Sky (Paper Plane Pilots). He has an MFA in Creative Writing from California State University, Long Beach and lives in Los Angeles, California.

Nan Cohen, the longtime poetry director of the Napa Valley Writers’ Conference, is the author of two poetry collections, Rope Bridge (2005) and Unfinished City (2017).  Her work has appeared in magazines and anthologies including Ploughshares, Poet Lore, Poetry International, The New Republicand Slate.  The recipient of a Wallace Stegner Fellowship, a Rona Jaffe Writer’s Award, and a Literature Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, she lives in Los Angeles and teaches at Viewpoint School and the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program.

Victoria Chang’s fourth book of poems, Barbie Chang, was published in 2017 by Copper Canyon Press.  The Boss (McSweeney’s) won the PEN Center USA Literary Award and a California Book Award.  Other books are Salvinia Molesta and Circle.  Her poems have been published in places such as Best American Poetry, American Poetry Review, New England Review, Poetry, The Nation, etc.  She was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2017.  Her picture book, Is Mommy? (Simon & Schuster), illustrated by Marla Frazee was named a New York Times Notable Book. She lives in Los Angeles with her family and her weiner dogs, Mustard and Ketchup and teaches within Antioch University’s MFA Program.  She also serves on the National Book Critics Circle Board.

Producer and Host: Mike Gravagno
Producer: Jon-Barrett Ingels
Manager: Sarah Becker
Guests: Doug Dechow and Jason Morphew
Audio: Brew Sessions Live