BookSwell Intersections

Roxana Preciado is an indie author and artist recognized for her work as a poet and activist. At the age of 12, Roxana started writing poetry as a coping mechanism to deal with her life challenges. She shares her story with others in hope that she can help anyone who is facing similar hardships.

Preciado has published four volumes of autobiographical poetry, most recent being Trauma for Sale. She continues to use her poetry and ...

Reuben “Tihi” Hayslett discusses his novel Dark Corners with Running Wild Press publisher Lisa Kastner at a live recording of the BookSwell Intersections podcast. They talk about amplifying marginalized voices and centering queer people of color in fiction and publishing. Dan Lopez and Sarah LaBrie joined the discussion to recommend books they’ve enjoyed.

Note: this is a live taping of the BookSwell Intersections literary podcas...

This episode was recorded in the Rare Bird offices in DTLA in February 202 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Host Cody Sisco is joined by co-host Dan Lopez, special guests Viva Padilla from Dryland Lit, Julia Callahan from Rare Bird Lit, and interview guest Xochitl-Julisa Bermejo of Women Who Submit. We discussed #DignidadLiteraria and the fallout from American Dirt, barriers to inclusivity and equity in publishing, and how wr...

Happy New Year to all of our listeners! This week, we're here to help you get a jump start on your 2020 TBR list, with recommendations from our panel.  Managing Editor Cody Sisco, along with Co-Hosts Rachelle Yousuf and Irene Yoon recap their year in reading and discuss what they'd like to see in the literary landscape next year. Cody sits down with local LA author Carla Sameth to talk about her recent release, One Day on the Go...

The BookSwell Crew has been hard at work producing our Intentional Intersectionality reading and discussion as a part of the 2019 Lambda LitFest.

This week, we’re doing a debrief and recap on the somewhat stressful but deeply rewarding process of putting together a live literary event.

We’ve also included excerpts from the talented artists that Managing Editor Cody Sisco, Intersections Co-Host Rachelle Yousuf and BookSwell Advisor ...

As temperatures are dropping and kids are going back to school, BookSwell Intersections co-hosts Cody, Dan, and Rachelle journeyed to the Central Library to take advantage of the wonderful facilities in the Octavia Lab. They catch up on recent literary events, the books they’ve been gravitating towards lately, and the exciting event that Cody and Rachelle have been hard at work planning, alongside Sakae Manning. They also discuss t...

First BookSwell shares highlights from the inaugural Little Literary Fair, or LITLIT where Managing Editor Cody Sisco was joined by co-host Rachelle Yousuf for this "pop-up book fair" at Hauser and Wirth in DTLA to chat about what they've been reading lately. Cody also conducted a series of flash interviews with Rachel Wills, Candace Miller, and Katelyn Keating at LITLIT that are short, sweet and packed with information. After that...

We are at the height of Summer Reading Season, and this episode is jam-packed with book recommendations from our co-hosts Cody Sisco, Sarah LaBrie, Rachelle Yousuf and Dan Lopez. They chat what they love and what they hate in bookish events, how the setting of a story can be a character of its own, and revelations (or lack thereof) in celebrity memoirs. They're joined by Sanura Williams, from My Lit Box, who is dedicated to promoti...

Dan Lopez and Cody Sisco discuss Michelle Obama's runaway hit, Becoming, and Dan recommends books that fill his current obsessions--LGBTQ YA and Sci-Fi! After that, enjoy Cody's conversation with Shonda Buchanan that covers the history of World Stage Press, Leimert Park and Shonda's own imprint at Tsehai Publishers-- Harriet Tubman Press. And finally, are you looking for events that don't feature the typical glossy beach reads of t...

First up, a one-on-one chat between BookSwell Managing Editor Cody Sisco and Intersections Co-Host Rachelle Yousuf, who gives the rundown on upcoming festival YALL West and great YA recommendations. Cody then sits down with author Judith Teitelman to chat about her debut novel, Guesthouse for Ganesha. It's magical realism and spiritual transformation in one delightful novel. Finally, Contributor Shannon Eagen will tease some fantas...

For Episode 4, Cody, Sarah, Irene, and Rachelle gathered to chat about struggling to finish books, the nature of time and space, and escaping the LA bubble. Cody then sat down with local author and journalist Lynell George, author of After/Image: Los Angeles Outside the Frame to discuss the importance of place and community in the arts. And finally, Shannon is back to guide you through events coming up in the final two weeks of the...

To kick things off, Cody Sisco does a lighting round book roundup with Sarah Labrie. After that, Cody interviews rising literary star Patrick Nathan, whose debut novel, Some Hell, was a New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice, and is a 2019 Lamdba Literary Award finalist. Finally, BookSwell Contributor Shannon Eagen is here to give a roundup of some of the "can't miss" events for lit fans that are looking to support underreprese...