Tag Archives: Los Angeles

Chris Rice: Becoming the Author of My Own Life

November 15, 2017Podcastartist, belonging, Bible Belt, book, burden basket, California Institute of the Arts, Cherokee, community, epigenetic, epigenetic trauma, foster care, foster girl, librarian, Little Trespasser, Los Angeles, Missouri, mother, observer, Oklahoma, outsider, reader, renegade, research, Sixkiller, social work, Southern California, suffering, trauma, visual artist, writerDianeMcDaniel

Writer and visual artist Chris Rice talks about growing up on the road, traveling between the Bible Belt and Southern California as the oldest of nine children and caretaker of her younger siblings. Witness to the legacy of epigenetic trauma and suffering, Chris became an outsider and observer of the imagined lives she might inhabit in the future. Chris also talks about the healing power of love and the importance of community to protect and foster the vulnerable.

Find Chris’ work at chrisjrice.net.

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Cassandra Austin: Writing the Strangeness Out

October 10, 2017Podcastalienation, Australia, Australian Gothic, author, California, Catholic, Catholicism, hemisphere, Los Angeles, Melbourne, novel, novelist, outback, pantser, plotter, sacrifice, social justice, United States, writerDianeMcDaniel

Cassandra Austin is an Australian writer and author of two novels who lives in Los Angeles. Our conversation explores how the profound sense of alienation that Cassandra experienced upon moving from the land with which she closely identifies has shaped her writing and helped her to develop her craft even while she struggled personally. Cassandra also talks about why she considers herself an Australian writer and how she discovered that writing time is more important to her than writing space.

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Rhoda Makoff: It Was Fun Because I Was Fearless

October 3, 2017Podcastacademia, adjunct associate professor, biochemistry, biology, career, chemistry, children, college, Crossroads School, discrimination, ego, egoless leadership, family, Harvard, Hilary Clinton, husband, leadership, Los Angeles, medical school, men, Paul Cummins, pharmaceutical, PhD, professor, research, science, teaching, UCLA, woman, zoologyDianeMcDaniel

Rhoda Makoff received her PhD in Biochemistry in 1961 when she was 23 years old. Our conversation explores how Rhoda developed an interest in science and how she built a successful career in academic research, teaching, and business despite the continual roadblocks that she encountered as a woman who envisioned a major career. Rhoda reflects on the principles that have guided her resilience and persistence in achieving her goals, including the importance of keeping your eyes on the prize and developing an egoless style of leadership.

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Catherine Temma Davidson: Freedom to Explore the Problem

September 19, 2017Podcastautobiographical novel, Brexit, California, Catherine Temma Davidson, creative process, cross cultural, culture, England, essay, essayist, Greek, Jewish, London, Los Angeles, mixed meze, mixed mezze, multicultural, novel, novelist, poem, poet, teacher, writer, writing, writing teacherDianeMcDaniel

Catherine Temma Davidson is a novelist, essayist, poet, and teacher of writing who grew up in Los Angeles and settled in London. Our conversation delves into Catherine’s creative process as well as her exploration of how culture shapes one’s worldview and what happens when we cross cultures. Catherine talks about the multicultural environment in which she was raised, her comfort with the “mixed mezze” approach, and why it is that she feels more Californian living in London than she ever did while she was living in the United States. Catherine also gives us a glimpse into the autobiographical novel on which she is currently working and discusses why—in the aftermath of Brexit—she has come to feel more connected to a larger community in England.

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