Vulgar Geniuses

Unable to make waves in his acting career, David Crownson took his mother's advice, boarded a plane, and headed to Ghana to press the reset button. Three months later, after binging on Crouching Tiger, Hidden, Dragon, and Buffy, HARRIET TUBMAN DEMON SLAYER was born. This series from Kingwood Comics fuses history and fantasy as Harriet Tubman frees enslaved black men and women from the clutches of demons, vampires, and slavery. David talks to us about teaming up with Insecure producer Prentice Penny to bring his story to life under Disney's Onyx Collective and the overwhelming power behind representation.

In Bethany C. Morrow's newest novel CHERISH FARRAH the calls are coming from inside the house, and so are the screams. Our fiction pick for July will keep you cool for the rest of summer as it sends chills down your spine days after you've read the last sentence. Farrah Turner is a 17-year-old Black girl who plays a game of dominance as she manipulates her way into the home of Cherrish Whitman, best friend and adopted daughter of a wealthy, white family. But soon, everything she knew begins to unravel, and motives are soon revealed.

We're channeling our inner Minnie Ripperton as we take a walk down memory lane in Alejandro Varela’s debut novel, The Town of Babylon. We talk to him about centering his story around Andrés, a Queer Latinx college professor who returns home to care for his sick father in the small suburban town of Babylon. On the heels of dealing with his husband’s infidelity, he attends his 20-year class reunion, where he reunites with his high school sweetheart Jeremy and reckons with his past.

Sex, desire, and autonomy drip from the pages of our guest author, Alyssa Songsiridej's debut novel, LITTLE RABBIT. We explore this body of work as she reveals to us how she longed to bring forth a novel where female characters allowed themselves to be pulled under by their desire without being damaged by their male love interest.  A 30 year-old queer and burgeoning writer begins to unearth the many aspects of her sexuality when she becomes involved in a sexual relationship with a choreographer in his 50s. This awakening collides with resistance from her roommate's expectations and questions of loyalty and friendship with Rabbit's newly drawn boundaries. 

Candice Iloh’s sophomore novel BREAK THIS HOUSE gifts, readers, with Yaminah, a teenager attempting to balance the life she has been rebuilding since she and her father moved from their hometown of Obsidian, MI., to Brooklyn, NY. In an attempt to maintain her close relationships, Yaminah is suddenly struck with news that leaves her blindsided and reeling from grief. Join us on this next episode as we talk with Candice about their craft of writing young adult fiction to embody the true essence and voice of teenagers, their desire to write characters that are imperfect, and approaches the issues of grief and addiction that gives space for readers to gain perspective about life's lessons. 

In 2020, The Vulgar Geniuses raised money to give Eccleston Elementary’s 5th-grade students a personal copy of Jason Reynolds’ Ghost, this was made possible by Orlando’s only Black-owned online bookstore, Kizzy’s Books & More. Trenessa Williams talks with us about how her parents pushed her to follow her dreams and fill a 20-year-old void by bringing Black books to the literary scene. She also shares with us the pushback she received when a local indie book store owner told her that there was not a market for a Black literature in Orlando. 

From West Virginia University Press comes middle school teacher turned debut author Neema Avashia to talk about her memoir Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer & Indian in a Mountain Place. Neema takes readers on a journey to discover the family and community that raised her, as she discovered who she was as a Queer girl in the south. Join us for this laugh-out-loud conversation where we learn what actually goes inside of a pickle sandwich, the spice she cannot go without, and how Country Road is most likely the state anthem of West Virginia. 

WHEN WE FALL APART is the debut novel from author Soon Wiley. At first appearance, this story begins as a mystery when ex-pat Korean American Min-jin Ford launches an investigation to seek out the truth behind the death of his girlfriend. Was it a suicide, or was she murdered? This novel unfolds to be more as it brings its readers to the intersection of race, nationality, and duality of identity. Soon speaks with us about how his novel came to be and how his time spent teaching in Korea found its way into the book. 

The culinary scene is thriving in the City Beautiful, with Orlando destined to be the next stop on your foodie adventures. Co-owners Chef Lordfer Lalicon and Jamilyn Bailey chat about their restaurant KAYA. This new fine dining experience will bring Filipino cuisine to the center stage and will surely leave you wanting for more! Our conversation with Lordfer and Jamilyn focuses on the importance of bringing Filipino food within the epicurean landscape; and how their family was instrumental in helping to create a menu that will be electric to everyone's taste buds. Stay tuned as we continue with our celebration of all things Asian for AAPI Heritage month on this episode of The Vulgar Geniuses Podcast. 

We’re pulling out the heavy hitters for this exclusive episode of The Vulgar Geniuses Podcast. Co-authored by Jeff Yang, Philip Wang, & Phill Yu comes the New York Times best-selling book RISE: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now. Jeff & Phil join us in conversation to talk about their groundbreaking book that covers significant moments in Asian American History that are the cornerstone of the foundation of America and announces to the world that Asia is Rising! Let's get this month-long celebration started as we celebrate AAPI Heritage Month on this episode of The Vulgar Geniuses Podcast!  

Live from Orlando, Florida, it is the 2nd Annual Vulgar Geniuses Awards! Join us as we honor this past year’s spectacular literary masters, emerging filmmakers, groundbreaking artists and musicians for their extraordinary works.

We're joined by writer Minda Honey, founder, and creator of the digital alt-indie magazine TAUNT. We talk with her about her forthcoming memoir, AN ANTHOLOGY OF ASSHOLES, from Little A. Minda talks to us about what life was like navigating through her twenties, exploring the wonderfully messy world of dating and heartbreak, and how coming back to Kentucky allowed her to reconcile the restlessness of wanting to return home. Grab your charcuterie board and your favorite cocktail, and get ready to laugh away the next hour on this episode of the Vulgar Geniuses Podcast. 

In the New York Times bestselling novel Olga Dies Dreaming, we are brought into the world of champagne wishes and caviar dreams. Olga Acevedo is a wedding planner whose keen eye for detail and savviness fuels her superpower to curate the most beautiful weddings for New York's elite. While she spends her time helping others take a new step into love, Olga struggles to find footing.  On this episode of The Vulgar Geniuses Podcast, we talk to the hilarious debut author Xochitl Gonzalez about her the creation of her novel and her undying love for Brooklyn. 

The PBS animated short, Jelly, Ben & Pogo, premiered in Oct. 2021. It made waves in television as the first cartoon to feature Filipinos as lead characters on a major children's network. The show centers around a sister and brother, who embark on spectacular adventures with their sea monster friend, Pogo. Creator & writer Jalysa Leva sits down with us to talk about answering the call to be daring and creative in her work, the inspiration behind her vibrant and hilarious characters, and what this series means to Filipinos in America. 

It's the most wonderful time of the year! April is right around the corner, and we're are gearing up to celebrate a major milestone. That's right! The Vulgar Geniuses will be crossing the threshold of a new year, as we are turning two years old!  On today's special episode of the Vulgar Geniuses Podcast, we fill you in on our plans for a month-long celebration. We're having a party, and you are all invited! There will be giveaways, special podcast episodes, and more! 

After captivating readers with her debut memoir Reading Lolita in Tehran, Azar Nafisi returns with her fifth book, Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times. Nafisi implores the reader to look to the power of literature as America wrestles with censorship in the aftermath of the Trump presidency. In our conversation with Azar Nafisi, she makes her case for us to be diligent in our pursuit of defending our freedom to read books that challenge us, encourage our growth, and call us to play in the limitless waters of imagination.  

Jason Mott's award-winning novel HELL OF A BOOK is a bold and imaginative story that takes readers through a multidimensional universe where magical realism, humor, and breaking of the fourth wall, examine love and grief. Mott's protagonist embarks upon a book tour, but soon the unnamed author finds himself followed by a young Black boy who may or may not be imaginary.  On this episode of The Vulgar Geniuses Podcast, we talk with National Book Award winner Jason Mott about writing without constraints, his love of Streetfighter, and how an inside joke among friends about Nicolas Cage made its way into his novel.

Set in a fictional suburb of New Orleans, THE LAST SUSPICIOUS HOLDOUT dissects the lives of African Americans during the 15 years between the Reagan era to the night before Obama is elected president. Each story finds itself connected by threads of recurring characters exploring the effects of the emergence of crack cocaine in the early 90s to neighborhoods ravaged by gentrification. In this episode, we speak with Ladee Hubbard about the creativity behind this gripping book, her relationship with examining the lives of those in the South, and what it was like to be guided by the hands of the magnificent Toni Morrison. 

LEONOR WILL NEVER DIE took audiences by surprise this year at the Sundance Film Festival. This debut film came from the creative mind of Director and Screenwriter Martika Ramirez Escobar. Combining magical realism and action reminiscent of the 80s, we meet Leonor, a once-prominent name in the film industry, who now finds herself struggling to make ends meet. When attempting to work her way back into the film world, a tv falls on her head putting her in a coma, where she has a dream in which she is the star of her own movie.

IMAKEMADBEATS is standing on the precipice of the dawning of a new day in Memphis, Tennessee. In one hand, he holds a beat machine, and in the other, he has the deed to the most sought-after property known as the Orange Mound Tower, worth $50 million.  Music producer, film screenwriter, and community leader, James Dukes, joins us to talk about his award-winning short film THE DEVIL WILL RUN. He also talks about teaming up with fellow Memphian Victoria Jones to bring generational wealth back to Black communities in their city. 

In this episode, we speak to New York Times bestselling author and National Book award finalist Ibi Zoboi about her recently released biography 𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹 𝑪𝑯𝑰𝑳𝑫: 𝑨 𝑩𝑰𝑶𝑳𝑶𝑮𝑰𝑪𝑨𝑳 𝑪𝑶𝑵𝑺𝑻𝑬𝑳𝑳𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵 𝑶𝑭 𝑶𝑪𝑻𝑨𝑽𝑰𝑨 𝑩𝑼𝑻𝑳𝑬𝑹. This stunning and imaginative story tells the life of a young Octavia learning to dream beyond the stars to create stories where Black people live in futuristic worlds. Ibi Zoboi's book marries prose and poetry to tell of the extraordinary life of a writer whose gift for the written word was present at the young age of 10. 

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅 is the newest poetry chapbook from writer Mant¿s (Tyra Jamison). This multifaceted work expands over themes of transformation and liberation, with the Black Femme at the center of each piece. This book comes from the publishing hands of author Deesha Philyaw and artist Vanessa German. In our interview with Mant¿s, we talk about the writers who have influenced their work, the mentors that guided them in helping to begin to define the craft of writing, and the power that they possess in this form of language that they call poetry. 

Writer/Director Adamma Ebo & Producer Adanne Ebo debuted their film, Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul. this year at the Sundance Film Festival. After a major scandal rocks the congregation at the Wander to Greater Paths Church, Pastor Lee-Curtis Childs (Sterling K. Brown) and his wife Trinitie (Regina Hall) attempt to bring his flock back home. The Ebo Sisters sit down with us talk about their journey to finding their way behind the camera lens, love for all things anime, and how pivotal growing up in Atlanta was to their storytelling and showing the vastness that is Blackness.

In 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑴𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔 Frida Liu had a very bad day. After receiving a phone call from the police that her child was in their custody, Frida must explain why she left her 18-month-old baby home alone for two hours. Finding herself in a fight for her child's life, Frida is court-ordered to spend one year in a highly guarded rehab facility to learn how to become a good mother.  We speak to New York Times Bestselling author Jessamine Chan about the inspiration behind this heart-wrenching novel as we explore the ethics and morality of motherhood in the next episode of The Vulgar Geniuses Podcast.

Malinda Lo, author of Last Night At The Telegraph Club and newly-minted recipient of the 2021 National Book Award, joins us on today's episode. We talk about her highly celebrated novel and the necessity of seeing herself reflected in the books that she writes. Last Night at the Telegraph Club is a story of a Queer teenage Chinese American girl in the mid-1950s who falls in love and must now come to terms with the truth about her sexuality, and what this revelation could mean for her relationships with family and friends.

On our season 3 premiere, we talk to visual artist and Kentucky Native Noel W. Anderson about his solo exhibit HEAVY IS THE CROWN, now showing at the Telfair Museum in Savannah, Georgia. Anderson’s manipulated images printed on large distressed tapestries, photos, and vintage Ebony magazines advertisements ask us to wrestle with where we stand at the intersection of race and access. This exhibit is part of Telfair Museums’ Legacy of Slavery in Savannah Initiative, a multi-year project to consider how the legacies of slavery still manifest in the city of Savannah. 

As we close another year in this ponderosa dodging Omarion, we bid farewell to 2021. This year taught us to pivot when needed, change what didn't work, and expect the unexpected. We take one final look to see how we did with our 2021 resolutions, talk about our favorite books and interviews, and our hopes for the future. Join us on the Vulgar Geniuses Podcast as we recap the best of 2021!

It's the last episode of Season 2 of The Vulgar Geniuses Podcast, so we bring you the gifts of all gifts! For our finale, we talked to National Book Award Finalist Robert Jones, Jr., author of the New York Times Bestseller 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒔. This week's interview was recorded live by the Orange County Library System in Orlando, Florida.  We sit down with Robert to discuss how after 14 years, he completed one of the most beautiful love stories and necessary novels of our generation. As Marlon James said,  𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒕𝒔 is "...What the American novel is, should do, and can be." 

In this episode of The Vulgar Geniuses Podcast, we talk to young adult author Cristin Bishara about her sophomore novel VIAL OF TEARS. Cristin shares with us the familial connection, and inspiration, behind this novel that begins with her great-grandfather in Lebanon in 1954.   Sisters Sam and Rima are transported to the underworld after receiving a magical family heirloom from Lebanon containing a magical burial coin belonging to the immortal god Eshmun. They must battle demons and gods to do all they can to make it back home to their mother or face death. 

Kiese Laymon is one of our generation’s most prolific writers. His profound voice in American literature beckons us to take account of the areas in our lives that thirst for revision. In our interview with Kiese, we talk about his beautiful work 𝑳𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝑫𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 that invites readers to bear witness to Black children learning to love in the deep south where time has no bounds.  Kiese also shares with us his most recent encounter with Black Abundance, growing up and going to school in Mississippi, and the beauty of the friendships he has created with writers. 

Today we launch our biggest fundraiser to bring Orlando the first Vulgar Geniuses Lit & Art Film Festival. For more info on how you can help, go to www.vulgargeniuses.com and click the "DONATE" button! 

Some of you may find yourself dealing with turkey-induced hangovers or fighting back road rage in black Friday holiday traffic today. But before you crank up Mariah's All I Want For Christmas, spend some time with us as we talk about Netflix's series THE CHAIR. We're joined by our resident academic, Dr. Ginger, to discuss this binge-worthy show. THE CHAIR stars Sandra Oh as Dr. Ji-Yoon Kim, who must navigate her new role as the first woman to be the academic chair of the English Department at Pembroke University. 

Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi’s newest novel, 𝑺𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝑻𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒔, brings us into the mind of Arezu, a young Iranian-American woman who has returned to Spain to confront the ghost of her traumatic past. Manipulated into having an affair at 18 years old with her father’s 40-year-old step-nephew, Omar, Arezu must now contend with the fallout of that crippling summer We speak with Azareen about this soul-stirring, complex novel that watches one’s inner struggle to find peace and healing while dealing with the intersectionality of race, identity, politics, and the power of patriarchy and privilege. 

Ayana Gray’s debut novel 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒚 is a splendid and masterfully written story that has sealed its place in our fantasy canon. This pan-African tale takes us to the mythical city of Lkossa, where we meet Koffi, a young indentured woman who is on the brink of learning of the magical gift she possesses. We talk with Ayana about the birth of an idea that became a New York Times best-selling novel. And we speak about the search for identity in fiction as African Americans must reckon with the erasure of history and mythology due to slavery.

Dante Stewart's debut memoir 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒏' 𝑰𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒊𝒓𝒆: 𝑨𝒏 𝑨𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝑬𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒆 is a story of a young man's transformation as he grapples with the intersectionality of race, the sins of America, and the possibility of radical and necessary change within the Christian church.  Stewart's willingness to expose his inner conflict with anti-blackness from his past set him on a metamorphic pilgrimage. Diving into works from James Baldwin, bell hooks, and June Jordan gave him the clarity and language to write this timely and poignant piece. 

Tis’ the season for things to go bump in the night, and during this witching hour of the Vulgar Geniuses Podcast, we talk to author Isabel Yap about her debut short story collection 𝑵𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑯𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝑰 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓. These scary stories intertwine Filipino mythology with the present-day, sure to make readers ask themselves if everything is what it seems. Isabel shares her publishing story, how she chose to integrate topics such as queerness, immigration, and trauma, and how the stories she heard growing up in Manila served as the backdrop for her anthology.

We head back down south to Bogalusa, Louisiana, in our interview with middle grade author Leslie C. Youngblood to talk about her sophomore novel 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓. This story is a follow-up to her critically acclaimed 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑳𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑺𝒌𝒚, which tells of two young girls wrestling with a loved one's illness and uncovering secrets that will rock both of their worlds.  Leslie C. Youngblood reveals how an encounter with James Baldwin changed her life forever, why she chose to write novels for young children, and how she pulled memories from her childhood to help build this compelling and remarkable story.

It's National Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month, and we jump off this year's celebration with a special interview with YA author Daniel Aleman. His debut novel 𝑰𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 follows Mateo, a gay teenager in New York City who must keep his sister safe after his parents, undocumented Mexican immigrants, are detained by ICE. We talked to Daniel about how he drew upon the stories from his community to help build the moments he created in his novel,  the necessity for more narratives to have LGBTQ+ as lead characters in fiction, and his love for the musical Wicked. 

Threaded between the Spanish moss trees and buried on the shores of beaches, Dantiel W. Moniz wants the world to know that there are stories in the South. In her debut short story collection 𝑴𝒊𝒍𝒌 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒕, Moniz injects a new way of storytelling by rearranging the preconceived points of view of the human condition. Dantiel joins us on the Vulgar Geniuses Podcast to talk about growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, and how it shaped the stories she wanted to tell. We also delve into her calling as an author and a unique sisterhood with fellow Floridian writers Deesha Philyaw and Dawnie Walton. 

Khalisa Rae brings us to the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality in her poetry collection 𝑮𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝑨 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍’𝒔 𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒕.  Rae’s work dissects her journey from the Midwest to the south as she is confronted with the collective pain inflicted upon those who preyed upon Black bodies.  We talk with Rae about the power of language within poetry, her criticism of black girl magic and its ties to the strong black woman archetype, how she came to accept her queerness, and the lessons she learned from the women in her family and connections to the south. 

For the Vulgar Geniuses Podcast, you should know that we will always choose the blackest option, and in this episode, we're joined by the authority of Black culture and Queerness. Storyteller and filmmaker Amber J. Phillips sits down with us to talk about her debut short film 𝑨𝒃𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆. 𝑨𝒃𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 is a three-part short film exploring the limitations and radical possibilities of identity from the perspective of a jaded politico, Black storyteller, and pop culture enthusiast with Black, queer, feminist intentions. 𝑨𝒃𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 is a love letter to dark-skinned Black, fat, and Queer women all over the world. Stay with us as we explore this space with Amber J. Phillips. 

Gabriela Garcia’s debut novel 𝑶𝒇 𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒂𝒍𝒕 chronicles the lives of a Cuban matriarchal family line that spans over five generations bringing their story to present-day Miami, Florida. Garcia masterfully examines the mother/daughter relationship through Carmen and her daughter Jeanette, a recovering drug addict. Jeanette takes in a neighbor’s child after witnessing the child’s mother being taken away by ICE. Gabriela Garcia joins us on the Vulgar Geniuses Podcast to talk about how this novel’s origin story found its way through a series of short stories to become one of 2021’s most celebrated works.

Months before its release, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑶𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍 was on the tips of everyone's tongues. The thriller debut novel from Zakiya Dalila Harris gripped readers this year and snatched all of our edges. Set in the white-dominated world of publishing, we are introduced to editorial assistant Nella Rogers. Everything changes when Nella meets Hazel-May McCall, the newest employee at Wagner Books. What appears to be a great addition to the workspace becomes a suspenseful trek in microaggressions and gaslighting. Zakiya Dalila Harris talks to us about her book, her hair journey, and how her time in publishing served as the inspiration for this year's most talked-about book.

Gina Yashare is the reincarnation of her grandmother Patience, sent to fulfill all of her dreams to live an authentically free life unfettered by men or children. She dreams of making a name for herself in America as a comic, but it will take having to endure the insidious racism of the UK and her loving but strict Nigerian mother to make it all happen. In this episode, Yashere joins us on the show to talk about her debut memoir 𝑪𝒂𝒄𝒌-𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅.

This week we trade our comfy clothes for trench coats and magnifying glasses as we get lost in the debut mystery novel 𝑨𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒄 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑨𝒅𝒐𝒃𝒐 by Mia P. Manansala. This delicious deathly novel is the first in the culinary 𝑻𝒊𝒕𝒂 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒆'𝒔 𝑲𝒊𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑴𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚 series.  Mia speaks to us about how she decided to place food and murder as the major plot points of her novel. She also discusses writing mysteries to give her mom something she would love to read, reflecting on her Filipino culture and heritage, and how this novel serves as a love letter to her late father.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 is a multilayered novel that explores the impact of racism and gentrification within the lives of two families in North Carolina. Tensions rise when a new integration program brings more Black students into a predominantly white high school. On this episode of the Vulgar Geniuses Podcast, we interview New York Times Bestselling author Naima Coster about how difficult childhoods form us and her time spent living in North Carolina, which served as part of the inspiration behind the novel.

𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒐𝒓 𝑭𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔: 𝑨𝒏 𝑨𝒔𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒌𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 by Cathy Park Hong walks us through her experiences of racial discrimination throughout her life. Hong explores identity, race, and how the United States continues to disregard its role in the erasure and discrimination of Asian Americans.   As we conclude our series in honor of AAPI Heritage Month, we welcome back sociologist Dr. Ginger to discuss all of our feelings on Minor Feelings. Dr. Ginger can be heard here on her podcast 'Sippin' Tea with Dr. G' on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Dust off your passports everybody because on this episode of the Vulgar Geniuses podcast, we board a flight to India in the YA novel 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑴𝒊𝒓𝒛𝒂 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒔 from author Sheba Karim. Karim’s book dives into the heavy topics of grieving for a loved one and the fear of moving on. Readers will get locked in watching the romance blossom between the protagonist Noreen and her very handsome tour guide Kabir.  We’re joined by the talented, Sheba Karim. She discusses her new release, how the Gilmore Girls help to inspire the mother/daughter dynamic, and her must-go-to places when she visits India. To donate and help with the Covid crisis in India, please donate to the UNICEF US INDIA COVID RELIEF FUND by clicking here.

In the debut memoir, 𝑷𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒉 𝑴𝒆 𝑼𝒑 𝑻𝒐 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒐𝒅𝒔, by author Brian Broome, comes a series of stories in which he shares his experiences of growing up gay and black in Ohio. In this novel, Brian allows the reader to sit with him as he sorts through and wrestles with the memories from his childhood of racism and toxic masculinity. In this episode, we sit down with Brian to dig deeper into these raw, vulnerable, and beautifully written narratives. 

Mahogany L. Browne's novel 𝑪𝒉𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝑺𝒌𝒚 is grounded in the truth that Black girls are worthy of love and protection in a world that works hard to destroy them. She talks to us about the importance of being honest with young people and teaching them how to take up space in the world.  Mahogany shares with us what lessons she has learned in her youth, her time as a journalist and slam poet, and why we think she could easily replace Kevin Bacon in a game of 6 degrees of separation. 

𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝑫𝒊𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔, the debut novel from Sanjena Sathian, is where ambition meets alchemy. Neil Narayan, a teenager of Indian immigrants living in Atlanta, finds himself struggling to find his place in the world.   Neil discovers that Anita and her mother have been making a potion to achieve success by infusing lemonade with gold stolen from their Indian neighbors. In this episode, we talk to journalist Sanjena Sathian about her debut work, how she came about writing her novel, and her teenage experiences as an Indian American in suburban Atlanta. 

On this special episode we talk about all of the celebrations that will cap off our month long birthday anniversary! So dust off your tuxes and gowns, pull out your box wine and glasses, 'cause we're having a party!!! Go to www.vulgargeniuses.com for more information on all of the events we have planned! 

Hala Alyan will make you take inventory of the secrets you may be holding. In 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒔' 𝑪𝒊𝒕𝒚, we are given a window into the lives of the Nasr family. The secrets that each person clutches weigh heavy on their heads, but it is up to them to either carry it or suffer the repercussions of their confession.  We continue our anniversary celebration in conversation with the brilliant poet and author, Hala Alyan. She speaks to us about how this beautiful family story was birth from a dream and how important it is to practice your craft.  

𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂, 𝑴𝑰𝑵𝑬 is a thought-provoking introspective of what the future would look like in a post-white supremacist society. Sasha Banks’s poetry captivates while it initiates the decolonization of the readers’ minds to consider a life where Black lives thrive. On this episode of the Vulgar Geniuses Podcast, we talk to Banks about her collections of poems, how she did a deep dive into the world of slam poetry, and which famous young adult author is the only one who knows the ingredients to her coveted peach cobbler.

Take two parts Betty Davis, one part Grace Jones, and a pinch of Eartha Kitt, and you have one of the best rock & roll heroines to grace the fictional stage. On this special episode of The Vulgar Geniuses Podcast, we sit down with journalist & author Dawnie Walton to talk about her much-anticipated debut novel, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝑶𝒑𝒂𝒍 & 𝑵𝒆𝒗.  We place Walton center stage as she speaks about her love of rock & roll, the moment when she began to step into her authentic self at the start of her college years, and how those and many other experiences as a journalist helped formed this beautiful story. 

Elizabeth Acevedo has nothing to prove when it comes to her writing, she is a master of the pen. Her third novel, 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒑 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒅, will leave you wanting for more in every line. In this beautiful story written in verse, we meet Camino and Yahaira. Two young women bound together by a man who straddles two worlds, the United States and Dominican Republic. After the father dies tragically in a flight back to the Dominican Republic, the two young girls soon learn that through their loss they have found each other. We are joined by our YA correspondent, Rachel and special returning guest author and poet, Michelle Lizet Flores.

What began has siniphobic remarks to scapegoat the source of the covid-19 virus from the former President of the United States of America; soon turned into a call for open season on America's Asian citizens. On today's episode we question if America can finally reckon with the sins of its forefathers. We talk to Dr. Ginger Jacobson, host of the Squeezin' Lemons Podcast, to discuss the rise in hate crimes against the Asian community; and the intersectionality of race and gender. Today's episode is dedicated to those who lost their lives in the horrendous terrorist attack Tuesday, March 16, in Atlanta, Georgia. We at Vulgar Geniuses condemn this hate crime. We stand alongside our brothers and sisters in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in this never-ending battle. 

Today’s show is hands down one of the most fun interviews of the season. We talked to Nicole Glover about her debut fantasy novel, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔. Set in the Reconstruction Era in Philadelphia, we meet Hetty and Benjy Rhodes, a former enslaved couple who were conductors for the Underground Railroad. The couple soon finds themselves forced to enter the world of solving murder cases when one of their closest friends winds up murdered. Nicole spoke about why she wanted to write a novel that gave Black people the ability to perform magic, her love of Sailor Moon, and the importance of looking towards the future when writing stories intertwined in the past.

𝑰𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚 is the fourth novel by the brilliant New York Times bestselling author Patricia Engel. Holding us captive from the first sentence, Engel proves her commitment to leading each reader into a masterclass of how a finely crafted story can leave us all wanting to follow each character well beyond the last pages. In this episode of the Vulgar Geniuses Podcast, we sit down with Patricia Engel to discuss her novel and what time and borders do to those we call family.

Every day is deals day, and today we struck gold with the biggest deal of all. This week, we welcome New York Times bestselling author Mateo Askaripour to talk about his debut novel 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑩𝒖𝒄𝒌. After two prior attempts to sell manuscripts, Askaripour found that his passion for storytelling would eventually mesh his imagination and real-life experience in the tech startup world.  𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑩𝒖𝒄𝒌 introduces us to a young man named Darren, who finds himself in the seat of opportunity. But this seat disguised as success soon becomes quicksand filled with microaggressions, racism, and soon regret.

If you want something done right, you better have Regina King do it for you. In her feature film directorial debut of the Golden Globe-nominated movie 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑰𝒏 𝑴𝒊𝒂𝒎𝒊, King masterfully wields her camera like that of Thor’s hammer, giving audiences a chance to witness a legend coming into her own behind the silver screen.   Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown celebrate Muhammed Ali becoming the Heavyweight Champion of the World in 1964. Screenwriter Kemp Powers reimagines the conversations and the world-changing decisions that soon followed. 

Director Shaka King reunites Get Out stars Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield as they deliver Oscar worthy performances in the biopic 𝑱𝒖𝒅𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑴𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒂𝒉. Stanfield plays William O’Neil, a car thief turned informant for the FBI sent in to infiltrate the Chicago Chapter of the Black Panther Party. Kaluuya plays 21 year old activist Fred Hampton serving as Chairman of the political movement. This dramatic story retells the moments leading up to the assassination of Fred Hampton, and how the FBI used informants to tear down one of the most powerful movements in America’s History.

When Artist Alisha Wormsley coined the phrase, “There are black people in the future,” she must have seen who was coming our way. On today’s show, we sit down with new author, Kosoko Jackson, to speak about his debut novel 𝒀𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝑰𝒔 𝑯𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚, a story about being young, black, and queer based in the world of sci-fi. Jackson speaks with us about how he came to write this book, the screen time this novel rightly deserves, and the importance of representation of racial minorities in sci-fi. I’m Dennie, and I’m Veronica, and this is another episode of the Vulgar Geniuses Podcast. 

It seems that everything Kacen Callender touches turns to pure gold, and in this episode we discuss their most recent award winning crown jewel, 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔. King is a 12 year old boy who believes that his brother Khalid has turned into a dragonfly after he unexpectedly passes away. This young adult novel tackles subject matters of grief, homophobia, and racism. On today’s episode we are joined by our newest edition to our show, YA book reviewers Briana and Rachel.

Set in intersecting realities of truth and television, 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒏 by Charles Yu is a scathing and hilarious commentary on the racism, invisibility, and erasure of Asians in American History and Hollywood. The story takes place in the Golden Palace Restaurant featured in the procedural cop show “Black & White”. Willis Wu plays “Generic Asian Man” but is gunning for the coveted “Kung Fu Guy” role. He wrestles with making an attempt to sacrifice his dignity to be seen by White America or be seen by his family.

𝑩𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑴𝒆 was a letter written by author Ta-Nehisi Coates to his then 15 year old son. This epistle was Coates' account of what autonomy means in the body of a Black man navigating the streets of West Baltimore as a young boy, Howard University as a blossoming young man, well into fatherhood.  In this episode of Vulgar Geniuses, we review the star studded HBO adaptation, based on the 2018 staging of the book at Apollo Theater directed by award winning director and Apollo Theater Executive Producer Kamilah Forbes.

Deesha Philyaw set the literary world on fire in 2020 with her sexy, powerful, and thought provoking short stories in her book 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕 𝑳𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝑳𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒔  Her work explores intertwining themes of sex, religion, family, and how the lines of morality are never black and white. On this Season 2 premiere of Vulgar Geniuses, we sit down with the incomparable National Book Award Finalist Deesha Philyaw. She talks to us about her writing journey that has launched her on a path to surely becoming a household name.

2020 wasted no time in setting a match to all of our plans this year, but like a phoenix we rose from the ashes and created a place where we could invite you all to come along and escape from the worries of the day. On this season finale of Forks & Fangs we present our year in review. We say goodbye to the wannabe dictator in office, hello to the age of revolution and vaccines, and remember those who we have lost this year. Happy New Year to all of you, and stay tuned to as we say farewell to 2020!

When Matt Ruff gave his blessing to Producer/Screenwriter Misha Green, he told her, "It's yours now. Go for it.". Not only did she go for it, she hit a home run!  On today's episode of FORKS X FANGS we bring in special returning guest, Jonathan "Fro" Perry, as we wrap up our series finale of Tiny Bites discussing episode 9 & 10 of HBO's Lovecraft Country. 

Kali Fajardo-Anstine's carefully and wonderfully crafted work is one of our generations most important works to read.  Her novel 𝑺𝒂𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒂 & 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒂 deals with the struggles of love and death, and how both of those factors forever shaped the lives of the characters in her stories. Based in Denver, Colorado we follow the people in 11 linked short stories that focus on the lives of Indigenous and Latinx women. On this episode of FORKS X FANGS we discuss our favorite works and the importance of reading about the lives of the forgotten ones. 

We're back with another installment of Tiny Bites featuring HBO's 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒕 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚! Hippolyta gets sucked into a portal triggered by a time machine, and Dee is chased down by demon twins after being cursed by two white police officers.

First thing first! Black women y'all did that! Congratulations to Kamala Harris, the 46th Vice President of the United States of America!!! On this episode of FORKS X FANGS we discuss Veronica's birthday pick, 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝑬𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝑾𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑮𝒐𝒅 by Zora Neale Hurston. We dive deep into the life of Zora and Janie, as well as Veronica's obsession with both of those women, tattoos, and Florida History. 

More answers are met with more questions for HBO's 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒕 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚. This week on this special edition of Tiny Bites, it seems as Franz Kafka himself must have really like this show and wanted to pay tribute to Misha Green. We discover that Ruby wakes up in the body of a white woman,  Montrose seeks solace in the arms of an secret lover, and Atticus falls in love with a nine-tailed magical creature who may or may not be trying to kill him. 

The debut novel from writer Kiley Reid has proven to find a special place among the newest contemporaries. 𝑺𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝑨 𝑭𝒖𝒏 𝑨𝒈𝒆 drops us dead center into an explosion of drama. Despite being the babysitter, 26 year-old Emira, a Black woman, is wrongly accused of kidnapping a 3 year-old white child in a grocery store. Emira is thrown into a whirlwind of lies, white privilege, and videotape. Reid's attention to laying each character's secrets in plain sight is truly magical. This satirical novel presents us with a timely tale of a racism and a life lesson on how to stay out grown folks business. 

The Vulgar Geniuses duo take a backseat during this episode of FORKS X FANGS. We are joined by resident kid correspondent, Olivia Wang, as she reviews the novel 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒕 𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒌 by Kelly Yang. Semi-based on the life of the author, readers learn about Mia Tang who has moved from China with her parents to make a new life in America.  To make ends meet, her parents take a job at the Calivista Motel. Unable to clean the rooms and run the front desk, Mia decides to help out her parents by running the front desk for them.  Did we mention that Mia is only 10 years old?! This novel grapples with  themes such as racism and immigration, making this story a teaching lesson for adults as well.  

In her chapbook 𝑪𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒔 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒘𝒂𝒎𝒑,  Michelle Flores gives us glimpses into her life as a granddaughter, being a caregiver to a dying parent, and the Cuban lineage that runs deep in her veins. We also learn of a hilarious family secret and the family ties to her children's book 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒕.  

Filipina author, Cinelle Barnes, sits down with us to talk about her memoir 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏. Cinelle's book documents her childhood in the Philippines as she was thrust from a life of luxury into that of extreme poverty due to the Gulf War. We also discuss the new book that features her as the editor, 𝑨 𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑩𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈: 𝑾𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝑨𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒉, that chronicles Southern life through the scope of race, gender, sexuality, and more. 

We are back with another special edition of Tiny Bites as we recap episodes 3 & 4 of HBO's 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒕 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚. Leti buys a house haunted by a racist evil mad scientist. Atticus then teams up with his father to search for the missing pages of Titus Braithwaite which could unlock the greatest magic ever seen.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒆 by Hye-Young Pyun gives us Misery mixed with Diary of a Mad Black Woman realness. Oghi wakes up from a coma to find that his wife has died and his entire body is paralyzed after a horrible car accident. Only able to communicate through "yes" or "no" blinks, Oghi is now under the care of his grieving mother-in-law. All hell soon breaks loose once Oghi makes it home from the hospital as his mother-in-law decides to upend the backyard garden and his life.

Sundown towns and magical racists wizards are just a touch of what you will see in Misha Green's television rendition of Matt Ruff's novel 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒕 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚. Set in the 1950's, we meet Atticus (Jonathan Majors) a veteran solider on his way to Chicago to find his father who has gone missing while on a hunt to find out his dead wife's family legacy. He goes on a road trip with his uncle George (Courtney B. Vance) and friend Letitia (Jurnee Smollett) only to find themselves battling huge naked mole multi-eyed vampiric monsters and well...Jim Crow level racism. 

AH Kim's novel 𝑨 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑭𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 speaks to the old age adage that "blood is thicker than water" no matter how many times siblings will stab each other in the back to prove it. This novel was full of sex, drugs and lies but missed the most important thing, a plot!

We bring back one of our favorite segments called Tiny Bites where we talk about literature found in television and film. This week we review Netflix's newest addition, 🅃🄷🄴 🄲🄻🄰🅄🄳🄸🄰 🄺🄸🅂🄷🄸 🄲🄻🅄🄱. This documentary, directed by Sue Ding, explores the most popular character in The Babysitter's Club series, Claudia Kishi. Ding sits down with some of the country's most influential Asian writers, artists and media executives to discuss the impact the fictional 13 year-old Japanese-American girl had in their lives.

Colson Whitehead forces us to look through his magnifying glass disguised as his Pulitzer Prize winning novel 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒍 𝑩𝒐𝒚𝒔. His book demands us to wrestle with America's past, present, and our place in the future. Set in the 1960s, Jim Crow serves as the backdrop to trauma, police brutality, and an unjust system through the eyes of eighteen-year-old Elwood Curtis. Ripped-from-the-headlines, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒍 𝑩𝒐𝒚𝒔 serves as a memorial to the children who endured barbaric treatment at the Dozier School for Boys for 111 years. 

On this very special episode of FORKS X FANGS we interview SJ Sindu, author of the novel 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑳𝒊𝒆𝒔. We talk with her about everything under the sun from her novel and upcoming works, celebrating Pride Month, and her favorite Sri Lankan dish that instantly transports her home. 

8 minutes and 46 seconds. That is how long Officer Derek Chauvin held his knee to George Floyd's neck.  No one could have imagined the level of outrage that sparked a revolution when George Floyd, a man from Minneapolis, Minnesota, was murdered by police during Memorial Day Weekend. As the world took to the streets in a united front for a call for justice, others found themselves protesting in other ways. We speak to Jonathan "Fro" Perry, a graffiti artist based in Bremerton, Washington who paid tribute to George Floyd and many others that died at the hands of police.  He speaks on why he painted the mural, his experiences with the police, and what it is to be a biracial man in America. 

In 2016 filmmaker Raol Peck released the Oscar nominated documentary 𝑰 𝑨𝒎 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑵𝒆𝒈𝒓𝒐 about James Baldwin, a black gay writer and activist who explored the topics of race, sexuality, and class during the Civil Rights Movement. Peck's film reveals to the world the unfinished manuscript from Baldwin called 𝑹𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑯𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 in which he writes about his friends and civil rights activists, Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. and their assassinations. Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson as the voice of Baldwin, this film serves as an alarm as we find our country fighting the same battles for freedom and justice today.

Grab a seat and a shot of the finest quarantine tequila you can find. The Vulgar Geniuses get nice and tipsy as they discuss the novel 𝑮𝒐𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑱𝒂𝒅𝒆 & 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘 by Silvia Morena-Garcia. The God of Death is awaken when an 18 year old girl opens a box where his bones have been locked away for years. Now these two must journey through Mexico to find his missing body parts to regain his godly form before he dies and his evil twin brother becomes the god of the underworld.

On this episode of Forks X Fangs, we introduce a new segment called Brown & Black where we tackle issues regarding marginalized groups in literature.  Today I get to interview my partner in crime, Dennie Wang. In honor of Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month, we take a look at the importance of Asians seeing theirselves represented in literature.  

On this special edition episode of FORKS X FANGS we discuss the film 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍 𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒔. This film stars Sennia Nenua as Melanie, a gifted half human/half zombie child that sets on a journey to save humanity from apocalyptic destruction. The screenplay was written by M.R. Carey who also wrote the novel of the same name as the film.

Sex, lies, and gasoline. The novel "Little Fires Everywhere", by Celeste Ng, takes us on an exploration of what happens when strangers from two families step from behind their masks of lies and deception, stop being polite and start getting really messy. Dennie and Veronica sit down to a table of pancakes and maple syrup, as they peak behind the veil of Shaker Heights, and discuss the impact of how money and status play in the role of motherhood.