Carmen Maria Machado is the author of In the Dream House and Her Body and Other Parties, which was a finalist for the National Book Award and winner of the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize. She lives in Philadelphia with her wife.

Jillian Bessett: The voice in the intro and outro belong to songwriter Jillian Bessett. Jillian Bessett is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose evocative lyrics and welcoming stage presence have endeared her to audiences throughout the southwest music scene. Jillian is currently writing music and gigging with her new favorite instrument the Boss RC-505 Looping Station.

Mentioned in the Episode:

Machado's essay in Guernica: "The Trash Heap Has Spoken"

Keven Brockmeier's The Human Soul As A Rube Goldberg Device

Toni Morrison: "“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”

Machado's essay on Medium ; "Gaslight Nation"

Gaslight, 1944 film featuring Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer

Machado's story "Especially Heinous: 272 Views of Law & Order SVU"

"Voices Carry" song and video by 'Til Tuesday

The Grand Guignol

Writers:

Yōko Ogawa

Toni Morrison (The Pieces I Am, phenomenal documentary on her life now on Netflix)

Karen Russell

Kelly Link

Shirley Jackson

Patricia Highsmith

Angela Carter