David Wojahn is an acclaimed American poet, essayist, and educator whose work weaves personal memory with the larger currents of history and culture. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1953, he earned degrees from the University of Minnesota and the University of Arizona. His debut collection, Icehouse Lights, won the Yale Series of Younger Poets Award and the William Carlos Williams Award, launching a career marked by critical acclaim and emotional depth. His later works—Interrogation Palace, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, and World Tree, winner of the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize—cemented his reputation as one of America’s most powerful poetic voices. A recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the NEA, Wojahn is Professor Emeritus at Virginia Commonwealth University and teaches in the MFA program at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
This week on Authors Unbound, we talk with acclaimed poet and essayist David Wojahn about his new collection, Secret Addressee: Essays on How Poetry Matters, out this fall from Unbound Edition Press. In this powerful conversation, Wojahn reflects on poetry’s role in times of political upheaval and cultural uncertainty—how it both sustains us and resists easy consolation. He discusses the writers who shaped his thinking, from Yannis Ritsos to Elizabeth Bishop, and shares the intimate connection between his prose, his teaching, and his poetry. Wojahn also reads two striking new sonnets that mirror America’s shifting ideals across generations.
Don’t miss this thoughtful and deeply felt discussion about art, conscience, and the enduring necessity of poetry.
This is David Wojahn Unbound.
Purchase your copy of Secret Addressee: Essays on How Poetry Matters on our website: https://www.unboundedition.com/product/addressee-david-wojahn-literary-nonfiction/
Aimee Parkison is an acclaimed American author, educator, and innovator in experimental fiction. Her work, shaped by a deep commitment to exploring gender, violence, and the unspoken dimensions of trauma, blurs the boundaries between story and confession. Her fiction has appeared in North American Review, Bellingham Review, and Feminist Studies. A recipient of the Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction Prize, the Kurt Vonnegut Prize, the Starcherone Prize for Innovative Fiction, and a Christopher Isherwood Fellowship, Parkison currently teaches in the MFA/Ph.D. program at Oklahoma State University.
This week on Authors Unbound, we talk with Aimee Parkison to discuss her forthcoming collection Body of Evidence, arriving October 2025 in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Rooted in personal witness and crafted with precision, the book confronts the realities of domestic violence while also creating space for healing and remembrance. Parkison shares insights into her writing process, the discoveries she makes in revision, and the responsibility of giving voice to experiences too often left unspoken.
Don’t miss this moving conversation on resilience, storytelling, and the power of breaking silence.
This is Aimee Parkison Unbound.
Purchase your copy of Body of Evidence on Amazon or directly from Unbound Edition.
For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at Unbound Edition.
Alice Jones is a poet, physician, and psychoanalyst whose work blends art, medicine, and psychology. She is the author of seven poetry collections and, the topic of this week's episode, the forthcoming memoir Cadence of Vanishing. Her writing has appeared in Poetry, Ploughshares, Kenyon Review, and Best American Poetry, earning her NEA and Bread Loaf fellowships as well as multiple prizes from the Poetry Society of America.
This week on Authors Unbound, we talk with poet and psychoanalyst Alice Jones about her upcoming memoir Cadence of Vanishing, which is coming out Fall 2025. Blending poetry, journal entries, and session notes, Jones explores aging, loss, and the many stories that intersect in a single life. She reads moving passages from the book, reflects on how her work as an analyst shapes her writing, and shares why slowing down, listening deeply, and finding the right words matter more than ever in today’s noisy culture.
Don’t miss this thoughtful conversation that brings poetry, history, and personal insight together in one powerful episode.
This is Alice Jones Unbound.
Purchase your copy of Cadence of Vanishing on amazon or directly from https://www.unboundedition.com/product/cadence-of-vanishing-alice-jones-literary-nonfiction/
For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at https://www.unboundedition.com/
J. Allyn Rosser is an American poet, educator, and editor whose work blends wit, lyricism, and sharp observation of human experience. She has published four acclaimed poetry collections, with a fifth, Chronic Transience, forthcoming in 2025, and her poems have appeared in leading journals including The Atlantic Monthly and The Paris Review. Rosser’s career is marked by numerous honors, among them fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Academy of American Poets, as well as prizes for each of her first three books. She is Professor Emerita of English at Ohio University, where she also served as editor of New Ohio Review.
This week, we welcomed J. Allyn Rosser to discuss her forthcoming collection Chronic Transience from Unbound Edition Press. With her trademark blend of wit, formal mastery, and emotional depth, Rosser reflects on mortality, memory, and the absurdities of daily life. In this intimate conversation, she reads and discusses poems such as “Evening Primrose,” “Respite,” “Well-Attended Event,” “Notes on the Latin,” and “Pre-Latter-day Love Poem,” sharing the personal stories and artistic impulses behind them. We talk about her father’s late-life paintings, the place of humor in poems about grief, the pull of formal verse, and how influences as varied as old Hollywood films, mistranslations, and even poker find their way into her work.
Join us as we dive into J. Allyn Rosser’s poetry and explore how her wit, formal craft, and reflections on loss, humor, and art shape and enrich her creative voice.
This is J. Allyn Rosser Unbound.
Purchase your copy of Chronic Transience on Amazon, or directly from us at:
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For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at https://www.unboundedition.com/
W.S. Di Piero is an acclaimed American poet, essayist, translator, and educator whose work is shaped by his upbringing in a working-class Italian-American neighborhood in South Philadelphia. He has published over ten poetry collections, five books of essays, and numerous translations, often drawing from both everyday speech and classical art to craft vivid, emotionally resonant work. Di Piero’s poetry reflects a raw, observational style, praised for its rhythm, intensity, and connection to place. Over his career, he's become the recipient of major honors including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a NEA grant, and the 2012 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize for lifetime achievement.
This week, we explored two of his newest works Burning Money and Inside the Box from Unbound Edition Press. Blending poetry, memory, and visual art, Di Piero reflects on family, faith, politics, and American culture through a deeply personal and formal lens. In this intimate conversation, he reads vivid and moving poems like To a Friend Sick Again, Edward Hopper (Yellow and Red), and Obad, sharing stories behind their creation and his process of writing with “his whole body.” We discuss the influence of painters like Morandi and Hopper, the tension between politics and poetry, and how a poet’s eye learns to truly see—on the canvas and in the world.
Join us as we dive into Di Piero’s poetry and reflect on how their encounters with art, history, and belief influence and enrich their creative voice.
This is W. S. Di Piero Unbound.
Purchase your copy of Tranny Muse on amazon or directly from https://www.unboundedition.com/product/burning-money-w-s-di-piero-poetry/
https://www.unboundedition.com/product/inside-the-box-w-s-di-piero-essays/
For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at https://www.unboundedition.com/
Christian Gullette is a poet and editor whose work bridges the personal with the visual, blending themes of love, loss, and natural beauty through a lens shaped by both memory and place. His latest collection, Coachella Elegy, emerges from a period of deep introspection, shaped in part by the isolation and reflection of the pandemic years. What began as Beehive State eventually evolved into a more expansive meditation on grief, desire, and the stark beauty of California’s desert landscapes.
In this episode, Christian shares poems from the collection and speaks candidly about the evolution of the manuscript, the quiet rituals of his writing process, and the creative energy he draws from Palm Springs and the broader California landscape. Christian explores the crucial role of literary friendships in sustaining a writing practice, and the influence of visual artists like David Hockney on his approach to image and mood.
Join us for a thoughtful conversation on poetry, place, and the quiet forces that shape a body of work.
This is Christian Gullette Unbound.
Purchase your copy of Coachella Elegy directly from https://www.christiangullette.com/coachella-elegy
For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at https://www.unboundedition.com/
Taylor Portela is a queer, nonbinary poet and performer based in Portland, Oregon. A graduate of the University of Michigan (B.A.) and Virginia Tech (M.F.A. in Creative Writing), Taylor has performed under the name Lavender Scare and has had work featured in The Adroit Journal, Fence, WUSSY Mag, and more.
This week, we discuss their newest work, Tranny Muse, a hybrid poetry and prose collection forthcoming from Unbound Edition Press in June 2025. Blending drag, Mormonism, queer identity, and performance, Taylor explores themes of gender, sacredness, rebellion, and personal transformation. Through intimate conversation and live readings of poems like Prodigal and Mother, Taylor shares the inspiration behind the book’s bold title, the aesthetics of queer failure, and the deep emotional terrain of reclaiming identity.
Join us as we explore their collection of poetry and explore how their experiences with drag, queerness, and faith shape and deepen their creative work.
This is Taylor Portela Unbound.
Purchase your copy of Tranny Muse on amazon or directly from https://www.unboundedition.com/product/tranny-muse-taylor-portela-cross-genre/
For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at https://www.unboundedition.com/
Armen Davoudian is an Iranian-born poet who grew up in Isfahan and currently resides in California. He is the translator of Hopscotch by Fatemeh Shams, a collection of poems by the contemporary Persian dissident poet, published in English and German. Davoudian holds an MFA from Johns Hopkins University and is a PhD candidate in English at Stanford University, where his research focuses on metanoia in Renaissance poetry. His poems and translations appear in Poetry, The Yale Review, The Hopkins Review, and other literary journals. His chapbook, Swan Song, won the Frost Place Competition.
This week we discuss the debut of his newest poetry collection, The Palace of Forty Pillars, that was long-listed for the National Book Critics Circle Award and named a “Best Book of Spring” by the San Francisco Chronicle. Davoudian reads and reflects on several of his poems, including “27 Marjan Street,” “Travel Ban,” and the first sonnet from the book’s titular sequence. The conversation also explores how personal and cultural distances can enrich poetic insight, how form can be both a constraint and a generative force, and what Davoudian is currently working on.
Join us as we have a heartfelt conversation that revolves around his collection of poetry and explore how his experiences of migration, queerness, and cultural duality shape and deepen his creative work.
This is Armen Davoudian Unbound.
Purchase your copy of The Palace of Forty Pillars on amazon or directly from https://tinhouse.com/book/palace-of-forty-pillars/
For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at https://www.unboundedition.com/
Charles is a poet, retired litigator, and visual artist. During a long mid-life illness, he started writing poems and painting — a creative turn that stuck. His poetry has since appeared in a wide range of magazines and journals, including Garrison Keillor’s Writer’s Almanac, and his artwork has been exhibited in many shows. His first poetry collection, Blue for Oceans, won the 2011 PEN New England Award for best book of poetry by a New England author.
This week however, we are going to be discussing his newest collection of poetry, Again. In his work he charts a profound journey through love, loss and the complicated grace of survival. These stories traverse his life, from his childhood’s glorious moments, to the raw territories of grief, that spread into how family shapes and also haunt us.These poems range from California beach towns to the New England woodlands, but despite the distance, remind us that even our deepest wounds can reveal moments of startling beauty.
Join us as we have a heartfelt conversation that revolves around his collection of poetry Again and explore what his experiences and the connections between his past and present play in his creative work.
This is Charles Douthat Unbound.
Purchase your copy of Again on amazon or directly from Unbound Edition Press at https://www.unboundedition.com/product/again-charles-douthat-poetry/
For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at https://www.unboundedition.com/
Angie Estes is an American based poet, and professor at Ashland University. Her previous work consists of six poetry collections, most of which were nominated and or won prestigious awards; Awards such as a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Pushcart Prize, and the Cecil Hemley Memorial Award from the Poetry Society of America just to name a few.
Angie captivates us with her unique perspective on poetry and the inspiration behind her latest collection, Last Day on Earth in the Eternal City. In this collection, she explores themes such as memory, intimacy, and the timelessness of her work. This week our hosts probe into her creative journey as she challenges us to question the boundaries between past, present, and future, and how they shape our experiences.
Join us as our hosts examine her new collection of poetry, Last Day on Earth in the Eternal City, and explore the role that memory plays in not only her perspective on poetry, but also how it impacts our understanding of the world around us.
This is Angie Estes Unbound.
Purchase your copy of Last Day on Earth in the Eternal City on amazon or directly from Unbound Edition Press at https://www.unboundedition.com/product/last-day-on-earth-in-the-eternal-city-angie-estes-poetry/
For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at https://www.unboundedition.com/
Austin Segrest is a Wisconsin based author and teaches at Lawrence University. His poetry has appeared in VQR, The Common, The Yale Review, and countless other journals. He has received fellowships from the Ucross Foundation, the Fine Arts Work Center, the NEH and the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. Along with this, his first book, Door to Remain, won the Vassar Miller Poetry Prize. However this week he is going to be talking about his newest collection Groom.
His work reveals the complex layers of relationships and personal history that is formative to the author's creative process. In this week's episode we’re going to be exploring these raw emotions and moral complexities that forge his work, so don’t miss this opportunity to get this first hand account of the essence of his contemporary work.
Join us as our hosts explore his new book Groom, and examine how formative relationships can shape and alter who we are, and utilize those experiences to create art that reveals that “someone has heard.”
This is Austin Segrest Unbound.
Purchase your copy of Groom on amazon or directly from Unbound Edition Press at https://www.unboundedition.com/product/groom-austin-segrest-poetry/
For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at https://www.unboundedition.com/
David Lauterstein is a key player in queer culture, who just released his first book Sodomy Gods (Unbound Edition Press, 2024). He also is known for his cutting-edge entrepreneurship by being the co-founder of the Nasty Pig brand. Through his brand he has been revered for his decades of advocacy for public health and his support for the homeless queer society.
In this episode, David Lauterstein is going to be talking about his new book Sodomy Gods, a coming of age story of a young gay man in 1990s New York City. He dives into his complicated personal journey that led him to write his first book. From the impact of revisiting formative memories, to the importance of authenticity in his artwork, he shares his creative journey that led to this impactful story where the underground club scene, the HIV/AIDS crisis, and radical self-expression collided.
Join us as we explore David’s poetic influences and rebellious creativity that led to this one of a kind literary work.
This is David Lauterstein Unbound.
Purchase your copy of Sodomy Gods on Amazon or directly from Unbound Edition Press at https://www.unboundedition.com/product/sodomy-gods-david-lauterstein-literary-nonfiction/
For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at unboundedition.com.
Race Bannon has been an organizer, writer, educator, speaker and activist in the LGBT, leather/kink, polyamory and HIV/STI prevention realms since 1973. He has authored two books, been published extensively, spoken to hundreds of audiences, created the world’s largest kink-friendly psychotherapist and medical referral service, but specifically were going to be following his work on his work KINK IS, which was a collaboration with (amongst other authors) our other guest Beatrice Stonebanks, who has been a member of the San Francisco BDSM scene for 25 years and lives in a 24/7 alternative-power-exchange relationship as the Loving Dominant. Beatrice is a Feminine Dominant, a published author, an award-winning speaker, and a community outreach leader.
Together, Race and Beatrice unpack the stories in Kink Is, from teachers to astrophysicists, revealing the humanity and empowerment found in exploring identity through kink. They discuss the anthology’s mission to dismantle shame, build understanding, and celebrate the universality of non-traditional expressions of connection.
Join us as our hosts share their lives on the sexual frontier, and how it can surprisingly impact not only relationships, but also the individual and society as a whole.
This is Race Bannon and Beatrice Stonebanks Unbound.
Purchase your copy of KINK IS on amazon or directly from Unbound Edition Press at https://www.unboundedition.com/product/kink-is-divine-deviance-collective-anthology/
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Rebecca Orchant is a food writer, restaurateur, and playwright whose memoir Simmering: A Kitchen Memoir (Unbound Edition Press, 2024) has already become a bestseller in Provincetown, MA. Her writing has appeared in Huffington Post, Saveur, and The Provincetown Independent. She is also the co-founder of Pop+Dutch, a beloved Provincetown sandwich shop, and co-creator of the pandemic-era newsletter Soup & Despair.
In this episode, Rebecca Orchant shares the stories behind Simmering: A Kitchen Memoir. This kitchen memoir blends humor, heartache, and the heat of the culinary world as it explores themes of love, loss, identity, and belonging. Rebecca discusses how her experiences—from growing up in New Mexico to becoming a central figure in Provincetown’s vibrant community—have shaped her writing, relationships, and her passion for food.
Join us as we explore her multifaceted journey, from essays on the intimacy of shared meals to reflections on grief and resilience, all simmered together in a book that defies genre and redefines what a memoir can be.
This is Rebecca Orchant Unbound.
Purchase your copy of Simmering: A Kitchen Memoir on Amazon or directly from Unbound Edition Press at https://www.unboundedition.com/product/simmering-rebecca-orchant-literary-nonfiction
For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at unboundedition.com.
In this episode of Authors Unbound, we celebrate the second issue of Revel, the literary journal published by Unbound Edition Press, featuring two remarkable poets, Erica Dawson and Eleanor Goodman.
These poets not only contribute their stunning work to Revel but also share insights into their creative processes, their forthcoming collections, and the themes that inspire them.
Meet the Poets
Erica Dawson
Erica Dawson is the award-winning author of three poetry collections:
Her work has appeared in Blackbird, The Believer, Virginia Quarterly Review, Best American Poetry (2008, 2012, 2015), and more. Featured on PBS NewsHour and in The New York Times Magazine, Erica brings a lyrical yet sharp lens to themes of identity, history, and the human experience.
Eleanor Goodman
Eleanor Goodman is a poet and translator whose work bridges cultures and languages. Her poetry collection, Nine Dragon Island, and her acclaimed translations, including Something Crosses My Mind by Wang Xiaoni, have garnered international recognition, including a PEN/Heim Translation Grant. Eleanor’s work appears in The Guardian, PN Review, Pathlight, The Los Angeles Review, and many other publications. She is a Research Associate at the Fairbank Center at Harvard University and a former Fulbright Fellow at Peking University.
Dive into this episode for a conversation that explores the intricate interplay between poetry, translation, and the human experience. Discover the transformative power of language through the voices of two masterful poets.
Get your copy of Revel Issue 2 at Unbound Edition Press.
This is Erica Dawson and Eleanor Goodman—Unbound.
Tyler Mills is a poet, essayist, and educator. Her memoir The Bomb Cloud (Unbound Edition Press 2024) earned a starred review in Publishers Weekly and was awarded a Café Royal Cultural Foundation NYC Literature Award and has been excerpted in AGNI, Brevity, Bennington Review, River Teeth, and The Rumpus, and won the Copper Nickel Editor’s Prize in Prose.
In this episode, dive into a intimate glimpse into the crafting of "The Bomb Cloud," a memoir that combines poetic elegance with the stark realities of history. Mills' exploration of generational secrets and the shadow cast by the atomic bomb will captivate listeners and history enthusiasts alike.
Join us we reflect on key themes, including the intricate relationships between family history, secrets, identity, and the ripples of the atomic legacy on personal and national levels.
This is Tyler Mills Unbound.
For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at http://www.unboundedition.com
Colin Hamilton is an American fiction writer, poet, and library creator.
His latest work, The Discarded, is a collection of metafictional stories that explore the hidden world of books deemed obsolete. With a background in both writing and building cultural spaces, Hamilton's literary style is marked by his deep curiosity about what society chooses to preserve and what it lets go of. His works blend fiction and reality, inviting readers into a labyrinth of forgotten texts, imaginative narratives, and philosophical reflections.
A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, Hamilton has published The Thirteenth Month, a novel, as well as a poetry chapbook. In addition to his writing, he has played a key role in creating spaces for creativity, including a library, a park, and artist housing projects. His multifaceted career underscores his commitment to both art and community.
In this episode, we discuss the inspiration behind The Discarded, Hamilton’s fascination with libraries and discarded books, and how his unique blend of fiction and reality raises questions about cultural memory and the digital age.
This is Colin Hamilton Unbound.
For more from Unbound Edition Press, visit us at http://www.unboundedition.com
Welcome back to Authors Unbound!
In our season premiere, our hosts Patrick Davis, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Unbound Edition Press, and Peter Campion, Executive Editor, pull back the curtain on the often invisible processes involved in publishing.
Joining them are three industry experts:
Mark Jung - Former Director of Itasca Books Mark Jung served as Director of Itasca Books for 20 years, retiring in August 2024. Under his leadership, Itasca provided top-notch distribution services to bookstores, wholesalers, and libraries, helping small publishers reach readers nationwide. Mark's dedication to seamless book distribution and customer service made Itasca a trusted partner for many in the literary world.
Nicole Baxter - Director of Sales and Marketing at Bookmobile Nicole Baxter is the Director of Sales, Marketing, and Publisher Services at Bookmobile, where she oversees the production of high-quality books. With a range of options from custom sizes to special finishes, Nicole ensures that each book meets the highest standards. She plays a key role in supporting publishers with Bookmobile’s exceptional print-on-demand services.
Mary Gannon - Executive Director of CLMP Mary Gannon, Executive Director of CLMP, has over 20 years of experience in the literary field. She previously led content at the Academy of American Poets and served as Editorial Director of Poets & Writers. An award-winning poet and co-author of The Poets & Writers Complete Guide to Being a Writer, Mary is a champion for small presses and literary magazines.
Episode Highlights:
David Biespiel is an American poet, novelist, and essayist.
Born in Texas, his work spans poetry and memoirs. He has established a notable presence in the literary world with his unique blend of poetry and prose. Biespiel's literary journey is marked by his deep exploration of personal and collective experiences, captured through his compelling works. His accolades include several prestigious awards and fellowships, highlighting his significant impact on contemporary literature.
As the founder of the Attic Institute of Arts and Letters and serving as Poet-in-Residence at Oregon State University, he has played a pivotal role in nurturing literary talent. His dedication to the craft is evident in his extensive body of work, which has not only earned critical acclaim but also resonated with a wide audience.
In this episode, we explore his transition from poetry to prose, the influence of his early life on his writing, and the creation and impact of his poet’s workshop.
This is David Biespiel Unbound.
We delve into the world of David Roderick, an esteemed American poet whose journey from Plymouth, Massachusetts, to the forefront of contemporary poetry is as compelling as his verses.
A Colby College alumnus with an MFA from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and a Wallace Stegner Fellowship at Stanford University under his belt, David's literary prowess is evident in his acclaimed collections: "Blue Colonial" and "The Americans."
Our conversation with David offers an intimate glimpse into his life and work. He shares insights into his newest poems from "Darkness for Beginners," reflecting on themes like middle life and fatherhood, and the emotional landscape that shapes his poetry. His personal connection to the late journalist James Foley, a friend from graduate school, brings a poignant touch to his latest work.
David's role as a literary citizen comes to the fore as we discuss his co-founding of Left Margin LIT, a creative writing center in Berkeley. This venture, born out of his desire to connect more deeply with the community outside academia, is a testament to his dedication to nurturing literary talent and fostering a shared writing space.
Listeners will find David's reflections on balancing the various facets of his life – from teaching, directing content for Adroit Journal, to running Left Margin LIT – both fascinating and inspiring. His thoughtful approach to poetry, particularly his emphasis on the power of verbs as "energy centers" in his work, offers valuable insights for aspiring poets.
Join us in this episode as we explore David Roderick's literary world, where the suburban landscapes, personal histories, and the complexities of American identity converge to create poetry that resonates with readers across generations.