Word: A podcast on the literary arts in Arizona and the region

Explore the human condition in the past, present and future with a historical fiction writer, poet from Phoenix and video game enthusiast from Valley.

What do a Valley financial advisor / novelist, tireless advocate for the arts and full-fledged poet, and teacher / speech artist in Phoenix have in common?

On this “Word” offer, the desire to travel is our theme. We explore what Valley teacher and writer Marla-Tiye Vieira, southern New Mexico scholar, fiction writer and poet Ana Castillo, and longtime producer of Anthony’s TV shows Bourdain, Tom Vitale, have to contribute to our itinerary.

What does a Tucson rancher with famous sister, NPR-acclaimed poet, and new Phoenix Poet Laureate have in common? Find out on “Word” S6: E2 hosted by Tom Maxedon of KJZZ. It’s a podcast on literature in Arizona and the region.

In this season 6 premiere episode of “Word,” we run the gamut from post-traumatic stress as a veteran and personal stories of migrating from blacks living in Arizona to a Phoenix-based romantic comedy that deals with the crisis. opioids.

What are you reading this summer? We have some Arizona writers’ suggestions for adults and kids or for those who don’t want to turn into adults for a minute and feel their youth again. Hear their stories on this “Word” Season 5 finale.

What do indigenous futurism, fantasy literature for young adults and the climate have in common? Find out on “Word” – a KJZZ podcast on the literary arts in Arizona and the region hosted by Tom Maxedon.

What do the Vietnamese diaspora, Beat / Wagner-inspired poetry, The Diné Reader and Black Lives Matter have in common? We explore these links in this double issue of Word as we close National Poetry Month with PPE: a Pandemic Poetry Extravaganza.

National Poetry Month continues and after a virtual trip to Tucson in the last episode, we return to “The Poet’s Valley” and explore some intriguing questions.

We’re back from spring break and just in time for National Poetry Month. In this episode, we’re heading to the University of Arizona’s Poetry Center in Tucson – well via Zoom anyway. Plus, we taste poetry and talk in verse with writers in Tucson.

National Haiku Writing Month – NaHaiWriMo – is coming to an end. In this episode, we’ll talk briefly with the randomly selected winner of KJZZ’s third annual Haiku Writing Contest.

Na Hai Wri Mo – National Haiku Writing Month – continues, as does KJZZ’s third annual Haiku Writing Contest. This year’s theme: What’s new for you during the pandemic? You can submit up to one original haiku per week. In this episode, we will find the organizers of this year’s Arizona Matsuri, which is going virtual.

Welcome to the opening of Season 5 of “Word” and the launch of KJZZ’s third annual Haiku Writing Contest. This year’s theme: What’s new for you during the pandemic?

Welcome to the last episode of “Word” of this season. As we wind down 2020, we explore non-fiction, something we don’t often discuss as a literary art form.

What do a retired veteran, a museum archivist, and a technical writer have in common? They all completed the National Novel Writing Month challenge and wrote at least one 50,000 word novel in November.

What a tourist writer in Albuquerque, New Mexico; a Glendale life coach; and a burlesque and creative artist from the Valley have in common? They all participate in National Novel Writing Month.

It’s almost Halloween and almost National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). As we close October, we celebrate the holidays and those who come together to write 50,000 words in one month starting November 1st.

We welcome Annika Clark, chosen by Creative Youth of Arizona as the recipient of the Phoenix Youth Poet Award. Plus, we chat with retired poet and teacher Joey Connolly and Indian Pueblo writer and NYT bestselling author Rebecca Roanhorse, who has a fantastic new novel titled “Black Sun” this month.

The coronavirus pandemic continues to present challenges for creatives. We’ll talk to a returning guest. In addition, we are turning our attention to a younger audience and readers, starting with the puppets.

“Word” is an original podcast from KJZZ on the literary arts in Arizona and the region. We’re kicking off this season with the first of three returning guests, David Hemphill, executive director of the Black Theater Troupe in Phoenix.

Before heading off on summer vacation, we wrap up ‘Word’ Season 3 by continuing our celebration of Asian and Pacific Island American Heritage Month with honest conversations about how these communities are coping. era of COVID-19.

Is the planet experiencing an environmental reset in the COVID-19 era? That’s the question we start with in this penultimate episode of “Word” this season. In addition, we are celebrating Asian and Pacific Island American Heritage Month.

With this mega edition of “Word,” we’ve brought National Poetry Month to a close in Arizona and the Southwest.

As National Poetry Month continues, we’re heading to Tucson, virtually, to check in with our neighbors in southern Arizona.

Even as the coronavirus continues to shut down brick-and-mortar performance spaces, we’re putting a virtual spotlight on poetry this month.

As we crouch in the midst of a pandemic, creatives face tough times as well.

We celebrate International Women’s History Month with influential Arizona writers and readers.

KJZZ’s 2nd Annual Haiku Writing Competition ends as we complete NaHaiWriMo.

We continue National Haiku Writing Month by chatting with three poets with ties to Arizona and the Southwest.

KJZZ’s second annual Haiku Writing Contest kicks off this month as we celebrate NaHaiWriMo (National Haiku Writing Month).

In this season two finale, we explore the spookier side of Christmas by examining the tradition of ghost storytelling during the holiday season, from the Grinch to the Krampus.

In this National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) retrospective and seventh episode of Season 2, we return to the mic with some guests who have already joined us to discuss their hard work.

In this sixth episode of season 2, we catch up with three writers and their stories in media res.

In this fifth episode of Season 2, we celebrate writers from across Arizona who participate in the annual NaNoWriMo.

In this fourth episode of season 2, we celebrate Beat Generation writer Jack Kerouac, who passed 50 years ago this month.

In this third episode of season 2, “Everyone is a scene”. If so, what are theater directors doing to include more diversity?

In this second episode of season 2, we explore literature for children and young adults in Arizona.

In this first episode of S2, we push back the portrayal of young people from low-income families as portrayed in Nick Richey’s film, “Low Low”.

Play’s The Thing, StoryFest

Arizona StoryFest is back on June 1. Plus, Cynnita Agent, co-star of “Single Black Female” and David Hemphill, director.

National Poetry Month, Part 3

Poetry podcaster Imogen Arate. Christina Estes of KJZZ samples open mic poetry at a valley bookstore. In addition, the poet Anna Flores.

National Poetry Month, Part 2

Tom returns to the valley to speak with Sally Ball, associate professor of English at ASU, and student poet and activist Austin Davis.

National Poetry Month, Part 1

The word hits the road! Take a trip to the University of Arizona’s Poetry Center, a haiku hike in Tucson – and more.

TC Tolbert

Tucson Poet Laureate TC Tolbert and the Downtown Tucson Partnership have put haiku in the city’s public spaces.

Rosemarie Dombrowski

An interview with Rosemarie Dombrowski, Phoenix Poet Laureate and ASU Professor, on the spread of poetry in the streets and the power of haiku.

Arizona Matsuri Festival

A preview of the upcoming Arizona Matsuri Festival of Japan with John Sachen.

Thomas stanton

An interview with Tomas Stanton of the Mesa Arts Center on the engagement of young people in the writing and interpretation of poetry.

NaHaiWriMo

An interview with Michael Dylan Welch, creator of National Haiku Writing Month and administrator of the website that hosts it.