Erika and Producer Tim discuss Erika's debut novel, Music for Leaving, its origin story, what makes the story grand and how Erika and Tim navigate feeling like imposters, even with a gorgeous book in-hand.

Buy Music for Leaving on IngramSpark, our preferred vendor.

Music for Leaving is also available, often by request, from your favorite bookstore or online service.

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Original music composed by Nelson Walker.

Recorded at Interplay Recording and Multimedia.

Written and produced by Erika Randall and Tim Grassley.

An encounter with the smallest material can spark nostalgia: the first bite of saltfish and home, the texture of satin and standing onstage, just the right weight of rain. While these unexpected free-falls into memory can be a lovely surprise, today's guest reaches intentionally into her imagination and shapes memories into gorgeous narratives of fiction and nonfiction. Marcia Douglas is an author, artist and professor of creative writing at the University of Colorado Boulder. Widely published and a winner of many awards, she discusses growing up in Kingstown, Jamaica, writing in community and her playful-profound approach to creative craft.

Visit Marcia's website and learn more about her current creative work.

To buy The Marvelous Equations of the Dread, visit New Directions Publishing.

Learn more about Marcia's research and creative work on her CU Boulder profile.

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Original music composed by Nelson Walker.

Recorded at Interplay Recording and Multimedia.

Written and produced by Erika Randall and Tim Grassley.

The Ampersand is a production of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder.

So many highlight their winding roads to self-discovery, but we still seem in a rush to get to our end fast. But could a wide curiosity of all of our becoming (i.e., reflecting on how you AND) help you rediscover facets of our being that lived inside us all along? On today's episode, musical artist Monica LaBonte recounts a winding journey of discovering her love of music and performance, becoming a full-time musician, pivoting away to teaching and finding her love of expression through song again.

Follow Monica on Instagram.

Check out Monica's website for future shows, private music lessons and to buy her most recent album See Through.

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Original music composed by Nelson Walker.

Recorded at Interplay Recording and Multimedia.

Written and produced by Erika Randall and Tim Grassley.

The Ampersand is a production of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder.