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Local Writer on Public Radio
Topics: public radio, entertainment, literary events, the arts, local writers
Posted by themelaman Fri Dec 22, 2006 13:57:55 PST
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0 responses 0 comments Want to support the arts in the San Joaquin Valley? Why not scribble out a check for $10,000 dollars? Or simply sit down in your favorite rocking chair (or on a smooth rock), tune in to Valley Pubic Radio, and listen to “Valley Writers Read,” an annual showcase of local literary fiction.
Valley Public Radio is broadcast on KVPR 89.3 for the Fresno area and KPRX 89.1 for Bakersfield and south valley areas.
While you might associate KVPR with classical music and National Public Radio, the station broadcasts a variety of musical and spoken-word programs. Some of my favorites include “The Thomas Jefferson Hour,” and “The Oasis,” which airs jazz, international, and other music (I don't normally like jazz, but the selections remind me of the jazz played at bookstores and cafés in my native San Francisco.)
The new “Valley Writers Read” season begins Jan. 3 and extends over 26 weeks. Programs air on Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. In addition, each story is archived onto: www.kvpr.org where the station can be heard live wherever Internet is available.
I was honored when I received a letter in July informing me that one of my stories had been selected for the upcoming 2007 “Valley Writers Read” series.
While recently preparing to read my story in the KVPR studio, I got a chance to tour the station. There, producer Don Weaver opened sound files for a story by author Wilma Elizabeth McDaniel. The sound file taught me that McDaniel is “widely known as one of the finest writers to emerge from the ‘Dust Bowl’ exodus of the thirties.” McDaniel's story “The Ketchup Bottle” started the 2006 season and was followed by a selection of her poems.
With precision, Weaver coordinates the reading selections, music, and announcer files in order to create a seamless show. He puts great care into selecting music that will enhance each story.
This year, Weaver and his co-producer, Franz Weinschenk, offered writers the chance to make music suggestions. I immediately created a soundtrack of songs. While there is no guarantee that Weaver will use my music selections, the mystery is part of the excitement.
I'm fairly new to the literary spotlight, so I was especially flattered when Weaver told me my story will air near the beginning of the 2007 series (Jan. 10 — tell the neighbors!).
“We feel that this will be a good story,” he said.
Despite the emphasis on story and music, I feel that one of the most charming aspects of “Valley Writers Read” is its host and co-producer Franz Weinschenk. His charming voice has the right amount of sand in it to recall an era of dim lights and bright stars when a man’s substance matched his style.
Knowing that “Valley Writers Read” is one of the few bastions of literary arts in the valley, Weaver and Weinschenk continue to solicit stories from local authors.
Check out some of the archived stories at www.kvpr.org. There is something for every literary taste, whether it be mystery, suspense, history, or humor.

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