Alta Asks

Talking with Steph Cha

The author of the Juniper Song Mysteries and last year’s Los Angeles Times Book Prize winner Your House Will Pay says we’re facing “noir days ahead.”

Talking with Steve Erickson
The author of 2017’s Shadowbahn says that “right now history is outp…
Talking with Charlie Jane Anders
“What does it mean to be a good person during horrible, unjust times…
Talking with Sara Borjas
The city of Fresno, Latinx heritage, and family figure prominently i…
Talking with Alex Espinoza
The author of Cruising writes about how sexual encounters with male …
Jun 26, 2020
Talking with David L. Ulin
Alta’s books editor discusses how science fiction is “responsive,” the influence of music on his writing, and the emerging body of pand…
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Jun 19, 2020
Talking with Katie M. Flynn
Sci-fi novel The Companions is set in a post-pandemic California where survivors are in quarantine and the consciousnesses of the decea…
Jun 12, 2020
Talking with Tod Goldberg

The Gangsterland series examines identity and the moral consequences of violence.
Jun 5, 2020
Talking with Rishi Reddi
The first-time novelist explores ideas of identity and citizenship among South Asian immigrants in California’s Imperial Valley of the …
May 29, 2020
Talking with Edan Lepucki

Sixty essays tackle a question of identity: Who were our mothers before they became mothers?
May 21, 2020
Talking with Matthew Zapruder

The poems in Father’s Day examine the complex ideas of parenthood, citizenship, and existence.
May 15, 2020
Talking with Peter Orner

Maggie Brown & Others contains very short stories that reveal their characters’ full potential and sorrowful limitations.
May 8, 2020
Talking with Kimi Eisele

The Lightest Object in the Universe reveals hope and humanity amid a dystopian setting.
May 1, 2020
Talking with Luis J. Rodriguez

Essays from a former Los Angeles poet laureate argue for the power of verse to unify, inspire, and heal our nation.
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Apr 28, 2020
Talking with Susan Straight

The memoir In the Country of Women recounts secret histories of resilience, love, and great food.
Apr 14, 2020
Talking with Bonnie Tsui

Why We Swim examines our relationship to water for “survival, well-being, community, competition, and flow.”
Apr 7, 2020
Talking with Tess Taylor

Last West and Rift Zone are ambitious works that uncover fault lines in California’s geology, human history, and future.
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Mar 10, 2020
Talking with Vanessa Hua

The author’s stories challenge readers to consider how immigrants define notions of family and home.
Feb 4, 2020
Talking with Ander Monson

The author of The Gnome Stories draws inspiration from jokes, conversations with friends, and even a 1931 patent application.
Jan 14, 2020
Talking with David Talbot

The author of Between Heaven and Hell discusses his stroke, his recovery, and what it means to restart his life.