Then, we pull back the curtain on back-of-the-book blurbs and other publicity tactics. “Riveting!” — Stephen King

We sat down with Jason Diamond, bookish man about town and author of the multigenerational Jewish gangster saga 'Kaplan’s Plot'. He made a strong case for Chicago as a literary city and for not forgetting the immigrant experience in your ancestry.

Plus, Mason overreacts to an upcoming novel being based on the Faust myth, and demands a moratorium on Faust retellings. Will the literary establishment take note?

Always a thoughtful and fun guest, Kyle gives us some insight into his process for this novel while establishing a mind-meld with Nathan over possible Halloween costumes.

We’re feeling spooky with horror author Kyle Winkler, back to discuss his latest novel, the creepy and horrifying Enter the Peerless, which starts with a private investigator trying to figure out what happened to a bunch of people who went into an abandoned trailer and never came out.

Kit McGuire's "Pink in the Morning" found on Olit: www.olitmag.com/kit-mcguire-...

Kelly Magee's "Caring For Your Local Woman" found on Waxwing: waxwingmag.org/items/issue3...

Billy Irving's "Little Arlo" found on XRAY: xraylitmag.com/little-arlo-...