Tip of the Tongue Episode 316: How to Cook a Coyote with Betty Fussell

Tip of the Tongue Episode 316: How to Cook a Coyote with Betty Fussell

From Tip of the Tongue by Liz Williams

March 17, 2026 · 25 min

About this episode

Liz Williams interviews 98-year-old Betty Fussell about her book and the challenges of writing in old age.

What a pleasure to speak to 98 year old Betty Fussell! She praised her Scottish genes. Her book, How to Cook a Coyote: The Joy of Old Age, is a nod to M.F.K. Fisher and her book, How to Cook a Wolf . But the wily coyote is a trickster and shape shifter, always there for both good and bad. Listen to our conversation. Betty lays out her current project and the pains of finding a story line in her book. All writers will be able to identify with the struggle, which Betty faces with humor despite blindness and the limits of age. Listen. It’s on Tip of the Tongue. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

People in this episode

Host: Liz Williams

Guest: Betty Fussell

Topics covered

  • cooking
  • aging
  • writing
  • storytelling
  • humor
  • literature

Keywords

  • Betty Fussell
  • coyote
  • writing
  • M.F.K. Fisher
  • aging
  • storyline
  • humor

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: How to Cook a Coyote: The Joy of Old Age, How to Cook a Wolf

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