
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
More episodes of Tip of the Tongue
- Tip of the Tongue Podcast No. 328: Get It While It's Hot · June 9, 2026 · 31 min
- Tip of the Tongue Podcast No. 327: Executive Eats with Adam Kingl · June 2, 2026 · 31 min
- Tip of the Tongue Episode 326: Blending Olde Raleigh with Brandon McCraney · May 25, 2026 · 32 min
- Tip of the Tongue Episode 325: A Conversation with Brian Choi about Heritage Radio Network · May 18, 2026 · 26 min
- Tip of the Tongue Episode 324: Picky Eaters with Helen Zoe Veit · May 11, 2026 · 38 min
- Live with Micheline Maynard · May 8, 2026 · 34 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Tip of the Tongue podcast page.