Louise Erdrich, author of PYTHON’S KISS

About this episode

Louise Erdrich discusses her latest story collection, Python’s Kiss, and various aspects of writing.

Louise Erdrich in one of those relatively rare authors who has won both a National Book Award and a Pulitzer Prize. She’s authored 19 novels as well as story collections, poetry collections, children’s books and nonfiction. Her first novel, Love Medicine, was the only debut ever to with the National Book Critic Circle Award for Fiction. The Round House won the National Book Award in 2012. The Night Watchman won the Pulitzer in 2021. Her latest story collection is Python’s Kiss. It contains 13 stories, two of which already appear in this year’s The Best American Short Stories and The O’Henry Prize Winners Best Short Stories. Five of them were in The New Yorker. They’re historical fiction, science fiction, ghost stories, love stories. And they’re accompanied by gorgeous artwork from Louise’s daughter — Aza— that only adds to the depth of these stories. Louise joins Marrie Stone to talk about the collection, including playing with points of view, world building, landing the ending, the creation of effective lists, titles, how animals can work in fiction, managing time in a short story, and so much more. For more information on Writers on Writing and to become a supporter, visit our…

People in this episode

Host: Marrie Stone

Guest: Louise Erdrich

Topics covered

• literature
• storytelling
• fiction
• writing techniques
• author interview

Keywords

• Louise Erdrich
• Python’s Kiss
• fiction
• writing
• story collection
• interview

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The New Yorker

Books & works: PYTHON’S KISS, Love Medicine, The Round House, The Night Watchman, The Best American Short Stories, The O’Henry Prize Winners Best Short Stories

More episodes of Writers on Writing

• Steven Rowley, author of TAKE ME WITH YOU · June 9, 2026 · 45 min
• Tom Perrotta, author of GHOST TOWN · June 1, 2026 · 1h 0m
• Cassandra Neyenesch, author of A LITTLE BIT BAD · May 26, 2026 · 58 min
• Ada Limón, author of AGAINST BREAKING: ON THE POWER OF POETRY · May 18, 2026 · 55 min
• Estelle Erasmus, author of WRITING THAT GETS NOTICED · May 12, 2026 · 1h 8m
• Jayne Anne Phillips, author of SMALL TOWN GIRLS · May 4, 2026 · 1h 1m