In the latest episode of The Chicago Writers Podcast, Dan Finnen talks with Julia Fine—author of CHIRBy Award winning The Upstairs House and the upcoming Maddalena and the Dark—about getting started, research, following the call of your work, and making choices through a goal when writing.
The Chicago Writers Podcast is a Stories Matter Foundation series about the latest Chicago literary news, releases, and recommendations. Stay tuned every month for new installments!
Ep 39: Julia Fine, Author, on Getting Started, Taking Breaks, and Writing as the Reward – Chicago Writers Podcast
Michael Welch is the Editor-In-Chief for the Chicago Review of Books. His work has appeared in Prairie Schooner, Scientific American, Electric Lit, Iron Horse Literary Review, North American Review, and elsewhere. He is also the editor of the anthology "On an Inland Sea: Writing the Great Lakes," forthcoming from Belt Publishing in March 2026. Find him at www.michaelbwelch.com and @MBWwelch.