Matt Bell possesses a slew of writing insights, and he’s not shy about cracking open his notebook to share. After closing out Spillers No. 4 in fine style with his short story reading, we bind the author and ASU creative writing professor to a chair until he tells us about getting his start far away from the New York publishing support system, how hair boxes played a prominent role in pre-Tinder dating, and why it’s imperative for literary communities to connect with each other.

If you spot novelist Paul Mosier writing at Phoenix Public Market Cafe with tears in his eyes, it’s only because his muse has delivered the goods again. Our first ever returning Spiller sits down after his Spillers No. 4 reading to chat about the logistical advantages of reading from scrolls, why the only MFA degree in his future will have to be an honorary one, and how he’s not the creator of his stories so much as the person entrusted to deliver them. (Note: this episode is for mature audiences, only.)

Tara Ison has amassed so many writing awards she should be talking to Charlie Rose, not us. After her Spillers No. 4 reading, the writer of everything from screenplays and essays to novels and short stories talks about embracing dark themes, how she drives her characters to their reckoning points, and why unreliable narrators are just the thing to keep readers turning pages. (Note: this episode is for mature audiences, only.)

Just because David Waid’s a talented writer doesn’t mean he can’t also whip up a punk band’s show poster or play a mean game of D&D or even sell $326 toothbrushes. After his Spillers No. 4 reading, David chats with us about the benefits of his creative upbringing, the delight he takes in historical obscene language, and how back in the day Dr. Woog’s PerioSystem had phones ringing off the hook.

Michael Holladay might not change his car’s oil every 3,000 miles, but he can be relied upon to write stories packed with tons of emotion. Following his powerful reading at Spillers No. 4, Michael discusses the importance of mentors appearing at the right time, how a desk job can be a death knell for writers, and why you sometimes have to leave home to write about it.

Joel Salcido may run in some fast poetry circles, but he’s no stranger to producing top-notch prose, either. After kicking Spillers No. 4 off in high style, the Arizona State University MFA candidate talks to us about the social dynamics facing writers of color, the importance of having an Angeleno drive you around Los Angeles, and why he views pigeons as more than messengers. (Note: this episode is for mature audiences, only.)

Patrick Michael Finn is a writer’s writer who has a ton to say about the writing life. After closing out Spillers No. 3 in style, Patrick tells us about following in David Foster Wallace’s MFA footsteps, how a little generosity from fellow writers can go a long way, and why a trip on the light rail with your six-year-old son is a perfect opportunity to contemplate truly awful things.

David Nicol knows his tea clipper ships, and he’s not afraid to tell you when there’s a picture of one on the wall. After his appearance at Spillers No. 3, the author and Scotsman sits across the table from us to ruminate on the finer points of Scottish cuisine, writing zombie screenplays, and craic. (Note: this episode is for mature audiences, only.)

Leah Newsom’s own writing mixes just fine with any beverage, but her literary magazine Spilled Milk has your morning coffee reading habits squarely in its sights. Fresh off her Spillers No. 3 reading that left audience members in a Zen state, Leah tells us why she likes her literature adventurous (not experimental), how would-be writers should trash their Apple employment application, and why her Vespa’s never met a gas station it didn’t pull into.

Ed Tankersley doesn’t write foreboding short stories all the time, but we’d be okay with it if he did. After his Spillers No. 3 reading that creeped out total strangers, Ed tells us the rewards of hosting an ongoing poetry and prose open mic, the proper way to drink absinthe, and why even crabby guys can feel #blessed. (Note: this episode is for mature audiences, only.)