In this episode, host Will Rose speaks with author Stephanie Austin about her debut novel, Burn, which will be released on February 3, 2026, from Cowboy Jamboree Press.

Stephanie reflects on the novel’s remarkable twenty-year journey to publication, tracing how the story evolved across drafts, forms, and decades before finally finding its true shape. She discusses why returning the book's setting to the 1990s was essential -- not as nostalgia, but as a narrative necessity -- and how themes of longing, miscommunication, and self-discovery depend on a world without constant digital access. The conversation also explores Stephanie’s relationship with her protagonist, the sense of grief that comes with finishing a long-gestating book, and the challenges of letting a beloved character go.

You can learn more about Stephanie Austin and her books at https://www.stephanieaustin.net/.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Will Rose speaks with historian Jeff Roche, author of The Conservative Frontier: Texas and the Origins of the New Right (University of Texas Press), about how West Texas became one of the most conservative regions in American political life. Roche traces the roots of modern conservatism back to the late nineteenth century, beginning with the rise of ranching culture after the displacement of Indigenous peoples and the collapse of the bison economy. He explains how the entrepreneurial, anti-state ethos of early ranchers—embodied by figures like Charles Goodnight—combined with the mythology of the cowboy to form a durable regional identity centered on self-reliance, individualism, and suspicion of government authority.

The conversation also explores the defining role of geography and environment in shaping West Texas culture, from its flat, arid plains to its chronic vulnerability to drought. Roche highlights the Dust Bowl as a turning point that shattered faith in agricultural abundance while deepening resentment toward federal intervention. The episode concludes with a discussion of Barry Goldwater’s influence on the rise of the New Right, showing how West Texas conservatives helped redefine American conservatism in the mid-twentieth century and laid the groundwork for the modern Republican Party.

In this episode of Words on a Wire, host Will Rose speaks with El Paso–based photographer and videographer Christian Iglesias, widely known on social media as @ChristianChurches. Iglesias has built a devoted following by documenting the landscapes, people, and everyday moments of the borderlands.

The conversation traces Iglesias’s journey from shooting high school football games at Eastwood High School to becoming one of the most recognizable visual storytellers in the El Paso region. With roots in journalism, Iglesias explains how the discipline of photojournalism—speed, relevance, and presence—continues to shape his approach.

Iglesias also shares insights into the craft itself, discussing camera gear, lenses, and the enduring belief that great photography is driven by the artist’s eye rather than expensive equipment. He reflects on the rise of social media as a platform for documentary storytelling and how the pandemic pushed him to fully commit to sharing his work online.

At the heart of the conversation is a deep love for El Paso. Iglesias speaks passionately about the people of the borderlands, the city’s resilience, and the quiet beauty that is often overlooked.