In our morning reading: an interview with Halle Butler, thoughts on Mark Doten’s new novel, and more.
Morning Bites: Halle Butler on Words, Esmé Weijun Wang, Sam Lipsyte’s Latest, Michael A. Ferro Fiction, and More
In our morning reading: new writing from Halle Butler, an interview with Esmé Weijun Wang, and more.
The Best Debut Novels of 2015 So Far
So far, 2015 has offered more than its share of excellent debut novels. Some of these were the first works we’d heard of from the authors in questions; in other cases, we found ourselves looking at works that fulfilled the promise of the fantastic short fiction that preceded it. Whether on presses large or small, these are some of the debut novels that have caught our attention so far this year.
Morning Bites: New xTx, Kendrick Lamar & Toni Morrison, A Matt Bell Excerpt, Karen Dalton Revisited, and More
In this morning’s reading: an excerpt from a new book by Matt Bell, new writing from xTx, a film co-written by Halle Butler has a fundraiser going on, and more.
Morning Bites: Ta-Nehisi Coates, Commencement Speech Books, Faith No More, Halle Butler Interviewed, and More
News of a new Ta-Nehisi Coates book, interviews with Halle Butler and Katy Otto, talking with Faith No More about their new album, when commencement speeches become books, and more.
“Frustrating People are Inherently Compelling”: Talking “Jillian” With Halle Butler
Halle Butler’s novel Jillian is a master class in discomfort. It follows the lives of two co-workers: Megan, whose frustration and lack of ambition contrast with her co-worker Jillian, whose upbeat disposition conceals an abundance of frustration and a life spent on brink of collapse. Butler follows these two characters through a series of bleak interactions with hostile landscapes, keeping things compelling throughout. I talked with her via email to learn more about the novel’s origins and the complex dynamic […]
Morning Bites: Kazuo Ishiguro’s Latest, Magda Szabó, Paula Bomer and Elisa Albert, Halle Butler on Writing, and More
This Monday morning, we’re reading about Kazuo Ishiguro’s new novel, Megan Stielstra’s thoughts on the Chicago mayoral race, a Halle Butler writing exercise, Paula Bomer’s interview with Elisa Albert, and more.
Announcing Halle Butler at Unnameable Books
We’re pleased to announce that we’ll be hosting Halle Butler this March at Unnameable Books. Her debut novel Jillian is one of our favorites of the year to date. Cari Luna has called it “a wry, smart portrait of two women set on separate courses of self-destruction.” Here’s one interview where Butler discusses the novel. For this event, Butler will be joined by a quartet of acclaimed writers; reading will be: Halle Butler Susan Hope Lanier Mike Lopez Sean H. Doyle Robb Todd