Join me at this wonderful independent bookstore in CT on my New England tour for People Like You.
Here is the link to the event in Madison, CT.
I’d love to see you there.
Daedalus Books w/Kathleen Lane
Please come out to hear me read in support of the endlessly talented Kathleen Lane, who has just launched her novel The Best Worst Thing (Little, Brown). The book is funny, sad, smart and full of humanity – all just like the author herself.
This promises to be a great evening.
(And thanks to the great Steve Arndt who set it up!)
Small Press Picks & KLCC Reviews
Deep gratitude to Beth Castrodale of Small Press Picks, and Connie Bennett of the Eugene Public Library for their beautiful reviews of PEOPLE LIKE YOU.
Beth’s review can be found on her site, Small Press Picks, where she champions small presses (and short stories too!) doing good work.
Connie’s review can be read and listened to on the KLCC website here.
As I’ve said before in various places on my site and in other media, finding a reader that not only understands what you’re doing but loves it is just about the best thing out there for a writer. It is the ultimate kind of connection.
Thank you both so much.
Harvard Book Store with Chris McCormick
I’m back in Boston tonight to read with Chris McCormick, author of the story collection DESERT BOYS. A book Karen Russell called, “…hilarious, devious, original, and unforgettable.” Clearly we are going to be a good fit together.
On a personal note, seeing as how this bookstore was one of my favorite places to hang out during the latter part of the worst year of my life, I am especially excited to be reading here.
I’d love to see you there, Boston friends.
PEOPLE LIKE YOU Receives PEN/Hemingway Honors
I am dumbstruck and elated to report that PEOPLE LIKE YOU was selected a Finalist in the PEN/Hemingway Award for first fiction.
***
From the PEN/New England site:
FINALISTS
The two PEN/Hemingway Award finalists are S. M. Hulse for Black River (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) and Margaret Malone for People Like You (Atelier26).
***
Suddenly I find myself in the company of other past winners, finalists and honorable mentions… you know, authors like George Saunders, Edward P. Jones, Jhumpa Lahiri, Colson Whitehead, ZZ Packer, Jennifer Haigh, Marilynne Robinson, Ha Jin, Sherman Alexie, Junot Diaz, Yiyun Li, Lily King, Justin Cronin, Ben Fountain, Teju Cole, Mitchell S. Jackson, and many, many other mind-blowing writers.
Biggest of thanks to PEN New England and this year’s judges, Joshua Ferris, Alexandra Marshall, and Jay Parini.
And big, big congratulations to the winner Ottessa Moshfegh for her book EILEEN (Penguin), my co-Finalist S.M. Hulse for BLACK RIVER (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), and honorable mention authors Karim Dimechkie for LIFTED BY THE GREAT NOTHING (Bloomsbury), and Chigozie Obioma for THE FISHERMEN (Little, Brown).
Lastly, never ending thanks to Atelier26 Books, the little engine that could, and Mark Allen Cunningham for making this impossible undreamed-of dream a reality.
To say I’m humbled doesn’t begin to do justice to what I feel today.
THRU Magazine Interview with Kate Dolan
Last month I had the great good fortune to spend the morning, over coffee, talking to THRU Magazine’s editor Kate Dolan. We spent a couple hours talking about books and writing and stories and women and life and unlikeable characters and… it was tremendous.
Afterwards she wrote this beautiful article.
Biggest of thanks to Kate and THRU.
NewPages Review is up for People Like You
If you’re a writer, especially of short fiction and/or essays, you are a big fan of the folks at New Pages – the preeminent gathering place of literary magazines, independent presses, indie bookstores… you get the idea.
The NewPages review came out this morning for PEOPLE LIKE YOU and I couldn’t more excited to share it with you. Especially because it has this awesome line in it:
“…put a post-it note on your forehead with Margaret Malone’s name on it. You won’t want to miss her next act.”
Big big thanks to NewPages.com for continuing their legacy of reaching out past the big publishing houses and writers to connect readers and working writers with the world. And thanks to writer David Breithaupt for the close read and the beautiful review.
Broadway Books Reading w/Arthur Bradford
Back from my west coast tour, I’ll be reading at home in Portland at the legendary Broadway Books along with Oregon Book Award Finalist Arthur Bradford.
We’ll both be reading from our recent story collections, People Like You and Turtleface and Beyond.
As I said to Arthur, I’m pretty sure if his book sat next to my book in a bar, they’d be fast friends.
See you there.
Portland Center Stage Social Hour w/Courtenay Hameister
I’ll be reading from PEOPLE LIKE YOU during HAPPY HOUR at Portland Center Stage before their current show GREAT EXPECTATIONS, along with the interminably hilarious COURTENAY HAMEISTER doing, of course, something brilliant and hilarious.
Here’s how it works:
Show up at 6:30 FOR FREE, hang out upstairs, listen to the readings, have a FREE DRINK, and some FREE FOOD. If you would like to stay for the show, you can get discounted tickets super cheap. Or, after imbibing and ingesting on the house, you can go next door to Powell’s and buy books, or wander around the Pearl, or see a movie across the street at Living Room Theaters… whatever.
Is that the craziest, best deal you’ve ever heard of? Me too!
Portland Center Stage describes it like this:
Social Hours are events that connect the community with local artists throughout the season for casual happy hours at Portland Center Stage prior to a performance. Our hosting artists will present a brief performance or program for about 10 minutes during the Social Hour, but mostly it’s a good excuse to socialize prior to a show!
Complimentary nibbles are provided at each Social Hour, and your first glass of beer or wine is on us! Social Hours are free and open to the public. No reservations necessary.
Portland Center Stage Social Hour w/Courtenay Hameister
I’ll be reading from PEOPLE LIKE YOU during HAPPY HOUR at Portland Center Stage before their current show GREAT EXPECTATIONS, along with the interminably hilarious COURTENAY HAMEISTER doing, of course, something brilliant and hilarious.
Here’s how it works:
Show up at 6:30 FOR FREE, hang out upstairs, listen to the readings, have a FREE DRINK, and some FREE FOOD. If you would like to stay for the show, you can get discounted tickets super cheap. Or, after imbibing and ingesting on the house, you can go next door to Powell’s and buy books, or wander around the Pearl, or see a movie across the street at Living Room Theaters… whatever.
Is that the craziest, best deal you’ve ever heard of? Me too!
Portland Center Stage describes it like this:
Social Hours are events that connect the community with local artists throughout the season for casual happy hours at Portland Center Stage prior to a performance. Our hosting artists will present a brief performance or program for about 10 minutes during the Social Hour, but mostly it’s a good excuse to socialize prior to a show!
Complimentary nibbles are provided at each Social Hour, and your first glass of beer or wine is on us! Social Hours are free and open to the public. No reservations necessary.