Interviews

Person/A-L Rejection: An Interview with Elizabeth Ellen

June 2nd, 2017

Elizabeth Ellen has been a star in the indie lit community for years. Her work as publisher of Short Flight/Long Drive Books, and her own writing—a kind of poetry of uncertainty, a romanticization of self-consciousness—has earned her many die-hard readers and supporters.  Her most recent book, Person/A, finds her in her most intimate space yet. It’s confessional and arresting. Tender and provocative. We spoke to her about the book here:

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Secrets of the Slush: An Interview with Editor and Author, Michael Nye

April 20th, 2017

Michael Nye lives, eats, and breathes literature—when he's not playing pickup basketball, anyway. As a former or current editor of esteemed literary journals such as Boulevard, Missouri Review, and River Styx, he knows a thing or two about busting through the slush pile. He's also a gifted teacher (full disclosure: he was my literary Yoda when I was in my MFA program) and badass author in his own right.

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A Conversation with Sarah Gerard About Florida, Getting Reviewed by the Times, and Her New Essay Collection 'Sunshine State'

April 11th, 2017

A Chicago Tribune Exciting Book for 2017. A Buzzfeed Most Exciting Book for 2017. A The Millions Great 2017 Preview Pick. A Huffington Post 2017 Preview Pick. A PW Spring 2017 Top 10 Pick in Essays & Literary Criticism.  You could say that Sunshine State, the new essay collection from Sarah Gerard, has generated a little bit of buzz. 

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Genre-Blending and Plot Twists with Sarah Pinborough

March 15th, 2017

I would be shocked to hear you haven't heard about Sarah Pinborough's new novel, Behind Her Eyes. Everybody is talking about it, and for good reason. It's excellent. If you haven't read it already, immediately take a good hard look at your life and rectify this issue. Pinborough was kind enough to take the time and answer a few of my questions. You can read them below as you wait for your new book purchase to arrive.

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The Tale Must Be Greater Than The Truth: An Interview with Andrew Hilleman, Author of 'World, Chase Me Down'

March 6th, 2017

Andrew Hilleman’s Western/Literary/Thriller (we’ll discuss this) World, Chase Me Down was on my radar long before it hit shelves this past January, and I’m happy to say that the novel was anything but a disappointment. Neither was this interview. I pitched Hilleman some curveballs on everything from genre to point of view to pacing to structure and he took them like a literary champ.

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A Conversation with Ania Ahlborn About Creepy Houses, Strange Old Ladies, and Her New Novel 'The Devil Crept In'

February 8th, 2017

The Devil Crept In, the latest novel from Ania Ahlborn, is an immensely engaging and creepy read—the kind of book that demands your attention even as you're hesitant to read it before bed, for fear of the nightmares it might inspire. It really digs down into those fears that loom so large in a childhood: the creepy house, the strange old neighbor, the figures moving in the woods.  Here's the gist:

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Lisa Morton on Women in Horror, Juggling a Broad Career, and Becoming a Halloween Expert

February 6th, 2017

In honor of Women in Horror Month, who better to interview than Lisa Morton, Bram Stoker Award-winning author, screenwriter, Halloween expert, and president of the Horror Writers Association? She also happens to be one of my personal favorite women in horror, a kind and funny person with an incredibly generous spirit.

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A Quick Chat with Delilah S. Dawson About Her New Comic Book 'Ladycastle'

January 25th, 2017

Delilah S. Dawson has written in multiple genres, dabbled in the Star Wars universe, taught for us here at LitReactor... and now she's making the move over to comic books with Ladycastle, a four-issue miniseries from BOOM! Studios. The first issue is out today.  Here's the official description:

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A Conversation with Joshua Mohr about UFOs, Heart Surgeries, and His New Memoir 'Sirens'

January 10th, 2017

I first learned about Joshua Mohr's new memoir, Sirens, standing outside a bar in Brooklyn. He was in town to read from his new novel and he told me an excerpt was going to run at Buzzfeed soon. It would be about his recent heart surgery, and I felt a kinship with him on this because my daughter had just undergone her second (and hopefully final) surgery to correct a congenital heart defect. 

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A Conversation with Kelly Abbott, Founder of the New Short Story App 'Great Jones Street'

December 8th, 2016

"Netflix for short stories." That's a hell of a hook. It's the kind of thing you wonder why nobody had thought of yet: An app where short stories run on tap, and you can pull them up when you're commuting or sitting in a waiting room or just bored and want to read a good story.

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