American author Joy Williams: ‘The comfy story has got to change’

The novelist and short story writer on her new book about Azrael, the angel of death, her encounters with Raymond Carver and Richard Yates, and why fiction should be uncannyJoy Williams, 80, has written five novels and four story collections and is the recipient of numerous awards. Her most recent book of short stories, Concerning the Future of Souls: 99 Stories of Azrael (Tuskar Rock), was published earlier this year. Her work ranges from the philosophical examination of being, belief and morality to urgent engagements with environmental catastrophe; James Salter wrote of her that she belongs in the company of Céline and Flannery O’Connor. Born in Massachusetts, she now lives in the Sonoran desert.An earlier collection of yours was called 99 Stories of God, and now you’ve moved on to Azrael (the angel of death and transporter of souls) as the subject. What drew you to him?I read in a WS Merwin collection his translation of Hadrian’s deathbed poem to his soul – Animula vagula blandula – so sorrowful and succinct. The soul, a worthy subject. And Azrael has always fascinated me: he was death, but not death exactly. He was more a gorgeous creation of Islam. I picture him as responsible for all the souls of this ensouled Earth. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2024-10-19 17:00:20 UTC ]
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Why We Still Need to Investigate the Rolling Stone Rape Story

This week, Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner asked the Columbia Journalism School to review Sabrina Rubin Erdely’s story about a gang rape at the University of Virginia. As it became clear that the story’s central incident—a gang rape of a freshman at a fraternity—did not happen as Rolling Stone... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2014-12-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Edicola: Bringing New Chilean and Italian Authors to the World

Founded in 2012, Chile's Edicola publishes new Chilean and Italian authors in Spanish, Italian, and English in both print and ebook formats. The post Edicola: Bringing New Chilean and Italian Authors to the World appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-12-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Argentina’s La Bestia Revives English Authors in Spanish

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-12-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Debut author will give grants to six independent bookstores

Author Jeffrey Stayton, whose first book is being published this February, recently sponsored a competition to select six independent bookstores as recipients of $250 grants. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-12-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Galley Beggar Press to launch short story list

Independent publisher Galley Beggar Press will launch a new short story list in 2015 to help lesser-known writers, for whom “getting a collection out there is still something of a battle”. Galley Beggar Press co-founder Eloise Millar told The Bookseller that “publishers have an obligation to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Local authority budgets cut again

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[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Second Story Press Celebrates 25 Years of Feminist and Social Justice Publishing

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Scoop on American Religion: PW Talks with Peter Manseau

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors on the Air December 18, 2014: Molly Manning

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hilary Mantel attacks critics over BBC’s Margaret Thatcher story broadcast

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[ The Guardian | 2014-12-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bloomsbury Announces New William Boyd Novel

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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J.K. Rowling celebrates 12 Days of Christmas with 12 new 'Harry Potter' stories (+video)

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[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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J.K. Rowling celebrates 12 Days of Christmas with 12 new 'Harry Potter' stories

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[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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