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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A collection that captures baseball’s heroes, and their human stories

Columns by Ira Berkow go beyond the statistics to describe the essence of the game and those who have played it. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-07-15 12:00:28 UTC ]
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Susie Steiner, author of stylish British crime thrillers, dies at 51

As a Guardian journalist, she helped popularize the “Keep Calm Carry On” poster. She later wrote bestselling novels about police detective Manon Bradshaw. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-07-15 00:29:15 UTC ]
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An 'emotional' Jennifer Grey opens up about how abortion changed her life

The 'Dirty Dancing' star discusses the upcoming sequel, her memoir and the Supreme Court's 'fundamentally wrong' abortion ruling. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-07-14 14:00:17 UTC ]
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Publishing Gets the Reality Show Treatment with 'America’s Next Great Author'

The reality show format offers amateurs and unknowns a chance to display their latent talent and work with mentors to nurture it in a competition charged with tension. Could the format work for writers, too? Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Kwame Alexander to present new reality show America’s Next Great Author

Contestants will enter a writers’ retreat and be given 30 days to write a novel while completing ‘live-wire’ challenges Reality TV producers have exhausted singers, dancers, drag artists, potters, tailors, and beautiful young people hoping to find love. Now, it seems, the spotlight has fallen on... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-07-12 11:04:45 UTC ]
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Tuesday New Release Day: Starring Wayne, Okparanta, Chang, and More

Here’s a quick look at some notable books—new titles from Teddy Wayne, Chinelo Okparanta, K-Ming Chang, and more—that are publishing this week. Want to learn more about upcoming titles? Then go read our most recent book preview. Want to help The Millions keep churning out great books... Continue reading at The Millions

[ The Millions | 2022-07-12 09:59:18 UTC ]
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Where the Crawdads Sing Author Wanted for Questioning in Murder

A televised 1990s killing in Zambia has striking similarities to Delia Owens’s best-selling book turned movie. Continue reading at The Atlantic

[ The Atlantic | 2022-07-11 18:53:00 UTC ]
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Authors for Abortion Access Launch Auction

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
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A 'Jane the Virgin' writer shares the story 'Hollywood wasn't quite ready to tell'

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[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-07-07 13:00:42 UTC ]
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Erika L. Sánchez Wishes More Authors Would Write About Money

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[ The New York Times | 2022-07-07 09:00:11 UTC ]
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[ Electric Literature | 2022-07-06 11:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Jesmyn Ward has won the 2022 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction.

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[ Literrary Hub | 2022-07-01 17:08:35 UTC ]
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[ Interesting Literature | 2022-07-01 14:00:56 UTC ]
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[ Book Riot | 2022-06-30 10:41:00 UTC ]
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[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2022-06-27 14:59:00 UTC ]
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Register Today for AAPI Communities in Conversation #7, Featuring Marie Myung-Ok Lee, Author of 'Finding My Voice'

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-06-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
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