first books

  • A Novel Debut

    Over at the New York Times Book Review, Leslie Jamison and Ayana Mathis write about the excitement surrounding debut novelists’ work. “It’s like hearing an overture at the beginning of a symphony, the introduction of themes and preoccupations that will…

  • The Rumpus Interview with Annie Liontas

    The Rumpus Interview with Annie Liontas

    Annie Liontas talks about her debut novel Let Me Explain You, crafting voices, and the benefits—and occasional pitfalls—of returning to get an MFA after years of writing in the dark.

  • Writing Your First Book

    When I started writing a novel I thought, I’m not ready, because I’ve only written short stories and nobody wants them, but I also thought, For Christ’s sake, what am I going to do? I can’t keep on like this.…

  • The Rumpus Sunday Book Blog Roundup

    “I feel that for writers, an obsession with what is elegant or what is a cliché or not a cliché can become very inhibiting.” Booker Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro stands up for cliches. (via Bookninja) “Laughs were out, torture porn…