Competing Interests: An Interview with Christopher Hebert
Debut novelist Christopher Hebert on writing a revolution, the industry of passive characters, and people who put trees above human life.
Debut novelist Christopher Hebert on writing a revolution, the industry of passive characters, and people who put trees above human life.
I just finished teaching for the term, and this past class was a bit unusual: I had two legally blind students. All of my students were phenomenal, but I was particularly floored by the dedication of those two—one of whom did the class reading by listening to his computer read the stories aloud. This all got me thinking about the many things I take for granted, including the ability to stare at a blank page waiting for inspiration to strike. Voice recognition software has come a long way, but it’s still not the smoothest tool for writers, as novelist Justine […]
Howard L. Anderson’s debut novel features a peculiar amalgam of talking wallabies, action-packed shoot-outs, and timeless Old West themes repackaged under an unforgiving Australian sun.
I know few writers who need another reason for another cup of coffee. But if you need more convincing, how about your health? The reasoning isn’t yet understood, but it’s possible that coffee has health benefits beyond the mental satisfaction of finishing that chapter. This week, the New York Times Wellness blog cited researchers at the National Cancer Institute who have found a correlation between increased coffee intake and decreased risk of colon cancer. LiveScience also wrote this week about the possibility that drinking coffee could “reduce the risk of basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer.” […]
Why don’t we have more writers on talk shows? (Except when they’re begging Oprah’s forgiveness?) Stephen Colbert tackles this issue, and many others, with writer Richard Ford. Watch below to learn why fiction isn’t the same thing as lying, why Ford’s latest novel is called Canada,, and why he keeps his manuscripts in the freezer (hint: it keeps the ideas fresher). The Colbert Report Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c Richard Ford www.colbertnation.com Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive Further Reading: Also rocking the Colbert Report: Ann Patchett Oh, AND Maurice Sendak. You know, given […]
Last week we featured Alix Ohlin’s new story collection Signs and Wonders, and we’re pleased to announce the winners: Monica Mansfield (@MonicaMansfield ) Diane Dunning (@diane_dunning) Katherine Howe (@katherinebhowe) Congrats! To claim your free copy, please email us at the following address: winners [at] fictionwritersreview.com If you’d like to be eligible for future giveaways, please visit our Twitter Page and “follow” us! Thanks to all of you who are fans. We appreciate your support. Let us know your favorite new books out there!
From Patton Oswalt’s plea for Playboys strewn through the forest, to the evolution of Lemurs, Monkeybicycle is fast, fresh, and funny. This ain’t your father’s lit journal.
What can we learn from Chris Cleve’s interesting but sugary summer read about competing Olympic cyclists? That well-assigned conflicts are what make bestsellers tick.
This has been making the rounds for a little while now, but it’s so inspiring that if you haven’t seen it yet, you really should. In a commencement address at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Neil Gaiman offers reflections and advice on writing, freelancing, and the artistic life—“everything I wish I’d known starting out… and the best piece of advice I ever got, which I completely failed to follow” You can also read the transcript at the University of the Arts website, but there’s something about hearing in English accent that makes all this sound so encouraging and […]
