Rebecca Makkai

Podcast (and excerpt from the new novel) on All Write Already!

Rebecca Makkai — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:39:30 +0000

In early May, I spoke to Karen Shimmin and Willy Nast of All Write Already! about the new novel, dismemberment, The Borrower, and nine-year-olds with scissors. After the intro, you can hear me read a chapter of the new book (about which I’ll have news on this site in a few days)…

Makkai in Imaginary Oklahoma

Rebecca Makkai — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:56:24 +0000

Despite never having set foot in Oklahoma in my life, I gladly wrote a short piece for This Land Press’s collection Imaginary Oklahoma, billed as “46 of today’s most important and influential writers combine with artists to provide a fictional take on the 46th state.” Many thanks to the Paris Review for the shout-out on my story, “Rich Rice from Tulsa.” Watch the Vimeo trailer for the anthology here!

“Cross” wins Michigan Quarterly Review’s Lawrence Foundation Prize

Rebecca Makkai — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:48:19 +0000

I’m pleased to announce (tardily) that my story “Cross” has won Michigan Quarterly Review‘s Lawrence Foundation Prize, awarded by their editorial board to one story appearing in MQR each year. “Cross” appeared in their summer, 2012 issue.

New Stories from the Midwest

Rebecca Makkai — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 18:41:58 +0000

My story “Peter Torrelli, Falling Apart,” originally published in Tin House in 2011, is included in the New Stories from the Midwest anthology, available now from Indiana University Press.

Blogging for Ploughshares

Rebecca Makkai — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 20:26:59 +0000

This year, I’ll be blogging regularly (18 posts total) for the fabulous Ploughshares blog. (And there are new posts from others every day — about poetry, fiction, literary boroughs, and more.) You can view all my posts by clicking here.

An ancient interview with the late Isaiah Sheffer

Rebecca Makkai — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 02:00:44 +0000

Isaiah Sheffer interviewed me over three years ago for the radio broadcast of my story “The Briefcase” on Selected Shorts. It was my first real interview as a writer, and I don’t think I fully understood at the time how lucky I was to be on the receiving end of questions that were so deeply insightful and patient. When he passed away in November, I realized I’d never linked to this here. The broadcast of the story itself, being read at Symphony Space by the amazing Victor Garber, is available as an MP3 download here.

Interview for The Short Form

Rebecca Makkai — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 23:59:46 +0000

I was thrilled to talk to the folks at The Short Form about short stories, dead raccoons, and serial adultery. And I get to be an illustration! How cool is that? Read the interview, complete with my short story recommendations, here.

“Mapping a Novel” in the Wall Street Journal

Rebecca Makkai — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 20:51:22 +0000

My essay “Mapping a Novel” — on sketching out fictional houses — was featured in the December 1st issue of the Wall Street Journal, as part of their excellent Word Craft series. I write about my drafting process, and also a bit about the novel-in-progress, The Happensack. Read the full article here!

Two nominations for 2013 Pushcarts

Rebecca Makkai — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 20:44:07 +0000

Many thanks to both New South and Michigan Quarterly Review for nominating short stories (“Our Plastic American Brethren” and “Cross,” respectively), for the 2013 Pushcart Prize!

Spanish edition and book trailer

Rebecca Makkai — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 20:37:02 +0000

The Borrower is now available in Spanish from Ediciones Maeva, as El Devorador de Libros (The Devourer of Books). And even if you don’t speak Spanish, you can enjoy the fabulous trailer they made.