New Bookstore to Center Black Women’s Narratives, At Home With Edmund White, and More

by Staff
7.27.20

Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—publishing reports, literary dispatches, academic announcements, and more—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today’s stories.

“We need to have physical spaces that are for us and uplift us when we move past COVID.” Asha Grant talks to the Los Angeles Times about preparing to open the Salt Eaters, a bookstore devoted to the narratives of Black women, femmes, and gender-nonconforming people.   

Joshua Barone checks in with Edmund White, “the paterfamilias of queer literature” who turned eighty in January. Friends Joyce Carol Oates and Alexander Chee, among others, reflect on the author’s humor and kindness. (New York Times)

“Playing with different systems can be difficult because so many ideas are running through my head daily on how to write a poem and I can’t comprehensively translate all of them.” Nkosi Nkululeko reflects on how his passions for poetry, chess, and music have informed one another. (No Tokens)

“Being able to shepherd work whose vision I believe in is very important for me. I wake up excited to represent the people that I represent.” Publishers Weekly profiles Tanya McKinnon, the founder of McKinnon Literary, whose client list includes Robin D. G. Kelly, Imani Perry, and Mark Siegel. 

“I just had this question of what would it mean if we weren’t able to determine someone’s gender, race, background, or age? What would it mean to look at a person who was like that?” Catherine Lacey discusses the origins of her latest novel, Pew. (Electric Literature)

“As a writer, I had never been more productive. I had never had this kind of space to think. I felt more awake and alive than I ever had.” Melissa Faliveno recalls returning home to Wisconsin to complete work on her first book, Tomboyland. (Literary Hub)

The Millions has selected its top ten fiction debuts of the fall, including Raven Leilani’s Luster, K-Ming Chang’s Bestiary, and Shruti Swamy’s A House Is a Body

At the Cut, eight writers share how they found their literary agent