The PEN Ten Interview Series
The PEN Ten is on the pulse of literary culture to help you discover your next great read. In this interview series, we ask authors 10 questions about their latest work and art.
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Leone Ross
“Fiction gives me an opportunity to express emotional truth by creating composite characters—bits of myself, inspired by other people. . . and hoping readers relate deeply.” More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Kayleb Rae Candrilli
“I am a small part of the tradition being remade and reclaimed by historically marginalized folks. Our bodies are breaking rules by existing, so why wouldn’t our art?” More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Raymond Antrobus
“If I’m finding language for my fullest and most honest self, then most of that is showing up in the work.” More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Hanif Abdurraqib
“I’ve needed stories as a way to keep loved ones alive, as a way to contextualize histories, as a way to push back against things I was told to… More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Carribean Fragoza
“Fiction is very real to me, not just because my characters and settings are often inspired by real people. . . but because they also address emotions and ideas… More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Forsyth Harmon
“Ali, [the] teenage narrator [in my book, Justine], struggles to communicate in words. I used illustrations as another way to represent her interior.” More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Jamie Figueroa
“Why do people need food and water? That’s how strongly I feel about the function of stories. We need stories to survive. . . to remember, to imagine, to… More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Marisa Reichardt
“I think my identity reveals itself in styles, themes, and messages. Where I grew up, the sports I played, the people I loved and loathed, these all show up… More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Asha Dahya
“It is so common to feel alone in our lived experiences, but once we see more and more people share their stories, we start to get that sense of… More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Zak Salih
“Pride as a gay man, as a writer—both require one to build up defenses against judgment while simultaneously embracing the vulnerability that comes from making public one’s authentic self.” More
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