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 with Carmen Agra Deedy
Respect the intelligence of young readers and never, ever, lie to them. They will love you for the former and crucify you should you ignore the latter. More
The PEN Ten with Deborah Smith
I never discuss a translation while I’m working on it, because for me the author’s voice and intention are all there on the page. More
The PEN Ten with Nicole Dennis-Benn
My job as a writer is to humanize people on the page … as artists we have a responsibility to dispel ignorance by spreading empathy. More
The PEN Ten with Sarah Schulman
The arresting officer testified that I said, 'Ladies should be able to choose.' I think that the idea of a woman's life being a human life was too complex. More
The PEN Ten with Christopher Bollen
I’m sure that particular piece of writing is horrifically melodramatic, but it did break down some invisible barrier between me and the page. It made me a braver writer. More
The PEN Ten with Lisa Ko
I said I wanted to be a writer, but only to myself—writers were not people who looked like me. More
The PEN Ten with Basma Abdel Aziz
I don’t accept the presence of censorship. I prefer to leave the final judgement to people when talking about writing. More
The PEN Ten with Kristen Radtke
We owe a lot to one another as human beings, but I don't know if we can always apply that debt to our work without crushing the work entirely.… More
The PEN Ten with Amanda Johnston
The closer our writing stays to uncovering a truth, the better we can understand the questions and answers. If we fall short of that, we lose vital pieces of… More
The PEN Ten with Kelly Forsythe
To consistently ask yourself “why” or “how” goes beyond the classroom and doesn’t belong to it exclusively; it is a tenet of critical thinking and literary exploration. More
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