With so many author tours being canceled, Debutiful has invited any author who had events canceled or postponed due to coronavirus to do a reading and a brief interview as part of the Digital Book Tour podcast series.
Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher
Continue reading “Digital Book Tour – Hadley Moore, Not Dead Yet”
Mary South’s debut story collection, You Will Never Be Forgotten, explores what she calls “late-capitalism dystopias.” The collection is filled with memorable stories from a FAQs section gone wrong (““Frequently Asked Questions About Your Craniotomy”) to a woman who stalks her rapist online and then in real life (the title story “You Will Never Be Forgotten”).
Continue reading “Mary South recommends her favorite stories, collections, and journals”
For many, 2019 was just another year. It came and went as resolutions made in late 2018 fell by the wayside. Our president continued to attack anyone who stood up to him. For Debutiful, it was my debut year celebrating debut authors. The site featured over 40 interviews in the first year and recommended over 70 books.
Continue reading “Debutiful’s favorite debut books of 2019”
Each month, I will pick a handful of buzzworthy and under the radar debut books I feel you’ll enjoy.
Continue reading “6 debut books you should read this November”
Every year, PEN America releases an anthology of the best short stories written by first time published writers. This year, a dozen writers were selected from a wide-ranging array of literary journals – both in print and online. They were judged and selected by Danielle Evans, Alice Sola Kim, and Carmen Maria Machado.
Continue reading “Meet five writers collected in the ‘PEN America Best Debut Short Stories 2019’ anthology”
In her debut story collection, R.L. Maizes offers stories filled with quirky wit that explore the small tender moments of our lives. We Love Anderson Cooper brings outsiders into a warm embrace.
The stories have the same heart, but range in a deliciously diverse cast of characters. From a therapist’s couch to a boys Bar Mitzvah, we are welcomed in to relatable scenarios that will make readers feel connected.
Below, R.L. Maizes answered Debutiful‘s “A Life of Books” questionnaire.
Continue reading “A Life of Books with R.L. Maizes, author of ‘We Love Anderson Cooper’”
Each month, I will pick a handful of buzzworthy and under the radar debut books I feel you’ll enjoy.
Continue reading “6 debut books you should read this August”
There have been a lot of debuts that have been published this year. I curated a list of the best debuts for Electric Literature and left off a lot of books I have featured here on Debutiful. Still, there are more debuts that somehow missed my radar.
The following six books are debuts that I have recently read or discovered through booksellers, fellow writers, and librarians.
Continue reading “6 more debut books from the first half of 2019 to read”
Bryan Washington’s debut short story collection Lot is a portrait of his native Houston that reveals the nuances of modern-day struggles in race, socioeconomic status, and sexuality.
I spoke with his at length about the collection for an interview that was published over atThe Millions. However, for this site, I wanted to talk to him about his other big passion: food. We chatted about food in Houston and what everyone should learn how to cook.
Continue reading “Bryan Washington’s guide to food in Houston”
Mandeliene Smith – not Madeline, more on that in a moment – has had a long career leading up to her debut collection. It was worth the wait because the stories that inhabit Rutting Season offer an honest and varied look into the everyday lives of her characters.
She twists and turns her way through the highlights and low moments with such grace and determination. It’s easy to forget you’re reading a short story as you turn from page to page due to her precise tone and mood. What makes this short story collection stand out is how she manages to keep a thematic undertone throughout each story – not one feels out of place – but also keeps every page fresh.
Continue reading “Mandeliene Smith, author of ‘Rutting Season,’ discusses the forces that shape our actions”