Interviews

Author Ela Lee Delves into Identity, Power, and Consent in Debut Novel Jaded

by AdamLeave a Comment on Author Ela Lee Delves into Identity, Power, and Consent in Debut Novel Jaded
Author Ela Lee Delves into Identity, Power, and Consent in Debut Novel Jaded

Ela Lee, author of Jaded was raised in South London to Korean and Turkish immigrant parents before graduating from Oxfor University. Now, a lawyer, she has published her debut book that follows a young lawyer wakes up the morning after a work gala with no memory of how she got home the previous night.

We corresponded with the author via email to ask her about a wide range of topics that cover her writing process and the challenges of addressing sensitive topics like sexual assault.

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Interviews

A Life of Books: Varaidzo, author of Manny and the Baby

by AdamLeave a Comment on A Life of Books: Varaidzo, author of Manny and the Baby
A Life of Books: Varaidzo, author of Manny and the Baby


Manny and the Baby author Varaidzo is a writer and artist, whose short story “Bus Stop” was shortlisted for the 4thWrite Prize in 2018. She has contributed to notable anthologies including The Good Immigrant in 2016 and 2021’s Who’s Loving You. Her debut novel Manny and the Baby was published in the U.K. earlier this month and explores what it means to be Black and British.

Debutiful asked the author to answer our recurring “A Life of Books” questionnaire so readers can get to know her better.

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writing

Read an excerpt from Emet North’s In Universes

by AdamLeave a Comment on Read an excerpt from Emet North’s In Universes
Read an excerpt from Emet North’s In Universes

Emet North has done it all. They received a grant from NASA, taught snowboarding, translated Spanish into English, and received an MFA from Johns Hopkins. Their debut book, In Universes,  is a surreal sci-fi-tinged book about parallel worlds and trying to find a place to fit in.

Below is an excerpt from the second chapter, titled “A Universe Where I Said Hello.”

North’s debut book is available for purchase now.

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Interviews

A Life of Books: K.T. Nguyen, author of You Know What You Did

by AdamLeave a Comment on A Life of Books: K.T. Nguyen, author of You Know What You Did
A Life of Books: K.T. Nguyen, author of You Know What You Did

K. T. Nguyen‘s debut thriller You Know What You Did has drawn comparisons to Lisa Jewell and Celeste Ng. The book follows Annie “Anh Le” Shaw, whose life begins to spiral out of control after her mother dies unexpectedly one night. As she loses control, a person goes missing, and she wakes up naked in a bath tub. Nguyen’s taut thriller takes off from there and never looks back.

We caught up with the author to ask our recurring “A Life of Books” questionnaire so readers can get to know her better and get some book recommendations along the way.

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News

20 must-read recent debut poetry collections

by Adam1 Comment on 20 must-read recent debut poetry collections
20 must-read recent debut poetry collections

For National Poetry Month, we’ve rounded up a dozen debut poetry collections that have been or will be released in 2024. Since 2019, we have featured countless debut novels, story collections, memoirs, and essay collections but poetry has unfortunately been a blindspot.

While this isn’t correcting that error, we hope it is a step in the right direction and we will open up more poetry coverage moving forward.

Below are collections I have read and loved with a few that were recommended to me as must-reads from poets who know what they’re talking about.

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