Authors Electric

  The New York Times today published a fascinating interview with author George Saunders .  Saunders, born December 2, 1958, is an American author known for short stories, essays, novellas, novels, and books for children. His work has appeared in publications such as The New Yorker, Harper’s, McSweeney’s, and GQ . From 2006 to 2008, he also wrote a weekly column titled “American Psyche” for the weekend magazine of The Guardian. Saunders is a professor at Syracuse University and has received multiple National Magazine Awards for fiction, winning in 1994, 1996, 2000, and 2004. He earned second prize in the O. Henry Awards in 1997. His debut collection, CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, was a finalist for the 1996 PEN/Hemingway Award. In 2006, he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship and received the World Fantasy Award for his short story “CommComm.” His later collection, In Persuasion Nation , was a finalist for The Story Prize in 2007. Saunders won the PEN/Malamud Award in 2013 and w...

In the riveting collection, Periscope City: Where the Lonely Go to Live Alone , debut author Benjamin Talbot introduces readers to a fictional city full of complex characters navigating isolation, desire, and disconnection. In this exclusive interview, Ben opens up about the origins of the collection, the surprising characters that emerged, and how his own experiences helped shape this strange, eerie world. If you’ve ever felt alone in a crowded room—or sought solitude in a noisy one—this interview might speak to you. Start off with the book trailer, which will provide you the general Periscope City feel:   Dianne Pearce (Dianne):  Hey Ben, I really appreciate you taking the time to let me quiz you about your book. I loved the book the minute I read the first story, which for me, was a story about a very strange ice cream shop. I have a similar one near my house, very unusual flavors, so it intrigued me. And I admit to being very surprised by where it went. The book has so muc...