For those of you who are registered for this year’s Associated Writing Programs Conference, I joined Joy Baglio, Matthew Lansburgh, Jennifer Pullen, and Laura van den Berg for a pre-recorded virtual panel called “Ghosts, Portals, and Other Worlds: The Surreal in Contemporary Fiction.” Our hour-long conversation will be available to stream between March 8 and April 8. You can read more about it and find the event outline and a PDF of our reading recommendations here.

“Writers of literary fiction often find the boundaries between the possible and impossible in their work disintegrating in strange, unexpected ways. What gives rise to this shift, and how do we navigate the surreal in our lives and work? How can models like Toni Morrison, Gabriel Garcia Márquez, and George Saunders guide us? What techniques can help bring the speculative to life in a compelling and convincing manner? Acclaimed authors who’ve explored these questions will share insights and advice.”