Tell us about A NOVEL OBSESSION.

My book is narrated by Naomi, an aspiring novelist who becomes desperately obsessed with her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, Rosemary. Naomi begins stalking and befriending Rosemary under false pretenses so she has something interesting to write about—or at least, that’s how Naomi justifies this behavior to herself. Chaos obviously ensues, and Naomi keeps escalating and escalating her bad behavior until the inevitable train wreck! 

How are you nesting during this time?

At this exact moment, ever since my book was published about two months ago, after a whirlwind of book events and post-pub insanity and cross-country travels, I’m finally practicing how to say no to social events. I’ve always had terrible FOMO, but I’m trying to enjoy my own company for a little while.

 Do you have a bird story or favorite feathered friend?

I actually had two parakeets in my bedroom when I was young, as a gift from an old babysitter. She meant well but didn’t realize you can’t just give someone an animal without asking first! Even though they were beautiful, I was honestly pretty depressed to see them in their cage every day, so my family gave them away to a home where they would be better cared for. Wild birds I loved were the blue-footed boobies in the Galapagos! 

What is your most memorable reading experience?

I was absurdly excited (and impatient) about the publication of Sally Rooney’s Normal People, so I ordered it from the UK months before its US publication and stalked my mailbox for weeks waiting for it to arrive. The buzzy anticipation made the eventual reading experience particularly memorable! 

What makes you most excited about A NOVEL OBSESSION?

I loved exploring Naomi’s darker impulses on the page, her most unhinged desires. As I wrote, I kept asking myself: what is the craziest thing she could do next? While I certainly don’t recommend doing anything Naomi does, I think we could all benefit from following our desires instead of depriving ourselves of what we want. So far, dozens of readers have reached out to tell me they find the book (unsettlingly) relatable, which has been incredibly gratifying! I’d hoped readers would feel seen or validated by the book somehow. 

 To tweet or not to tweet?

I tweet, but it doesn’t often feel very joyful. I love scrolling through other people’s ridiculous memes, though, and I definitely lurk on literary drama!

What book(s) do you have in your bag / at your bedside right now?

I just finished Six Days in Rome by Francesca Giacco, which was such a meditative, sensual, deeply felt book. It also allowed me to pretend I was vacationing in Rome! Next up: The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas and When We Fell Apart by Soon Wiley. 

Can you tell us your favorite rejection story?

I’m forever trying to channel my seventeen-year-old self, who was ambitious, hopeful, determined (and a bit delusional) enough to submit a short story to The New Yorker! The editors rejected it, of course, but also miraculously responded with encouraging personal feedback, noting that my story had a “sense of lyricism” and a “good eye for imagery.” Then they hit me with this: “Your next step will probably be to study how plot is constructed, and consider building a narrative arc. (Think beginning, middle, end.)” It still cracks me up to this day! I think I’ve successfully learned how to construct a plot, but I suppose that’s up to readers to decide! 

 What literary journals do you love?

 Besides Pigeon Pages, I love The Forge, Kenyon Review, Crazyhorse, Hobart, Longleaf Review, Catapult, Ploughshares, The Normal School, Washington Square Review. And many others!

 What shakes your tail feathers?

90s and early 2000s hip-hop and pop is so fun to dance to! 

What advice do you have for fledgling writers?

Read widely, allow rejection to motivate you, go on long walks to allow your mind to wander, and write about your obsessions, especially the darker and crazier ones. Stop letting other people (or even yourself) tell you what you should be writing about.

What other eggs do you have in your basket right now?

I’m trying to write a short story about horses, and a novel about inherited art. It’s coming along very slowly . . .