Lauren Prastien – Michigan Quarterly Review

Lauren Prastien

Lauren Prastien is a graduate of the Helen Zell Writers' Program at the University of Michigan, where she studied fiction. She has published articles at Refinery29, Print-Oriented Bastards and elsewhere. She lives with a dog and a neuroscientist in Pittsburgh, where she works in media and marketing. Follow her on Twitter @scentofaviking

On the “Competing Narratives” of Trust Exercise: An Interview with Susan Choi

One of the most absolutely electric scenes in Susan Choi’s fifth novel Trust Exercise (Henry Holt and Co., 2019) takes place fairly early-on in the book. Sarah and David are sophomores at an elite performing arts high school. They’re fifteen, and the previous summer, they entered into an intense relationship. But after a series of misunderstandings, […]

On the “Competing Narratives” of Trust Exercise: An Interview with Susan Choi Read More »

One of the most absolutely electric scenes in Susan Choi’s fifth novel Trust Exercise (Henry Holt and Co., 2019) takes place fairly early-on in the book. Sarah and David are sophomores at an elite performing arts high school. They’re fifteen, and the previous summer, they entered into an intense relationship. But after a series of misunderstandings,

What Is Not Beautiful: An Interview with Adeeba Shahid Talukder

Photo Credit: Willem van der Mei “Beauty is a constant state/of unrest,” writes Adeeba Shahid Talukder in What Is Not Beautiful (Glass Poetry Press, 2018). In her debut collection, Talukder interrogates the fleeting nature of beauty and the uncomfortable cultural fascination that surrounds it with a deft, sparing hand. Sticky and unnerving in the best way, What Is Not

What Is Not Beautiful: An Interview with Adeeba Shahid Talukder Read More »

Photo Credit: Willem van der Mei “Beauty is a constant state/of unrest,” writes Adeeba Shahid Talukder in What Is Not Beautiful (Glass Poetry Press, 2018). In her debut collection, Talukder interrogates the fleeting nature of beauty and the uncomfortable cultural fascination that surrounds it with a deft, sparing hand. Sticky and unnerving in the best way, What Is Not

kat giordano head shot

Confronting Bukowski: An Interview with Kat Giordano

“The main thing that’s changed over the period of time in which these poems were written is that I care a lot less about being capital-P Poetic than I used to. This is most likely due to a combination of leaving an academic environment and discovering a whole wealth of lesser-known indie poets (and prose writers too) online whose work absolutely punched my gut and yet seemed totally unconcerned with whether or not it was ‘doing enough’ in terms of craft.”

Confronting Bukowski: An Interview with Kat Giordano Read More »

“The main thing that’s changed over the period of time in which these poems were written is that I care a lot less about being capital-P Poetic than I used to. This is most likely due to a combination of leaving an academic environment and discovering a whole wealth of lesser-known indie poets (and prose writers too) online whose work absolutely punched my gut and yet seemed totally unconcerned with whether or not it was ‘doing enough’ in terms of craft.”

number one Chinese restaurant collage with lillian li head shot

A Cage Over Your Heart: An Interview with Lillian Li

“There’s great opportunity for comedy when a character acts out of hubris or spite because they practically write the script for their own downfall. A part of us enjoys seeing the other shoe drop.”

A Cage Over Your Heart: An Interview with Lillian Li Read More »

“There’s great opportunity for comedy when a character acts out of hubris or spite because they practically write the script for their own downfall. A part of us enjoys seeing the other shoe drop.”

On “The Book of Wonders”: An Interview with Douglas Trevor

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“Sometimes people choose the safety of seclusion and loneliness over the dangers associated with new experiences. I was interested, in this collection, in examining this kind of choice.”

On “The Book of Wonders”: An Interview with Douglas Trevor Read More »

“Sometimes people choose the safety of seclusion and loneliness over the dangers associated with new experiences. I was interested, in this collection, in examining this kind of choice.”

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