 |
| AUTHOR IMAGE CREDIT: Brian Ramos, Chloe at Giant's Causeway |
Chloe N. Clark is the author of Collective Gravities (and NPR and Brooklyn Rail pick for Best Books of 2020), Escaping the Body, and more. She is a founding co-EIC of Cotton Xenomorph, a former contributor to NOAF, and the current writer of a column about limited edition Oreos (forgive her). Find her at www.chloenclark.com
Today she tells us about her Six Books:
1. What book are you currently reading?
What book am I not currently reading might be a better question. Sigh. I tend to read a non-fiction and fiction book simultaneously, because I like to never be at peace. So, the two on the tip-top of my pile currently are
Eating to Extinction--which is both very great in terms of learning about food systems and how they are affected by humans, and also very depressing for the very same reasons--and I'm just about to start
Dr. No by Percival Everett. I will read literally anything by Everett, and truly believe he should be taught in every lit class.
2. What upcoming book are you really excited about?
There are SO many. But the fact that Victor LaValle has a new book next year simply fills me with joy. I also want to shout out new books by the amazing Juan Martinez and a debut book by John Manuel Arias who we were lucky enough to publish a story by in Cotton Xenomorph.
3. Is there a book you’re currently itching to re-read?
I'm a compulsive re-reader. I have some books that I've reread dozens of times, and will still pick up again when I have the chance. But, I have been particularly longing to dive back into Colson Whitehead's
Zone One--a zombie novel that is perfectly human and heartbreaking.
4. A book that you love and wish that you yourself had written.
I always think that books, at least ones I love, had to have been written by the authors that they were written by. There's some spark of a books soul that is deeply entwined with the person that wrote it. That being said I very much would love to capture the feel of Stephen King's
The Body in a book that's written for adults who were once children like me. I love
The Body, it's one of my absolute favorite reads, but I can't find myself inside it necessarily and I'd like to be able to write a version that does.
5. What’s one book, which you read as a child or a young adult, that has had a lasting influence on your writing?
Really anything by Diana Wynne Jones. DWJ's stories greatly impacted me as a young reader, and are still ones I return to today. She had such a way of making her characters feel deeply human--flawed and funny and perfect--while also having empathy for even the characters given the least amount of time. If I had to pick just one, then Fire and Hemlock which is one of those deep soul books for me. DWJ had such a firm grasp on what it was to be a child, a young adult, to have imagination. And she was funny!
6. And speaking of that, what’s your latest book, and why is it awesome?
My forthcoming story collection,
Patterns of Orbit, is a multi-genre leap across galaxies filled with stories about forests and demons, the deepest parts of the ocean, alien plants in outer space, SPACE MUSHROOMS, basketball, pie, and more. I hope it's awesome, because I tried to fit the world inside it.
Thank you, Chloe!
POSTED BY: Paul Weimer. Ubiquitous in Shadow, but I’m just this guy, you know? @princejvstin.
.png)
