In our weekend reading: Maris Kreizman on publishing, Lincoln Michel recommends recent books, and more.
Sunday Stories is taking the week off and will return next weekend.
Today, we’re pleased to present an excerpt from Alex Behr’s forthcoming book Animal Kingdom, which 7.13 Books will publish on November 3, 2026.
In our morning reading: interviews with Annie Ernaux and Marlon James, the winners of this year’s World Fantasy Awards, and more.
In our afternoon reading: revisiting a surreal classic, notable horror debuts, and more.
Writing With Friends, Writing About Friends
by Kaaron Warren
It was only once I finished the first draft of Going to Summertime that I realised something important that lay at the heart of it. Friendship. The importance of it, how it can save us, but also how it can destroy us, and how it can’t always be relied upon.
The guiding principle of Six Ridiculous Questions is that life is filled with ridiculousness. And questions. That only by giving in to these truths may we hope to slip the surly bonds of reality and attain the higher consciousness we all crave. (Eh, not really, but it sounded good there for a minute.) It’s just. Who knows? The ridiculousness and question bits, I guess. Why six? Assonance, baby, assonance.
In our morning reading: a report from a Na Zhong book party, new writing from Vivian Gornick, and more.
The New Middle Class
by Dolan Morgan
“Take your time, Amy,” Dr. Kenston says, as if time were a thing to be taken. As if a doctor could forget that it’s time that does the taking.