Pen Pals, III: Phong Nguyen and Alexander Weinstein

Sometimes literary friendships extend to a supportive professional and creative relationship. Even though their fiction takes different forms and addresses wildly different topics, Phong Nguyen and Alexander Weinstein share their work with each other at an early stage in the process, offer feedback and advice, and help each other navigate the often perilous journey from blossoming idea to completed manuscript. This is going to be a fascinating conversation.

Phong Nguyen is the author of five books, most recently the novel Bronze Drum, which was named one of NPR's Best Books of the Year for 2022 and a Book of the Month Club selection for August 2022. His other books have won awards including the Prairie Heritage Award and the Elixir Press Fiction Award. He is the series editor for the Social Justice Anthology published by University of New Mexico Press. He currently serves as the Miller Family Endowed Chair in Literature and Writing at the University of Missouri, where he teaches fiction-writing. 

Alexander Weinstein is the author of the short story collections, Universal Love and Children of the New World, which was chosen as a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and a best book of the year by NPR and Electric Literature. His fiction and interviews have appeared in Rolling Stone, World Literature Today, Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy, and Best American Experimental Writing. He is the founder and director of The Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing.