Laura Sims is an American novelist and poet. In 2017, Sims' debut novel Looker sparked a bidding war, which ultimately resulted in a major deal with Scribner. The book follows the spiraling descent of a woman obsessed—with the end of her marriage, with her inability to have a child, with her infuriatingly bourgeois Brooklyn neighborhood, and with her movie star neighbor. It was released on January 8, 2019.
Laura Sims | |
---|---|
Born | Richmond, Virginia |
Occupation | Poet |
Education | M.F.A., University of Washington |
Notable works | Practice, Restraint and My god is this a man |
Sims's second novel, How Can I Help You, came out in July 2023. The novel received a major sales boost when bestselling crime novelist Harlan Coben recommended it as one of his favorite reads on the Today Show.
Biography
editSims is the author of four books of poetry: Staying Alive (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2016), My god is this a man, Stranger, and Practice, Restraint (Fence Books).[1][2] In 2014, powerHouse Books published Fare Forward: Letters from David Markson, compiled and edited by Sims.[3] She has published five poetry chapbooks, including POST- (Goodmorning Menagerie, 2011).[4] Her poetry has appeared in numerous literary journals, including Aufgabe,[5] Black Clock,[6] Black Warrior Review, Colorado Review, Columbia Poetry Review, Crayon, and Denver Quarterly,[7] among others. She has published book reviews and essays in Boston Review, New England Review,[8] Rain Taxi, and The Review of Contemporary Fiction.[9] Her honors include the 2005 Fence Books Alberta Prize for Practice, Restraint and a Creative Artists Exchange Fellowship from the Japan-US Friendship Commission in 2006.[10][11]
Sims is a graduate of the College of William and Mary. She received a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Washington.[12] She is a professor of creative writing, literature and composition who currently teaches at New York University.[13] She has been a featured writer for Harriet, the Poetry Foundation's blog, and she is a co-editor of Instance Press with poets Elizabeth Robinson, Beth Anderson, and Susanne Dyckman. She lives in South Orange, New Jersey.
Published works
editNovels
edit- Looker (Scribner, 8 January 2019)
- How Can I Help You (Penguin Random House, 18 July 2023)
Poetry books
edit- Staying Alive (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2016)
- My god is this a man (Fence Books, 2014)
- Stranger (Fence Books, 2009)
- Practice, Restraint (Fence Books, 2005)
Nonfiction books
edit- Fare Forward: Letters from David Markson (powerHouse Books, 2014)
Chapbooks
edit- POST- (Goodmorning Menagerie Press, 2012)
- Bank Book (Answer Tag Press, 2004)
Recent poems
editReferences
edit- ^ "Laura Sims | Fence Portal". Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
- ^ "Laura Sims". Poetry Foundation. 2 October 2018.
- ^ "Fare Forward: Letters from David Markson, Edited by Laura Sims". Archived from the original on 2014-02-03. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
- ^ "Chapbooks". Goodmorning Menagerie:
A Chapbook Press. - ^ "Litmus Press | Aufgabe 8". Archived from the original on 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
- ^ "Issue 16 « Black Clock". Archived from the original on 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
- ^ "Denver Quarterly 47:4 - Laird Hunt, Editor : Small Press Distribution". Archived from the original on 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
- ^ "David Markson and the Problem of the Novel". New England Review. 18 January 2012.
- ^ "Vol. XXIII, #3 Diane Williams / Aidan Higgins / Patricia Eakins - Dalkey Archive Press". www.dalkeyarchive.com.
- ^ "Ottoline Prize | Fence Portal". Archived from the original on 2014-02-09. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
- ^ "2006 Artists".
- ^ "Laura Sims - Bio". Archived from the original on 2012-11-22. Retrieved 2014-01-25.
- ^ "Laura Sims | Fence Portal". Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
External links
edit- Laura Sims' official website
- Profile page on "Harriet", the literary blog of the Poetry Foundation
- Author Archive on "Harriet"
- Ugly Duckling Presse Page for Staying Alive
- Fence Books Author Page
Interviews
edit- Interview with Tyler Malone on Full Stop
- Conversation with Cathy Wagner in The Conversant
- Interview with Joseph Massey on Studio One blog
- Spotlight on Coldfront
- Interview with Kate Greenstreet on kickingwind
Reviews
edit- Review of My god is this a man at Tarpaulin Sky
- Review of My god is this a man at Rain Taxi
- Review of My god is this a man at The Volta
- Review of Fare Forward at New York Times
- Review of Fare Forward at Chicago Tribune
- Review of Fare Forward at Winnipeg Review
- Review of Stranger at Bookslut
- Review of Stranger at Coldfront
- Review of Practice, Restraint at HTMLgiant