Author Archives: Peter

I’m honored to be a Fellow in Fiction at this year’s Sewanee Writers’ Conference. I gave a reading at Dartmouth College on the last day of Pride month. Such a pleasure. My short story “Rush” appears in the latest issue of Story. Many thanks to editor Michael Nye for the honor. My story “404” will appear in a coming issue of Sewanee Review. For the New York Times Book Review, I reviewed Tom Crewe’s excellent debut novel The New Life, … Continue reading →

I wrote a feature for Esquire‘s Summer Fiction Week, profiling queer writers Carter Sickels, Nick White, Brandon Taylor, Kristen Arnett, and Garrard Conley. You can read it online here. At this year’s Indiana University Writer’s Conference I taught the fiction class. We focused readings and exercises on the (eternally fascinating, somewhat mysterious) question of compression in fiction, what it is, can do, and why thinking in terms of info reveal matters. It was a real treat. Penguin Random House and creative agency … Continue reading →

Jake Nevins included my story collection I Know You Know Who I Am alongside work by Garth Greenwell, James Baldwin, and James Gregor in his great piece on deception in queer literature at the New York Times. Brandon Taylor kindly called the book “a contemporary classic” and plugged it in GQ and made it his recommendation it over at The Strategist. R Eric Thomas generously recommended the collection on The TODAY Show. Confirmed, Hoda and Jenna saw the cover, got … Continue reading →

My debut story collection I Know You Know Who I Am (Penguin Books) is available now wherever books are sold! You can order a copy or two (or more, please feel free) through your local independent bookstore or on Amazon. I had the honor of being interviewed by the amazing Ari Shapiro for NPR’s All Things Considered, and our conversation aired yesterday. You can listen to it online here. For the New York Times Book Review, Jac Jemc had some generous praise … Continue reading →

I’m thrilled to share these very kind reviews of I Know You Know Who I Am, in Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and Booklist. Also flattering to see the book make lists, like this great one of most anticipated 2020 books at Read It Forward, 12 best books of 2020 at Elle Magazine, and best LGBT books that’ll change the literary landscape in 2020 at Oprah Magazine. If you’re so inclined, I’d love if you would pre-order from your local independent bookstore here. I’m currently … Continue reading →

I am so excited to show you the cover for my story collection I Know You Know Who I Am, which will publish on February 11, 2020. Many thanks to the totally brilliant John Gall, who has designed many of my favorite covers, for giving this book such a sharp, colorful look. I Know You Know Who I Am is now available for pre-order in paperback, e-book, and audio formats through your local indie bookstore here. I edited and rewrote a … Continue reading →

I am so thrilled to announce that my story collection I KNOW YOU KNOW WHO I AM is coming from Penguin Books. Huge thanks to my genius, patient agent Caroline at Frances Goldin and my wonderful editor Victoria, and the whole team at Penguin. This is a dream come true, as cliche as that sounds. (So cliche in fact I nearly typed out the phrase “dream cliche.”) Per the announcement, the book is about queer characters searching for paths to intimacy, … Continue reading →