The New Yorker has launched a new digital program to showcase long-form fiction called New Yorker Novella. The fiction editors of the publication will edit the pieces.
The first novella being featured, entitled In Hindsight, comes from writer Callan Wink. It will also appear in Cressida Leyshon’s forthcoming short story collection entitled Dog Run Moon.
Here’s an excerpt from the piece: “Lauren followed the drag mark for a mile down the gravel road and then another half mile down her dusty driveway and then parked her truck and cried. The bastard had shot one of her steers—one of six, red Texas longhorns—and dragged it down the road by its neck and deposited it here for her to find, practically on her front step.”
This one, then, is quick: I speak often of my dear friend Alyson Hagy, whose emails to me are rich, whose books are complex and fearless, whose teaching at the University of Wyoming is impeccable, whose friendship I cherish.
This week, one of Alyson's students, Callan Wink, has a story in
The New Yorker called "Dog Run Moon." It's a keeper. Also a keeper is the
post-pub interview that Wink did with Cressida Leyshon. He is asked about his work within the MFA program at the University of Wyoming. He says, among other things, this:
More than anything else though, coming to Wyoming has benefited me in that I’ve had the good fortune to work with some extremely talented and generous writers, both students and faculty. Brad Watson, Rattawut Lapcharoensap, Alyson Hagy (and too many others to list here) have gone out of their way to give my work careful, serious, readings and I’m extremely grateful for that.
I know of what Wink speaks, when it comes to Alyson (and I've read enough of Brad Watson's work to know how he soars). I am glad that others, reading this interview, will know something of the power that emanates from this highly special Wyoming program.
I would love an MFA. Studying and learning with others, getting direction to improve my craft -- it all sounds so wonderful.