In this episode, it was a thrill to speak with Katherine Packert Burke about her captivating debut novel, Still Life (Norton, 2024).

"Katherine Packert Burke’s Still Life is everything you want from a Künstlerroman: smart, sexy, funny, sly, and exceptionally queer. With biting insights and heartbreaking attention, this debut captures the daunting thrill of becoming an artist while becoming yourself." — Isle McElroy, author of People Collide

This was such a fun, tender and insightful conversation with an exceptionally talented writer. We are honored to share this episode with you! Here are some titles Katherine recommends that are in conversation with or inspired the writing of Still Life:

The Friend by Sigrid Nunez
The Idiot by Elif Batuman
Little Rabbit by Alyssa Songsiridej
Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
Imogen by Nevada Bonnie

And Katherine was so generous to give us an additional list of the trans authors she recommends as well! ::

LOTE by Shola von Reinhold
Gossip Girl Fanfic Novella by Charlie Markbreiter
My Volcano and Bad Houses by John Elizabeth Stintzi
and the writings of: Alison Rumfitt, Jackie Ess, Gretchen Felker-Martin, torrin a. greathouse, and Isle McElroy

In Conversation with Katherine Packert Burke