Michelle Wildgen

Michelle Wildgen is senior editor of Tin House Magazine, an editor with Tin House Books, the author of the novels But Not for Long and You’re Not You, and the editor of the anthology Food & Booze: A Tin House Literary Feast.

From her Q & A with David Medaris at The Daily Page:

The Daily Page: What was the genesis of But Not for Long -- where were you and what were you doing when you conceived it?

Wildgen: It evolved rather slowly. I was experimenting with these new characters in various scenes, just to see if any ideas got traction. I wrote a scene that later I deleted of the three co-op members in their living room, revolving through their heads while they all refused to state aloud what they were thinking. The book took shape through a few more scenes like this: Will showing up on the porch, Hal and Will's ill-advised visit to Mrs. Bryant, while I started to see where it might go.

Why the Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday structure?

As I kept writing it became clear that the book would take place over a pretty condensed time period. I kept tightening up the time frame so I could stay within the confines of the blackout and the immediate crisis. Actually, it wasn't until the very end that I added in the days to divide the sections.

As you were writing But Not for Long, which of your principal characters proved the...[read on]

The Page 99 Test: You’re Not You.

The Page 69 Test: But Not for Long.

--Marshal Zeringue