John Elizabeth Stintzi  will read from their surreal, darkly humorous short stories told from a queer, non-binary perspective, Bad Houses. They will be joined in conversation by Mason Andrew Hamberlin.  “Bad Houses is a rare, incomparable collection, surreal yet firmly anchored to the mechanics of contemporary living. Mimes, dismemberment, pumpkin patch trolls, creatures made of mould and laundry–these are not run-of-the-mill stories, and yet in every case, John Elizabeth Stintzi’s depth of feeling and concern for what it means to be in the world right now shines through. This is a work of art in just about every sense.”–Omar El Akkad

John Elizabeth Stintzi is an award-winning writer, cartoonist, and editor. They are the author of the novels My Volcano and Vanishing Monuments, as well as the poetry collection Junebat. Their work has appeared in Ploughshares, The Malahat Review, Kenyon Review, and Best Canadian Poetry. They currently live and work in Kansas City, MO.

Mason Andrew Hamberlin is a writer, designer, teacher, and cursed earring-maker from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They’re currently at work on an essay collection about amateurism and bodies, as told through transition, gyms, “butt rock,” Bionicles, and Home Depot. Their writing can be found in Ninth Letter, The Cleveland Review of Books, The Rumpus, Entropy, Adroit, Shenandoah, and more. You can find their doodles @there.must.be.four.panels on insta or @mason_hamberlin on Twitter. They live and work in Iowa City.