by Writing Workshops Staff
A week ago
WritingWorkshops.com is proud to showcase the accomplishments of our talented alumni. Today, we highlight Yvonne Conza, who attended our nonfiction workshop in Iceland.
When writers take an online class or join us for an international workshop, they become part of a community that nurtures their craft and opens doors to new opportunities. Yvonne Conza, a Miami-based writer who attended our nonfiction workshop with instructor Isaac Fitzgerald in Iceland, recently published a thoughtful interview with acclaimed novelist Katie Kitamura in Interview Magazine.
Conza's piece, "How David Lynch and Agatha Christie Inspired Katie Kitamura's Latest Literary Thriller," offers readers an intimate glimpse into the mind of one of contemporary fiction's most compelling voices.
In their conversation, Kitamura reveals how her newest novel, Audition, completes a psychological thriller trilogy featuring unnamed female protagonists working as a translator, interpreter, and now, an actress.
A Deep Dive into Literary Craft
What makes Conza's interview particularly fascinating is her ability to draw out Kitamura's thoughts on narrative structure and reader engagement. Kitamura describes her latest work as "a Möbius Strip" that invites multiple interpretations—a novel that can be experienced differently with each reading.
"I wanted to invite the reader to step inside and to create the book with me," Kitamura tells Conza, explaining how she intentionally crafted a narrative that could be read in multiple ways.
As a former actor herself, Conza brings unique insight to their discussion about theatrical life, commenting on how Kitamura "got every detail about the theater life so eerily right"—from rehearsals to rivalries and the transformative experience of inhabiting a role.
About Yvonne Conza
Yvonne Conza has published work in Longreads, The Believer, Michigan Quarterly Review, Catapult, Joyland Magazine, Pleiades Magazine, Blue Mesa Review, and other outlets. She currently serves as the assistant nonfiction editor for Pithead Chapel and is the coauthor of the user-friendly dog training guide Training for Both Ends of the Leash (Penguin).
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