Willy Vlautin is the prize-winning author of four acclaimed novels, The Motel Life, Northline, Lean on Pete, which was shortlisted for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, and The Free. He is also the frontman of the band Richmond Fontaine, whose many albums include Post to Wire, and more recently founded The Delines. Andrew Haigh's film of Lean on Pete was released in Australia in late 2018.