Kristen Arnett is the New York Times bestselling author of the debut novel Mostly Dead Things. She is a queer fiction and essay writer. She was awarded Ninth Letter's Literary Award in Fiction and is a columnist for Literary Hub. Her work has appeared at the New York Times, North American Review, The Normal School, Gulf Coast, TriQuarterly, Guernica, Buzzfeed, Electric Literature, McSweeneys, PBS Newshour, Bennington Review, the Guardian, Salon, the Rumpus, and elsewhere. Her story collection, Felt in the Jaw, was published by Split Lip Press and was awarded the 2017 Coil Book Award. She is a Spring 2020 Shearing Fellow at Black Mountain Institute. You can find her on Twitter here: @Kristen_Arnett
'[Kristen Arnett] really outdid herself this time, and Stop Me If You've Heard This One is a certified banger. Can't wait to force it into the hands of everyone I ever meet' -- Samantha Irby * New York Times bestselling author of Quietly Hostile * 'Is there any more brilliant and singular talent than Kristen Arnett? I cried laughing and ached at the zeniths of tenderness its tragicomic brilliance achieves. This may be the best book I've ever read' -- Alissa Nutting * author of TAMPA * 'Arnett paints an irresistible portrait of the artist as a clown... despite, or perhaps due to, its absurdity and bittersweet undertones, Cherry's story makes a powerful case for pursuing one's art authentically and fearlessly. It's a riot' * Publishers Weekly * 'This book seems destined to be known as ""the sexy clown novel,"" but it's so much more than that. To be sure, the links that Arnett draws between clowning as an art form and queerness as an identity are strong: Some people will innately dislike you because of the way you move through the world, and the trick is to avoid them. The heart of this novel is the conflicted and unyielding stance of its protagonist, Cherry, who turns to clowning to try to hang on to the memory of her brother after he passes and soon learns more than she could have hoped for from an older woman with experience in the genre. This novel is sweet, sexy, sad, articulate, and funny' * Vogue * 'Though the novel dips into the absurd, Arnett grounds the characters and relationships beautifully through her signature style of humor and heart. Her writing is particularly strong when exploring the ways we show up for ourselves and our communities-as well as the sacrifices we should and shouldn't make for our art. A funny and tender novel about life's best and worst punchlines' * Kirkus Reviews * 'This is a hilarious and ingenious novel for anyone who's ever felt like a misfit' * NBC today *