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  • Upcoming Readings and Events

    READINGS FOR THE WORDS OF DR. L!

    The Words of Dr. L is published May 6, and here are the readings I’ll be doing:

    Book Launch: May 12, 8 pm, Book Club Bar, New York, in conversation with Meg Wolitzer. Info here:

    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/author-event-karen-benders-the-words-of-dr-l-with-meg-wolitzer-tickets-1297279490879

    Creating Urgency in a Story: mini-class and reading. Liz’s Book Bar, Brooklyn, May 14, 6:30-7:30 pm, Register and buy tickets here:

    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creating-urgency-in-a-storya-class-with-karen-e-bender-tickets-1262870653119

    May 30, Newtonville Books, in conversation with Christina Thompson, 7 pm

    June 4, Diesel Books, Brentwood, Brentwood Mart, 6:30 pm in conversation with Hope Edelman

    June 10, Book Passage, Ferry Building, San Francisco, in conversation with Elizabeth Rosner, 5:30 pm

    July 22, Prairie Lights, Iowa City, 7 pm.

    CLASSES

    I’ll be teaching online classes via Writing Workshops and the Iowa Summer Writing Festical this spring!

    Upcoming:

    Building Interiority in Characters Using Fantasies and Theories, over zoom, May 22, 7-9 pm EST

    Building Interiority in Characters Using Fantasies and Theories with Karen E. Bender, a Zoom Seminar on Thursday, May 22nd, 2025

    Building Interiority in Characters with Perceptions, over zoom, June 25, 7-9 pm EST

    Building Interiority in Characters with Perceptions: Judgment, Envy and Admiration with Karen E. Bender, a Zoom Seminar on Wednesday, June 25th, 2025

    Deep Dive Into Dialogue, via zoom, June 28, 12-5 pm EST

    Deep Dive Into Dialogue: A Master Class on the Art of What People Say with Karen E. Bender (Zoom) on Saturday, June 28th, 2025

    Show and Tell: Mastering the Art of Summary in Story, via zoom, July 1, 7-9 pm EST

    Show and Tell: Mastering the Art of Summary in Narrative with Karen E. Bender, a Zoom Seminar on Tuesday, July 1st, 2025

    Show and Tell: Mastering the Art of Scene in Story, via zoom, July 8, 7-9 pm EST

    Show and Tell: Mastering the Art of Scene in Narrative with Karen E. Bender, a Zoom Seminar on Tuesday, July 8th, 2025

    Building Interiority in Characters: Writing Memory, August 5, 7-9 pm EST via zoom.

    Building Interiority in Characters: Writing Memory with Karen E. Bender, a Zoom Seminar on Tuesday, August 5th, 2025

    I’ll be teaching in person at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival in July. I’ll be teaching a weekend class. “Difficult People; Characters You Can’t Stop Reading About” July 19-20, and a week-long class, “Finding Your Story,” July 21-25. Information here:

    https://iowasummerwritingfestival.uiowa.edu/people/karen-bender

    Email me at karenebender1@gmail.com for more information these workshops, or if you want information on my writing coaching or private manuscript consults.

  • Latest News

    16 May 2025 Interview with Jane Ciabattari up on Lithub

    I talked to Jane Ciabattari about process and The Words of Dr. L for Lithub. You can read the interview here.

    09 May 2025 Booklist gives The Words of Dr. L a starred review!

    Donna Seaman of Booklist says: “The concreteness of Bender’s language is in sharp contrast to the deep strangeness and troubling ambiguity afoot in the dystopian worlds her characters must navigate. A short story writer of disconcerting visions and virtuoso skills, … Continue reading →

    06 May 2025 Interview with Rachel Leon in The Chicago Review of Books for The Words of Dr. L

    I talked to Rachel Leon at The Chicago Review of Books about my latest collection. You can read the interview here.

    My self-interview in The Nervous Breakdown

    03 Jan 2013

    Read the interview here:

     

    ← Excerpt from A Town of Empty Rooms on Thenervousbreakdown.com Interview in Wilmington Star-News →
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