C. Michelle Lindley
Photo courtesy of Courtney Lindley
Bio
C. Michelle Lindley is a writer from California. Her work can be found in Conjunctions,the Georgia Review, and elsewhere. She has an MFA in creative writing from Cornell University and a BA in English and art history from the University of California at Berkeley. Her debut novel, The Nude, will be published in July 2024.
I don’t know who I tricked to receive this fellowship, but I am so grateful and can’t believe the exceptional creatives I find myself amongst. It is, of course, a massive gift to be provided with the resources the National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship allows, but it is also, most importantly, an endorsement of my work and a reminder to keep going. As I embark on the beginning of my career—with my debut novel, The Nude, releasing in July 2024—I am overjoyed to receive this kind of support and approval. With my fellowship, I will be working on my second novel, which, as of right now, is a modern-day tragedy set in early-aughts Berkeley, taking place over the course of one night. It explores many of the themes that stalk my debut: art, immortality, restlessness, female desire, and ambition. But there’s still much to uncover, and thanks to the NEA, I’ll be able to dedicate myself fully to the beautiful, harrowing, and, ultimately, soul-depleting process.