King of Joy

Named a Writer to Watch by the Los Angeles Times, Richard Chiem brings readers a novel that is equal parts sledgehammer and sweet song--a neon, pulsing portrait of grief, and an electrifying story of one woman's survival against all odds.

Corvus has always had an overactive imagination. Growing up, she develops a unique coping mechanism: she can imagine herself out of any situation, no matter how terrible. To get through each day, Corvus escapes into scenes from fantasy novels, pop songs, and action/adventure movies, and survives by turning the everyday into just another role to play in the movie of her life.

After a tragic loss, Corvus finds a sadness so great she cannot imagine it away. Instead, she finds Tim, a pornographer with unconventional methods, who offers her a new way to escape into movies. But when a sinister plot of greed and betrayal is revealed, Corvus must fight to reclaim her independence, and discovers she is stronger than even she could have imagined.   •  Five-city author tour (Iowa City, IA; Los Angeles; New York; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA)
   •  Tour launch event on March 5, 2019 at Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle, WA
   •  Author event on March 7, 2019 at Powell's on Hawthorne in Portland, OR
   •  Author event on March 11, 2019 at Franklin Park Bar and Beer Garden in Brooklyn, NY
   •  Author event on March 12, 2019 at McNally Jackson in New York, NY
   •  Author event on March 14, 2019 at Skylight Books in Los Angeles, CA
   •  Author event on March 19, 2019 at Green Apple Books on the Park in San Francisco, CA
   •  Author event on April 2, 2019 at Third Place Books Ravenna in Seattle, WA
   •  Author event on April 4, 2019 at King's Books in Tacoma, WA
   •  Potential author appearance at Los Angeles Times Book FestivalRichard Chiem is the author of ​You Private Person, which was named one of Publishers Weekly​’s 10 Essential Books of the American West. His work has been published in ​City Arts, ​Vol. 1 Brooklyn​, ​Fanzine​, ​3:AM Magazine​, and ​Moss​, among many other venues. He has taught at Hugo House and at the University of Washington Bothell. He lives in Seattle.