Somerville, Patrick 1979-

PERSONAL: Born 1979. Education: University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.A.; Cornell University, M.F.A.

ADDRESSES: Home— Chicago, IL. Agent— Brettne Bloom, Kneerim & Williams, 45 Rockefeller Plaza, Ste. 2800, New York, NY 10111. E-mail— deathblow@patricksomerville.com.

CAREER: Writer and educator. Has taught creative writing at Cornell University, Auburn SCF, and the University of Chicago.

WRITINGS

Trouble (stories), Vintage Contemporaries (New York, NY), 2006.

Contributor to literary journals, including One Story.

SIDELIGHTS: Born in 1979, writer Patrick Somerville grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He went on to earn his undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and an M.F.A. in creative writing from Cornell University. Somerville has taught creative writing at a number of schools, including Cornell and the University of Chicago. He also has written a number of short stories, a selection of which were published in his first collection, Trouble. One of the stories in the book, “Trouble and the Shadow Deathblow,” which was in part responsible for the title of the book, also appeared in One Story magazine. In an interview for that journal’s Web site, Somerville discussed his inspiration for the work. Somerville explained: “All I had to go on was a friend of mine from college who went away for a summer internship at a big food company and came back talking about secret recipes and robots that sprayed an orange cheese liquid onto various snack products.” Other stories in the collection look at different aspects of boyhood, and how they affect the way a man matures. A contributor for Kirkus Reviews noted that “the most powerful stories here are more quietly observed.” He called Somerville “a new talent in need of some honing.” A Publishers Weekly reviewer concluded: “At his best, Somerville crafts stories that... highlight mordant absurdity and revel in darkly comic moments.”

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES

PERIODICALS

Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2006, review of Trouble, p. 600.

Publishers Weekly, May 22, 2006, review of Trouble, p. 27.

ONLINE

Chicago Reader Online, http://www.chicagoreader.com/ (November 3, 2006), Martha Bayne, review of Trouble.

Chicago Tribune Online, http://www.chicagotribune.com/ (February 1, 2007), Sharon Pomerantz, “Debut Collection Focuses on Men Behaving Oddly.”

I Read a Short Story Today Blog, http://ireadashortstorytoday.com/ (February 1, 2007), review of “Trouble and the Shadowy Deathblow.”

One Story Web site, http://www.onestory.com/ (February 1, 2007), author interview.

Patrick Somerville Home Page, http://www.patricksomerville.com (February 1, 2007).*