Lydi Conklin


Lydi Conklin is an American short story writer, novelist, and cartoonist.

Education

Conklin received a bachelor of arts degree from Harvard College and a master of fine arts degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Career

From 2015 to 2017, Conklin was a Creative Writing Fellow at Emory University, and from 2019 to 2021, they were a Stegner Fellow in Fiction at Stanford University.
Conklin has received a Stegner Fellowship, as well as fellowships and residencies from MacDowell, Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Lighthouse Works, Millay Arts, the James Merrill House, Harvard University, Jentel, Yaddo, Brush Creek, Caldera, Djerassi, Hedgebrook, the Santa Fe Art Institute, and the Vermont Studio Center. They've also received grants and awards from the Astraea Foundation, the Puffin Foundation, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Alliance of Artists Communities, and the Council for Wisconsin Writers.
Conklin has received four Pushcart Prizes, as well as a Rona Jaffe Writer's Award and the Larry and Eleanor Sternig Short Fiction Award.
Conklin was the Helen Zell Visiting Professor in Fiction at the University of Michigan in 2021-2022. In 2022, they served as a judge for the Third Coast's Fiction Contest.
Conklin is currently Assistant Professor of Fiction in the Department of English at Vanderbilt University

Selected texts

''Rainbow, Rainbow'' (2022)

Rainbow, Rainbow, is a collection of short stories.
TIME has named Rainbow, Rainbow one of "The 21 Most Anticipated Books of 2022." The book has also landed on "most anticipated" lists from LGBTQ Reads and Electric Literature. Library Journal has also included it in a "must read" list.

''Songs of No Provenance'' (2025)

Songs of No Provenance, Conklin's first novel, was published June 3, 2025 by Catapult.
Chicago Review of Books, named Songs of No Provenance one of "12 Must-Read Books of June 2025." The book was also included in "most anticipated" lists from LGBTQ Reads, Our Culture Magazine and Literary Hub.

Publications

Books

  • Rainbow, Rainbow, published May 31, 2022
  • Songs of No Provenance, published June 3, 2025

Cartoons

  • "Gum Preservation," published on Everyday Genius
  • "Pinprick," published in ''Drunken Boat''

''Narrative Magazine'' (2009–2019)

The following comics were published in Narrative Magazine.
  • "Diet"
  • "Rat Finance"
  • "Tapeworm"
  • "4th Grade Blogs"
  • "Trees"
  • "Ant Picnic"
  • "Apple"
  • "Raccoon Crime Scene"
  • "Hot Dog"
  • "Reading Comprehension"
  • "Traveling"
  • "Your Place or My Parents?"
  • "Kimmy"
  • "Email Me"
  • "GPS Pajamas"
  • "Peacock Envy"
  • "Possum Theater"
  • "Rabbit Pregnancy"
  • "Eyeliner," in Volume 2016–03, Winter 2016)
  • "Can He Say Hi?" ''
  • "Cooler"
  • "Foods That Only Sound Delicious"

''Lesbian Cattle Dogs'' (2018–2020)

The following comics were all published to The Believer and Lenny Letter:
  • "Adventures of 'Lesbian Cattle Dogs'"
  • "Lesbian Cattle Dogs Eat Dinner"
  • "Lesbian Cattle Dogs Help Ruffles"
  • "Lesbian Cattle Dogs Discuss a Big Issue"
  • "Lesbian Cattle Dogs are Cleared for Marriage by the Supreme Court"
  • "Lesbian Cattle Dogs Stroll Through Memories"
  • "Lesbian Cattle Dogs Have a Nice Meat Dinner"
  • "Lesbian Cattle Dogs See a Puppy"
  • "Lesbian Cattle Dogs Discuss Cuddling"
  • "Lesbian Cattle Dogs Welcome a Houseguest"
  • "Lesbian Cattle Dogs See Adelaide"
  • "Lesbian Cattle Dogs Have Tea with Adelaide"

Animals in a Bad Situation (2018–2019)

The following comics were all published to Popula:
  • "Sad Yak"
  • "My Old, Old Egg"
  • "You Only Get Married Once"
  • "Guinea Pigs Reach for the Stars"
  • "Big Changes"
  • "Our Little Talk"

Short stories