Emma Copley Eisenberg on Writing Out of Spite and Her New Story Collection 'Fat Swim'

Emma Copley Eisenberg's new book 'Fat Swim,' a collection of linked stories set in and around Philadelphia, was recently released. In an interview with Vogue, Eisenberg discussed drawing inspiration from Miranda July, Raymond Carver, and Bryan Washington, as well as her literary beef with Jonathan Franzen. She dedicated a story in the collection to Franzen after being galvanized by his depiction of a fat character in his novel 'Crossroads.' Eisenberg also rented a billboard in Philadelphia to promote the book, featuring the phrase 'Your gut is a terrible thing to lose,' inspired by contradictions in contemporary body discourse. The billboard was funded by money from the Anthropic lawsuit. 'Fat Swim' has been in development since 2014, with Eisenberg writing new stories and removing older ones. Random House stipulated that 'Housemates' be published first due to market perceptions, but Eisenberg sees this as a gift that allowed the collection to mature. She cites Grace Paley, Miranda July, Raymond Carver, and Bryan Washington as influences.