"Six Authors in Search of a Character, Part 2: Richard Wright" in ZYZZYVA

I'm very excited to announce the second installment of my ongoing essay series in ZYZZYVA Literary Magazine––the series is called "Six Authors in Search of a Character" and it explores the unusual and complicated psychology of writers portraying on screen characters they created in print. Part 2 tackles Richard Wright's appearance as "Bigger Thomas" in NATIVE SON (1951), in which Wright endures mental, physical, and social strain, onscreen and off, to finally adapt his novel for cinemas. If you missed the first installment (on Stephen King's appearance in CREEPSHOW), you can read it here.