Jaime Clarke is a graduate of the University of Arizona and holds an MFA from Bennington College. He is the author of the novels:
--We’re So Famous, (the first and worst review + actor Malcolm McDowell's hilarious reaction to review + praise for + original American cover + British cover + galley cover for 15th anniversary reissue)
--Vernon Downs, (praise for + book trailer narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Chris Cooper + alternate trailer + original cover),
--World Gone Water, (praise for + book trailer narrated by Thora Birch + original cover)
--Garden Lakes, (praise for + book trailer narrated by the author + original cover)
and the memoirs:
-- Poor Man’s Gatsby (praise for) published as Bookmarked: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, in IG Publishing’s Bookmarked series
--Typical of the Times: Growing Up in the Culture of Spectacle, which is the basis for his microcast, Typical (Anthony Michael Hall promo), available on Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and elsewhere.
His Charlie Martens trilogy–Vernon Downs, World Gone Water, and Garden Lakes–is published in an omnibus by Roundabout Press to celebrate the story collection Minor Characters, (ToC), featuring original stories about the minor characters in the trilogy by Mona Awad, Christopher Boucher, Kenneth Calhoun, Nina de Gramont, Ben Greenman, Annie Hartnett, Owen King, Neil LaBute, J. Robert Lennon, Lauren Mechling, Shelly Oria, Stacey Richter, Joseph Salvatore, Andrea Seigel, and Daniel Torday. The collection features a foreword by Jonathan Lethem, and an introduction by Laura van den Berg.
Clarke is also the editor of The Last Novel Ever Published, as well as the anthologies Don’t You Forget About Me: Contemporary Writers on the Films of John Hughes, and Talk Show: On the Couch with Contemporary Writers; and co-editor of the anthologies No Near Exit: Writers Select Their Favorite Work from Post Road Magazine (with Mary Cotton), (ToC) and Boston Noir 2: The Classics (with Dennis Lehane and Mary Cotton).His apprentice work is collected as The Last Lemonade Stand on the Block, and his unpublished novel is called Scavengers.
Under the pseudonym J.D. West, he is the author of the Golden Age detective novel, The Disappearance of Swenson’s Secretary: A Harold Ober Mystery. (Harold Ober with his wife and Scottie Fitzgerald)
He is a founding editor of the literary magazine Post Road, now published at Boston College, and co-owner, with his wife, of Newtonville Books, an independent bookstore in Boston. (Newtonville Books’s 20th anniversary video) (Anniversary video by Mona Awad and Kenneth Calhoun) (Newtonville Books video: “Where do you hold your events?”)
Bergin, Josephine
Garden Lakes: A Novel
Manuscript – Garden Lakes screenplay
Garden Lakes: A Novel
Bergin, Josephine
World Gone Water: A Novel
Manuscript – World Gone Water screenplay
World Gone Water: A Novel
Correspondence – Minor Characters, a collection based on minor characters from JDC novels, featuring original stories by Mona Awad, Christopher Boucher, Kenneth Calhoun, Nina de Gramont, Ben Greenman, Annie Hartnett, Owen King, Neil LaBute, J. Robert Lennon, Lauren Mechling, Shelly Oria, Stacey Richter, Joseph Salvatore, Andrea Seigel, and Daniel Torday, with a foreword by Jonathan Lethem, and an introduction by Laura van den Berg, to be published by Bloomsbury in 2021.
Minor Characters: Stories
Center for Fiction
Cotton, Mary
Newtonville Books
Boston Book Festival Program Guide. October 19-20, 2019. (+)
Boston Book Festival
Newtonville Books
Newtonville Books
Hempel, Amy
Newtonville Books
Newtonville Books
Manuscript – Minor Characters, first draft
Minor Characters: Stories
Correspondence – Radio play adaptation of The Disappearance of Swenson’s Secretary: A Harold Ober Mystery
The Disappearance of Swenson's Secretary: A Harold Ober Mystery
Correspondence – Stephanie Duncan leaving Bloomsbury and moving Minor Characters to another publisher
Minor Characters: Stories
Correspondence – Minor Characters re move from Bloomsbury to Roundabout Press
Minor Characters: Stories
JDC contract dated June 17 with Roundabout Press for Minor Characters
Minor Characters: Stories
Correspondence – Minor Characters – Contracts
Minor Characters: Stories
Minor Characters: Stories
Correspondence – Minor Characters – General correspondence
Minor Characters: Stories
Manuscript – Roundabout Press omnibus including Vernon Downs, World Gone Water, and Garden Lakes – Loose galleys
Vernon Downs: A Novel
World Gone Water: A Novel
Garden Lakes: A Novel
Manuscript – Minor Characters – Loose galleys
Minor Characters: Stories
Roundabout Press contracts with contributors for Minor Characters; incl Roundabout license with Bloomsbury to reprint Vernon Downs, World Gone Water, and Garden Lakes in omnibus.
Vernon Downs: A Novel
World Gone Water: A Novel
Garden Lakes: A Novel
Minor Characters: Stories
Minor Characters covers for galley and finished book + correspondence with contributors seeking approval for asterisk cover idea
Minor Characters: Stories
Publishers Marketplace announcement of Minor Characters deal with Roundabout Press, a collection based on minor characters from JDC novels, featuring original stories by Mona Awad, Christopher Boucher, Kenneth Calhoun, Nina de Gramont, Ben Greenman, Annie Hartnett, Owen King, Neil LaBute, J. Robert Lennon, Lauren Mechling, Shelly Oria, Stacey Richter, Joseph Salvatore, Andrea Seigel, and Daniel Torday, with a foreword by Jonathan Lethem, and an introduction by Laura van den Berg.
Awad, Mona
Boucher, Christopher
Calhoun, Kenneth
de Gramont, Nina
Greenman, Ben
Hartnett, Annie
King, Owen
LaBute, Neil
Lennon, J. Robert
Oria, Shelly
Richter, Stacey
Salvatore, Joseph
Seigel, Andrea
Torday, Daniel
Lethem, Jonathan
van den Berg, Laura
Mechling, Lauren
Minor Characters: Stories
Minor Characters: Stories
Boston Globe article entitled “This holiday season, retailers are thinking inside the box” incl mention of Newtonville Books Holiday Care Package program created by Mary Cotton
Cotton, Mary
Newtonville Books
Newton Tab article entitled “Newton Neighbors Helping Neighbors group grows over 3600 members” incl mention of Newtonville Books gift bag program created by Mary Cotton
Cotton, Mary
Literary Hub newsletter featuring “A Way to Beat Mortality” by Shelly Oria from Minor Characters + copy of story published by The Literary Hub
Literary Hub
Oria, Shelly
Minor Characters: Stories
Vernon Downs: A Novel
World Gone Water: A Novel
Garden Lakes: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
World Gone Water: A Novel
Garden Lakes: A Novel
Boston Globe article entitled “These thoughtful, last-minute gifts arrive in an instant, no mailing required” re shopping at Bookshop.org
Newtonville Books
Hausler, Pete
Vernon Downs: A Novel
World Gone Water: A Novel
Garden Lakes: A Novel
Roundabout Press galley letter for Minor Characters
Minor Characters: Stories
Ad campaign on Literary Hub for Minor Characters galley promotion
Hausler, Pete
Literary Hub
Minor Characters: Stories
Perrotta, Tom
Cotton, Mary
Newtonville Books
Brooklyn Book Festival
Minor Characters: Stories
Boston Globe article entitled “Umass grad’s site is helping independent bookstores hold their own against Amazon” re Bookshop.org, featuring quote from Mary Cotton
Cotton, Mary
Newtonville Books
Minor Characters: Stories
Minor Characters: Stories
Boston Globe article entitled “How Mary Cotton found love and a career at Newtonville Books”
Cotton, Mary
Newtonville Books
Minor Characters: Stories
“The Chronicler of Obsession: Jaime Clarke’s Minor Characters“ by Laura van den Berg – The Brooklyn Rail
Brooklyn Rail
van den Berg, Laura
Minor Characters: Stories
Lethem, Jonathan
Literary Hub
Minor Characters: Stories
Boston Globe article re Newtonville Books hosting Boston Globe Book Club featuring Things That Grow by Meredith Goldstein
Cotton, Mary
Goldstein, Meredith
Newtonville Books
Cooper, Chris
Birch, Thora
Minor Characters: Stories
Gift agreement with John J. Burns library at Boston College for Post Road Archives
Post Road Magazine
Shelf Awareness newsletter featuring quote from Mary Cotton “The Indie Bookstore as a Very Optimistic Space.”
Cotton, Mary
Newtonville Books
Hausler, Pete
Scavengers: A Novel
Hausler, Pete
The Last Lemonade Stand on the Block: Stories
The Last Lemonade Stand on the Block: Stories
Publishers Weekly
McDowell, Malcolm
We're So Famous: A Novel
Publishers Weekly
We're So Famous: A Novel
Literary Hub
Typical of the Times: Growing Up in the Culture of Spectacle: A Memoir
Roundabout Press galley letter for Typical of the Times: Growing Up in the Culture of Spectacle by Jaime Clarke/What Was the Question Again? by Charlie Martens
Typical of the Times: Growing Up in the Culture of Spectacle: A Memoir
Boston Globe article entitled “We’re All in This Together: After weathering pandemic, Newtonville Books signs a new 10-year lease.”
Cotton Mary
Newtonville Books
Hall, Anthony Michael
Typical of the Times: Growing Up in the Culture of Spectacle: A Memoir
Jaime Clarke is a graduate of the University of Arizona and holds an MFA from Bennington College. He is the author of the novels We’re So Famous, (praise for), Vernon Downs, (book trailer narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Chris Cooper + praise for), World Gone Water, (book trailer narrated by Thora Birch + praise for), and Garden Lakes, (book trailer narrated by the author + praise for), and the memoir Poor Man’s Gatsby (praise for), published as Bookmarked: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, in IG Publishing’s Bookmarked series; editor of the story collection Minor Characters, (sneak peek), and The Last Novel Ever Published, as well as the anthologies Don’t You Forget About Me: Contemporary Writers on the Films of John Hughes, Conversations with Jonathan Lethem, and Talk Show: On the Couch with Contemporary Writers; and co-editor of the anthologies No Near Exit: Writers Select Their Favorite Work from Post Road Magazine (with Mary Cotton), and Boston Noir 2: The Classics (with Dennis Lehane and Mary Cotton). Under the pseudonym J.D. West, he is the author of the Golden Age detective novel The Disappearance of Swenson’s Secretary: A Harold Ober Mystery. He is a founding editor of the literary magazine Post Road, now published at Boston College, and co-owner, with his wife, of Newtonville Books, an independent bookstore in Boston.
Awad, Mona
Boucher, Christopher
Calhoun, Kenneth
de Gramont, Nina
Greenman, Ben
Hartnett, Annie
King, Owen
LaBute, Neil
Lennon, J. Robert
Mechling, Lauren
Oria, Shelly
Richter, Stacey
Salvatore, Joseph
Seigel, Andrea
Torday, Daniel
Lethem, Jonathan
van den Berg, Laura
Minor Characters: Stories
Cotton, Mary
Newtonville Books
Cotton, Mary
Newtonville Books
Typical of the Times: Growing Up in the Culture of Spectacle: A Memoir
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Correspondence – The Last Novel Ever Published
The Last Novel Ever Published
Manuscript – The Melissa Process (Published in 2015 as World Gone Water.)
World Gone Water: A Novel
Manuscript – Garden Lakes
Garden Lakes: A Novel
Correspondence – Vernon Downs/US edition (Roundabout Press)
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Correspondence – New American Canon project
Influenced By
Correspondence – Vernon Downs/UK edition (Bloomsbury)
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Manuscript – The Last Novel Ever Published
The Last Novel Ever Published
Correspondence — re proposed Hitchcock anthology titled Fixing Hitchcock, edited by JDC and Jonathan Lethem
Lethem, Jonathan
Contract dated Sept 30 with PFP Publishing re Talk Show: On the Couch with Contemporary Writers; incl copy of agreement with Danny Jock re the illustrations.
Talk Show: On the Couch with Contemporary Writers
Maazel, Fiona
Baum's Bazaar
Furst, Joshua
Baum's Bazaar
Finished copy of Talk Show: On the Couch with Contemporary Writers
Bergin, Josephine
Talk Show: On the Couch with Contemporary Writers
Contract dated March 23 with Roundabout Press re Vernon Downs, incl Nov 28 email from Dan Pope granting Canada to Bloomsbury UK.
Pope, Dan
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Barthelme, Frederick
The Mississippi Review
We're So Famous: A Novel
Manuscript – Vernon Downs (penultimate version)
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Lennon, J. Robert
Baum's Bazaar
Manuscript – Vernon Downs (draft)
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Hoffman, Richard
Baum's Bazaar
Dahlie, Michael
Baum's Bazaar
Albert, Elisa
Baum's Bazaar
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Cotton, Mary
Misc Adventures
Burr, Ty
Castellani, Christopher
Eggers, Dave
Gawande, Atul
Hood, Ann
Lehane, Dennis
Lethem, Jonathan
Newtonville Books
Post Road Magazine
Tickets to Boston Book Festival keynote featuring Salman Rushdie
Boston Book Festival
Misc Adventures
Newtonville Books
Publishers Weekly
Newtonville Books
Heim, Scott
New Order
Literary Journey
Boston Book Festival 2013 Program Guide (+)
Boston Book Festival
Newtonville Books
Porter Square Books Events Program featuring October 7 event Roundtable with Post Road Magazine, featuring Laura van den Berg and Dan Chelotti
van den Berg, Laura
Post Road Magazine
Literary Journey
Publishers Weekly
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Livreshebdo.fr article re JDC and Amazon
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Alex Beam column in the Boston Globe entitled “Amazon hate-fest isn’t for me” re JDC website www.pleasedontbuymybookonamazon.com
Amazon.com
Beam, Alex
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Le Figaro article re JDC and Amazon
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Bauer, Douglas
Shacochis, Bob
Newtonville Books
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Article re JDC and Amazon in Spanish language newspaper El Confidential
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Article re JDC and Amazon in Spanish language newspaper Contra el promedio Mexicano
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Danish web article (bearbooks.se) re JDC and Amazon
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Danish news article (SehaBooks) on JDC and Amazon
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Israel Herald article on JDC and Amazon
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Center for Fiction
Cotton, Mary
Newtonville Books
Digital Reader piece entitled “How Not to Succeed as an Author: Tell Readers Please Don’t Buy My Book on Amazon”
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Hebrew article re JDC and Amazon
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Notes From the Engine Room re JDC and Amazon
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Marketing Daily piece re JDC and Amazon
Amazon.com
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Brookline Booksmith screenshot of Nov 2 event for Boston Noir 2
Barnes, Linda
Boston Noir 2: The Classics
Literary Journey
Correspondence – re proposed Hitchcock anthology titled Fixing Hitchcock, edited by JDC and Jonathan Lethem
Lethem, Jonathan
Bennington College
Correspondence – New American Canon material edited for Believer column
The Believer
Influenced By
Tom Perrotta blurb for Vernon Downs: “Vernon Downs is a gripping, hypnotically written and unnerving look at the dark side of literary adulation. Jaime Clarke’s tautly suspenseful novel is a cautionary tale for writers and readers alike–after finishing it, you may start to think that J.D. Salinger had the right idea after all.”
Perrotta, Tom
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Gary Shteynbart blurb for Vernon Downs: “Moving and edgy in just the right way. Love (or lack of) and Family (or lack of) is at the heart of this wonderfully obsessive novel.”
Shteyngart, Gary
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Correspondence – Bloomsbury UK re Vernon Downs
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Correspondence – Post Road Magazine
Post Road Magazine
Dana Spiotta blurb for Vernon Downs: “Vernon Downs is a fascinating and sly tribute to a certain fascinating and sly writer, but this novel also perfectly captures the lonely distortions of a true obsession.”
Spiotta, Dana
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Charles Yu blurb for Vernon Downs: “An engrossing novel about longing and impersonation, which is to say, a story about the distance between persons, distances within ourselves. Clarke’s prose is infused with music and intelligence and deep feeling.”
Yu, Charles
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Correspondence – Vernon Downs
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Matthew Specktor blurb for Vernon Downs: “All strong literature stems from obsession. Vernon Downs belongs to a tradition that includes Nicholson Baker’s U and I, Geoff Dyer’s Out of Sheer Rage, and—for that matter—Pale Fire. What makes Clarke’s excellent novel stand out isn’t just its rueful intelligence, or its playful semi-veiling of certain notorious literary figures, but its startling sadness. Vernon Downs is first rate.”
Specktor, Matthew
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Laura van den Berg blurb for Vernon Downs: “Vernon Downs is a brilliant meditation on obsession, art, and celebrity. Charlie Marten’s mounting fixation with the titular Vernon is not only driven by the burn of heartbreak and the lure of fame, but also a lost young man’s struggle to locate his place in the world. Vernon Downs is an intoxicating novel, and Clarke is a dazzling literary talent.”
van den Berg, Laura
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Bound mock-up of The Melissa Process (Published in 2015 as World Gone Water.)
World Gone Water: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Manuscript – World Gone Water, edited by Mary Cotton
Cotton, Mary
World Gone Water: A Novel
Correspondence – Bloomsbury UK re World Gone Water
World Gone Water: A Novel
Correspondence – Bloomsbury UK re We’re So Famous ebook
We're So Famous: A Novel
World Gone Water: A Novel
Contract dated September 24 with Roundabout Press re World Gone Water
World Gone Water: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Book trailer for Vernon Downs, narrated by Academy award-winning actor Chris Cooper featuring Aimee Bender, Elisa Albert, Atul Gawande, Ramona Ausubel, Alison Bechdel, Ben Marcus, Charles Bock, Christopher Boucher, Mark Conway, T Cooper, Elizabeth Crane, Michael Dahlie, Tanya Donelly, Jennifer duBois, James Fuerst, Julia Glass, Lev Grossman, Holly LeCraw, James Scott, Leslie Jamison, Joanna Hershon, Jonathan Wilson, Owen King, Allison Lynn, Amy MacKinnon, Gregory Maguire, Rebecca Makkai, Margot Livesey, Jill McCorkle, Paul Harding, Marianne Leone, Paul Yoon, Ivy Pochoda, Henriette Power, Jamie Quatro, Nelly Reifler, Ben Schrank, Elizabeth Searle, Jim Shepard, Karen Shepard, Amy Sohn, Anna Solomon, Jessica Treadway, Dawn Tripp, Laura van den Berg, Wesley Stace, Joan Wickersham, Mary-Beth Hughes, Mary Sullivan, Myla Goldberg, Amy Hempel, Adam Wilson, Binnie Kirshenbaum, Jonathan Ames, Sam Lipsyte, David James Poissant, Tom Perrotta, and Charles Yu
Cooper, Chris
Bender, Aimee
Albert, Elisa
Gawande, Atul
Ausubel, Ramona
Bechdel, Alison
Marcus, Ben
Bock, Charles
Boucher, Christopher
Conway, Mark
Cooper, T
Crane, Elizabeth
Dahlie, Michael
Donnelly, Tanya
duBois, Jennifer
Fuerst, James
Glass, Julia
Grossman, Lev
LeCraw, Holly
Scott, James
Jamison, Leslie
Hershon, Joanna
Wilson, Jonathan
King, Owen
Lynn, Allison
MacKinnon, Amy
Maguire, Gregory
Makkai, Rebecca
Livesey, Margot
McCorkle, Jill
Harding, Paul
Leone, Marianne
Yoon, Paul
Pochoda, Ivy
Lazaridis, Henriette
Quatro, Jamie
Reifler, Nelly
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Laprade, John
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Manuscript – World Gone Water, edited by Dan Pope
Pope, Dan
World Gone Water: A Novel
Correspondence – World Gone Water
World Gone Water: A Novel
Cutter, Weston
Brooklyn Rail
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Ellis, Bret Easton
Arizona State University
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Roundabout Press galley letter re World Gone Water
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Publishers Weekly
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Vernon Downs: A Novel
Receipt from Soho House (West Hollywood) dinner with Bret Easton Ellis
Ellis, Bret Easton