Meet Jack Skelley, the writer celebrating LA’s rising literary scene

Last spring, the LA Times chronicled the city’s growing literary scene, documenting guerrilla readings “invading parking lots and cemeteries.” Roving reading series produced by the likes of Casual Encountersz and Car Crash Collective quickly found favor among 20 and 30-somethings seeking culture and community. As the scene expanded, so did the creative output. New indie presses like Dream Boy Book Club and Cash 4 Gold published emerging talent alongside hot new literary mags like The Big One. 

 

In spite of its ongoing evolution, one writer remains at the center of the local literary orbit. That writer is Jack Skelley, who found favor among women and members of queer Gen Z after last year’s Semiotext(e) release of his resuscitated novel, The Complete Fear of Kathy Acker, a “secretly legendary” relic of 1980s Los Angeles.

Now, contemporary authors rarely pull off two successful book releases in two years. But the cult of Skelley only continues to grow with the release of his latest book, Myth Lab: Theories of Plastic Love, published by Far West Press in July. Following two packed NYC book launch events, Skelley celebrated his LA launch in early August. The multimedia soiree—hosted by Currant Jam and The Poetic Research Bureau—took place at 2220 Arts + Archives and featured readings and performances by dance theatre company Volta Collective, poet and filmmaker Lily Lady, Casual Encountersz founder Sammy Loren, Adult Book Club, and DJ SURV1VORSGUILT. Skelley himself performed a reading from his new work, enhanced by titillating visuals created by AI-artist Karina Bush. Girl-about-town Melahn Cristalle MC’d the event. 

Following his NYC appearance, Skelley spoke to Whitney Mallet for Interview Magazine. In the words of Mallet, founding editor of The Whitney Review, “Every hot, bicostal girl is a part of [Jack’s] book launch rollout.” You’ll see this reflected in the event photos snapped by Damian Dovarganes. LA attendees included poet and curator Sophie Appel, author Christopher Zeischegg, SPASM Magazine’s Zoey Greenwald, and hyperpop artist Techn0pagan.