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Emma Copley Eisenberg is an American queer writer of fiction and nonfiction works. Her first book, The Third Rainbow Girl, was nominated for an Edgar Award, Lambda Literary Award, and Anthony Bouchercon Award.

Personal life

Copley Eisenberg was raised in a wealthy family in New York City and currently resides in Philadelphia. Her father, Alan Eisenberg, was a senior partner in the law firm, Eisenberg and Paul. He then went on to become Secretary of the Actors Equity Association. Her mother, Claire Copley, coordinated promotional campaigns for art galleries, and is the daughter of artist William Copley and granddaughter of Ira Copley, who founded Copley Newspaper chain.

She attended Dalton School, a prestigious prep school in New York City. She went on to receive a bachelor of arts from Haverford College and an MFA from the University of Virginia.

In 2007, as a college student, Copley Eisenberg completed an internship in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, the location of her book The Third Rainbow Girl. The experience lingered with her, and she returned in 2009 and lived there until 2011, during which time she served as an AmeriCorps member and worked "as a counselor at a girls’ wilderness and empowerment camp."

Career

Copley Eisenberg has taught fiction writing at Bryn Mawr College, the University of Virginia, and ZYZZYVA.

In 2018, along with several other writers, Copley Eisenberg co-founded Blue Stoop, an organization that "nurtures an inclusive literary community by creating pathways to access writing education, inspiration, and professional support, and celebrating Philadelphia’s rich writing tradition." She currently co-directs at the organization.

She is queer as has jokingly described herself as "a not-all-the-way gay woman."

Writing

Copley Eisenberg's work has appeared in The New York Times, McSweeney's, Granta, The Virginia Quarterly Review, Tin House, Esquire, Guernica, The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Citizen, and others.

The Third Rainbow Girl (2020)

Copley Eisenberg's debut book, The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia, was published January 21, 2020, by Hachette Books. The book follows the true story of the murders of Vicki Durian and Nancy Santomero in Pocahontas County, West Virginia in June 1980 when the duo had been hitchhiking to the Rainbow Gathering. Though no one was prosecuted for the "Rainbow Murders" for 13 years, many suspected local residents who were "depicted as poor, dangerous, and backward." A local farmer was convicted in 1993 but was released when Joseph Paul Franklin confessed to the crime. Throughout the story's telling, Copley Eisenberg provides insight into the harmful stories told and believed about people who live in Appalachia. She also discusses how "this mysterious murder has loomed over all those affected for generations, shaping their fears, fates, and desires."

The Third Rainbow Girl was nominated for an Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime, a Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Nonfiction, and an Anthony Bouchercon Award. The New York Times included the book in its list of notable books released in 2020.

While much of the book coverage was positive, Eisenberg received criticism for her privileged position in relation to the subject matter of The Third Rainbow Girl. A critic for Spectrum Culture wrote of the book:

"Eisenberg...muddies the waters by dragging herself front and center into the story, recounting her NYC girl experiences in the same rural county of West Virginia several decades removed from the crime. Here she begins to weave in the ideas of toxic masculinity, misogyny, generational hardships and all manner of cultural assessments as viewed from a more “progressive” mindset...She does so in an attempt to ingratiate herself into a culture for which she has no frame of reference outside that which she’s been fed through pop culture and an anthropological lens."

Housemates (2024)

Copley Eisenberg's second book, Housemates, was published by Hogarth and released May 28, 2024. In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews called the book "emotionally rich and quietly thought-provoking, this is simply a stunning fiction debut." Publishers Weekly described the story as starting slow, "but once Eisenberg revs the engine, she reaches luminous heights. Readers will count themselves lucky to go along for the ride." Electric Literature positively summed up the novel: "At heart, Housemates is a joyous novel that bubbles with the effervescence of queer youth, celebrates the idiosyncratic and sometimes absurd queer culture of West Philadelphia, and chases down young love."

References

1. ^ "About". Emma Copley Eisenberg. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
2. ^ "Category List – Best Fact Crime | Edgar® Awards Info & Database". edgarawards.com. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
3. ^ Gentes, Brian (2021-03-15). "2021 Lambda Literary Award Finalists Announced". Lambda Literary. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
4. ^ "Announcing the 2021 Anthony Award winners". CrimeReads. 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
5. "Alan Eisenberg Marries Claire Copley". The New York Times. 1982-05-24. Retrieved 2023-06-20.
6. ^ "Emma Eisenberg". The Philadelphia Citizen. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
7. ^ Kendra (2021-02-10). "Interview | Emma Copley Eisenberg". reading women. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
8. ^ Adams, Kiersten A. (2020-01-22). "A conversation with Philly writer Emma Copley Eisenberg". The Philadelphia Citizen. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
9. "Mission & History". Blue Stoop. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
10. "Staff & Advisory Board". Blue Stoop. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
11. "The "Unhinged Bisexual Woman" Novel". Lux Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-24.
12. ^ Eisenberg, Emma Copley (2021). The third rainbow girl : the long life of a double murder in appalachia (First trade paperback ed.). New York: Hachette Books. ISBN 978-0-316-44921-2. OCLC 1153655665.
13. "100 Notable Books of 2020". The New York Times. 2020-11-20. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
14. https://spectrumculture.com/2020/06/18/the-third-rainbow-girl-by-emma-copley-eisenberg-review/
15. "Housemates". Kirkus Reviews. January 20, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
16. "Housemates". Publishers Weekly. February 14, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
17. Liontas, Annie (June 7, 2024). ""Housemates" Is a Queer Road Trip Across Pennsylvania". Electric Literature. Retrieved July 29, 2024.

External links

• Official website

• Living people
• American queer writers
• University of Virginia alumni
• Haverford College alumni
• Writers from New York City
• American LGBTQ women