Born and raised in Reno, Nevada, Willy Vlautin has published seven novels, The Motel Life (2007), Northline (2008), Lean on Pete (2010), The Free (2014), Don’t Skip Out on Me (2018), The Night Always Comes (2021), and The Horse (2024). A new novel, The Left and The Lucky, will be published by Harper in April 2026. Vlautin has received the prestigious Joyce Carol Oates literary prize, was a Pen/Faulkner finalist, and is in the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame and the Oregon Music Hall of Fame. The Motel Life, Lean on Pete, and The Night Always Comes have been turned into major motion pictures. Vlautin has also founded the bands Richmond Fontaine and the Delines.
Word of South looks forward to hearing more from Willy Vlautin at this year’s festival, where he’ll be in conversation with Steve Dollar.