Kate Reed's profile
Kate Reed Petty is a novelist and multi-media storyteller. Her debut novel, “True Story,” was named a New York Times Review of Books “Editor’s Choice” in 2020, was long-listed for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, and was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award. Kate's fiction and essays have been published in ZYZZYVA, American Short Fiction, Electric Literature, Blackbird, and other outlets, and her short story "Mr. Pink" was listed "Distinguished" in the 2022 Best American Short Stories anthology. She was awarded a 2017 Rubys Project Award by the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance and the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation, as well as residencies and scholarships at Edith Wharton's The Mount, the Bloedel Reserve, and the Sewanee Writers’ Conference.
In addition to fiction, Kate makes experimental short films — recorded entirely on computer desktops — which push the boundaries of storytelling in digital spaces while exploring how human relationships change when mediated by technology. Films in this series have won awards and nominations from Narrative Magazine and the Robert Coover Prize for Electric Literature, and have screened at the Maryland Film Festival.
Kate's collaborations with visual artists have led to several graphic novels for children, including "The Leak," illustrated by Andrea Bell, published by First Second (Macmillan) in 2021 and given a Gold Award by the Junior Library League.
In all of these formats — from novels and short stories to experimental videos and children’s graphic novels — Kate’s work explores how culture and storytelling shape our identities, and how each of us can reclaim our individual stories for our own.
In addition to fiction, Kate makes experimental short films — recorded entirely on computer desktops — which push the boundaries of storytelling in digital spaces while exploring how human relationships change when mediated by technology. Films in this series have won awards and nominations from Narrative Magazine and the Robert Coover Prize for Electric Literature, and have screened at the Maryland Film Festival.
Kate's collaborations with visual artists have led to several graphic novels for children, including "The Leak," illustrated by Andrea Bell, published by First Second (Macmillan) in 2021 and given a Gold Award by the Junior Library League.
In all of these formats — from novels and short stories to experimental videos and children’s graphic novels — Kate’s work explores how culture and storytelling shape our identities, and how each of us can reclaim our individual stories for our own.
