In this installment of the Rock is Lit Season 4 Reading Series, Kat Hausler reads an excerpt from her novel ‘What I Know About July’ and discusses its creation.

The novel centers around indie rocker Simon Kemper, fresh out of rehab and riding the wave of moderate success with his band in Berlin. But lurking in the background is his stalker, a mysterious figure present at every show, sending unsettling postcards to his label and acting as though she owns him. When she suddenly vanishes during one of his performances, Simon becomes the prime suspect. What begins as an attempt to clear his name spirals into a deeper psychological journey, as Simon questions whether her obsession could have truly ended—or if it has merely become entangled in the lives of those closest to him: his bandmates, a new romantic interest, an embittered ex, and the person he thought he had left behind. Narcissistic and insecure, Simon's struggle to become a better person is central to this haunting story.

Originally from Virginia, Kat Hausler is a graduate of New York University and holds an M.F.A. in Fiction from Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she was the recipient of a Baumeister Fellowship. She is the author of ‘Retrograde’ and ‘What I Know About July’, as well as many shorter pieces. Her work has appeared in ‘Hawaii Pacific Review’, ‘34th Parallel’, ‘Inkspill Magazine’, ‘The Sunlight Press’, ‘The Dalloway’, ‘Rozlyn Press’, ‘Porridge Magazine’, ‘LitReactor’, ‘BlazeVOX’, ‘failbetter’, and’ The Airgonaut’, among others. She lives in Berlin and is also a translator.

MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE:

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Kat Hausler’s website: https://www.kathausler.com/

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Kat Hausler on Twitter: @Kat_Fiction

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Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast

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