K.E. Semmel

K.E. Semmel
EducationEdinboro University of Pennsylvania (BA)
Kansas State University (MA)
OccupationsWriter, literary translator
Writing career
GenresFiction, literary translation, essays
Notable workThe Book of Losman (2024)
Websitewww.kesemmel.com

K.E. Semmel is an American author, literary translator, and disability advocate. He is best known for his translations of contemporary Danish and Norwegian literature into English, including works by Jussi Adler-Olsen, Karin Fossum, Simon Fruelund, and Naja Marie Aidt. In 2024, he published his debut novel, The Book of Losman, which explores the intersection of translation and Tourette syndrome. A 2016 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Translation Fellow, Semmel is also a prominent voice in the Tourette syndrome community through his writing and public speaking.

Early life and education

Semmel attended Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts.[non-primary source needed] He later received a Master of Arts in English from Kansas State University.[non-primary source needed]

Career

Semmel is a prolific translator of contemporary Scandinavian literature. In 2016, he was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Literature Fellowship for Translation.

In addition to translation, Semmel is a fiction writer and essayist. His debut novel, The Book of Losman, was published in 2024 by SFWP. The novel incorporates autobiographical details from Semmel's life, and the life of a translator living with Tourette syndrome. The book was recognized by Debutiful as a noteworthy debut of 2024.

Advocacy and personal life

Semmel has lived in Denmark, where for two years he was employed as a mailman for the Danish postal service, an experience that facilitated his fluency in the Danish language and provided the cultural immersion that informed his later career as a translator and a novelist.[non-primary source needed]

Semmel resides in Scottsville, New York, near Rochester. Having lived with Tourette syndrome since childhood, he is an active advocate for the community. He was a keynote speaker at the 2025 TIC-CON (Tourette Association of America) Conference.

Published works

Novels

Selected translations

YearAuthorTitlePublisher
2011Jussi Adler-OlsenThe Absent OneDutton
2011Karin FossumThe CallerHoughton Mifflin Harcourt
2013Simon FruelundMilkSanta Fe Writers Project
2014Naja Marie AidtRock, Paper, ScissorsTwo Lines Press
2014Erik ValeurThe Seventh ChildAmazonCrossing
2015Thomas RydahlThe HermitOneworld
2017Jesper Bugge KoldThe Wall BetweenAmazonCrossing
2018Mathilde Walter ClarkLone StarDeep Vellum

Essays and short fiction

Semmel's short stories and essays have appeared in The Southern Review, Huffington Post, The Washington Post, and World Literature Today. Notable pieces include:

Awards and honors

References

  1. ↑ Øgaard Jensen, Katrine. "Translator's Profile: K. E. Semmel". Asymptote Journal. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  2. ↑ Pietrzyk, Leslie. "Interview with K.E. Semmel". South 85 Journal. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  3. ↑ "K.E. Semmel: 2016 Fellowship". National Endowment for the Arts. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  4. ↑ "An Evening with Author K.E. Semmel". tourette.org. Tourette Association of America. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  5. ↑ Semmel, Kyle. "I Always Knew I Was Different. Still, I Was Shocked To Hear My Doctor Say These 4 Words To Me". HuffPost. Buzzfeed. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  6. ↑ "Commencement" (PDF). Keystone Library Network. Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  7. ↑ "Alum News". K-State English. Kansas State University. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  8. ↑ Bernofsky, Susan. "NEA Announces 2016 Translation Fellowships". Translationista. Translationista. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  9. ↑ "The Book of Losman by K.E. Semmel". Santa Fe Writers Project. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  10. ↑ Graser, Geoff. "Geoff Graser and K.E. Semmel Discuss His Novel The Book of Losman". Heavy Feather Review. Heavy Feather Review. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  11. ↑ "A Life of Books: K.E. Semmel, author of The Book of Losman". Debutiful. October 2, 2024. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  12. ↑ Semmel, K. E. "Stirring the pot: Albrecht Dürer, Bob Dylan, and Simon Fruelund". Necessary Fiction. Necessary Fiction. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  13. ↑ "Author Bio". K.E. Semmel. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  14. ↑ "An Evening with Author K.E. Semmel". Tourette Association of America. October 28, 2025. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  15. ↑ Lang & Semmel, Line-Maria & K. E. "As You've Planned It". The Southern Review. LSU Press. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  16. ↑ "Hair". Word Literature Today. Word Literature Today. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  17. ↑ K.E. Semmel (October 16, 2024). "How Should Debut Novelists Measure Success?". The Millions. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  18. ↑ Semmel, Kyle. "Want to Write Better Fiction? Become a Translator". The Millions. The Millions. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  19. ↑ K.E. Semmel (October 2, 2024). "7 Novels Set in Copenhagen". Electric Literature. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  20. ↑ "Kyle Semmel Translator - Danish". Center for the Art of Translation. Center for the Art of Translation. Retrieved 10 March 2026.