K.E. Semmel

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K.E. Semmel
OccupationWriter, literary translator
NationalityAmerican
Education Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (BA)
Kansas State University (MA)
GenreFiction, literary translation, essays
Notable worksThe Book of Losman (2024)
Website
www.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. [1] In 2024, he published his debut novel, The Book of Losman, which explores the intersection of translation and Tourette syndrome. [2] A 2016 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Translation Fellow, [3] Semmel is also a prominent voice in the Tourette syndrome community through his writing and public speaking. [4] [5]

Contents

Early life and education

Semmel was raised in the United States and attended Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts. [6] He later received a Master of Arts in English from Kansas State University. [7]

Semmel has lived in Denmark, where for two years he was employed as a mailman for the Danish postal service, [8] 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.

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. [3]

In addition to translation, Semmel is a fiction writer and essayist. His debut novel, The Book of Losman, was published in 2024 by SFWP. [9] The novel incorporates autobiographical details from Semmel's life, and the life of a translator living with Tourette syndrome. [10] The book was recognized by Debutiful as a noteworthy debut of 2024. [11]

Advocacy and personal life

Semmel resides in Scottsville, New York [12] , 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 [13]

Published works

Novels

Selected translations

YearAuthorTitlePublisher
2011 Jussi Adler-Olsen The Absent OneDutton
2011 Karin Fossum The Caller Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
2013 Simon Fruelund Milk Santa Fe Writers Project
2014 Naja Marie Aidt Rock, Paper, Scissors Two Lines Press
2014 Erik Valeur The Seventh Child AmazonCrossing
2015 Thomas Rydahl The Hermit Oneworld
2017Jesper Bugge KoldThe Wall Between AmazonCrossing
2018 Mathilde Walter Clark Lone Star Deep Vellum

Essays and short fiction

Semmel's short stories and essays have appeared in The Southern Review [14] , Huffington Post , The Washington Post , and World Literature Today [15] . 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. 1 2 "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. ↑ Semmel, K. E. "Stirring the pot: Albrecht Dürer, Bob Dylan, and Simon Fruelund". Necessary Fiction. Necessary Fiction. Retrieved 10 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. ↑ "Author Bio". K.E. Semmel. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  13. ↑ "An Evening with Author K.E. Semmel". Tourette Association of America. October 28, 2025. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  14. ↑ Lang & Semmel, Line-Maria & K. E. "As You've Planned It". The Southern Review. LSU Press. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  15. ↑ "Hair". Word Literature Today. Word Literature Today. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  16. ↑ K.E. Semmel (October 16, 2024). "How Should Debut Novelists Measure Success?". The Millions. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  17. ↑ Semmel, Kyle. "Want to Write Better Fiction? Become a Translator". The Millions. The Millions. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
  18. ↑ K.E. Semmel (October 2, 2024). "7 Novels Set in Copenhagen". Electric Literature . Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  19. ↑ "Kyle Semmel Translator - Danish". Center for the Art of Translation. Center for the Art of Translation. Retrieved 10 March 2026.
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