Now Is Not the Time to Panic

In 1996, two creative sixteen-year-olds meet in small-town Tennessee during a lonely summer. Frances and Zeke form an instant connection and channel their artistic impulses into making a mysterious poster together, which they photocopy and secretly plaster all over town. Their anonymous art project takes on a life of its own as panic spreads through the community and copycats begin replicating their work across the country. The events of that summer leave an indelible mark on Frances, who must confront this chapter of her past twenty years later when a reporter starts asking questions. The novel moves between 1996 and 2017, exploring the power of art, collaboration, and teenage intensity. It examines how a single creative act can spiral beyond its creators' control and reverberate through time, shaping lives in unexpected ways.

Readers appreciate the authentic portrayal of teenage creativity and angst in a small Tennessee town. Many connect with the intense summer friendship between the main characters and the ripple effects of their art project. The book resonates particularly with those who experienced adolescence in the 1990s. Common praise focuses on Wilson's depiction of anxiety, obsession, and how teenage decisions can echo through adulthood. Several readers noted the accuracy of pre-internet panic spreading through a community. Critics found the plot repetitive and the ending unsatisfying. Some felt the adult sections were less compelling than the teenage storyline. A few readers expected more tension and consequences from the central incident. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (17,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (1,900+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.9/5 (300+ ratings) "Captures the intensity of being sixteen perfectly" - Goodreads reviewer "Started strong but lost steam halfway through" - Amazon reviewer

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🌟 Kevin Wilson wrote part of this novel while battling Long COVID, which influenced themes of memory and isolation in the story 🎨 The mysterious art project at the center of the novel was inspired by outsider art and street art movements of the 1990s 📚 The book's title comes from a phrase that appears on the fictional artwork that causes panic in the story - a line that spreads like a viral meme before social media existed 🏠 The small-town Tennessee setting draws from Wilson's own upbringing in Sewanee, TN, where he currently teaches creative writing at the University of the South 🔄 The novel's structure moves between 1996 and present day, mirroring how viral phenomena from the past can resurface and take on new meaning in contemporary times