hiː ɐtˈɛndᵻd ðɪ ˈɛm.ˈɛf.ˈeɪ. pɹˈoʊɡɹæm ɪn ɹˈaɪɾɪŋ æt kəlˈʌmbiə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi, wˌɛɹ hiː ɹˈoʊt stˈoːɹiz ðæt ɪvˈɑːlvd ˌɪntʊ hɪz fˈɜːst nˈɑːvəl, mɪstˈɪɹiəs skˈɪn.
He attended the M.F.A. program in Writing at Columbia University, where he wrote stories that evolved into his first novel, Mysterious Skin.