 WS: What genre do you write in and why? GK: I write fiction because I enjoy playing with that line between reality and invention. I have the freedom to tell whatever story I'm inspired to write. I do tend to tap into my own experiences though, especially when it comes to setting and memory, but fiction allows me to go further, to cross that line. I write poetry as well and so am drawn to lyrical prose, which lends itself well to some of my more impressionistic writings. WS: What are your tips for submitting writing? GK: Network! It's difficult being a lone wolf when it comes to writing. Yes, we all sit alone at a desk month after month, but a writing community is vital for growth, honing your craft, and keeping sane! But try to attend writing conferences, join writing workshops, be active on social media. All these things widen your circle and are more likely to get you noticed when it comes to submitting for publication. Perseverance and putting aside ego help too! WS: What inspires your writing? GK: I'm inspired by so many things--memories, places, art, music, people--inspiration is limitless if you pay attention WS: Where are you from and does that place ever enter into your writing? GK: Yes! I'm originally from England and have lived in Texas for ages now, so both those places play a strong role in my work. Childhood leaves such an impression on us, and the fact that mine happened in another country so far from here left an indelible mark on me. One of the books I'm currently writing is set in England, and I'm able to draw from my childhood to bring it alive, which is really satisfying. My other home, here in Texas, is the setting for my first novel, Shiny Bits In Between and its sequel (which I'm currently working on). The setting in my work serves as a character of sorts, so an intimate knowledge of place is vital to me as a writer. WS: Do you do research for your writing? If so, what are some unexpected resources you’ve found? GK: I do research, which I enjoy, especially when you fall down those unexpected rabbit holes. Although I had a beach house in Bolivar, Texas for several years, I still felt like an outsider. The locals there are a tight bunch of folks, but also welcoming and lovely. Still, I had to research various aspects of the area and bought as many books written by locals as I could find, which were helpful. I also use the internet a great deal. Recently, I needed to research a story I'd heard about a lion being found in a church after hurricane Ike--can you imagine? I asked my Bolivar Facebook group about it and got all sorts of wonderful details--they are an invaluable resource! WS: Drop any links or promos for your recent work, include your social media links. GK: Here is where you can find me and my book.
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Dear Writespace Community,
I’m going to get right to the chase: Due to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, Writespace is at dire risk of closing permanently. Since March we have taken the necessary steps to follow stay-at-home orders and to protect the wellbeing of our community by cancelling all in-person events, including Writefest. Unfortunately, these steps have proven disastrous to our finances. In order to keep Writespace afloat, we are forced to cut costs in all areas, and the Writespace board made the difficult decision to end the lease on our physical studio at Silver Street and transition to an online-only format. I want to stress, however, that while our studio may have closed, Writespace as an organization has not! We will continue to offer top-notch writing workshops via online platforms and are looking at offering an online version of Writefest in the fall. I’m excited to forge ahead in this new chapter of the organization. Here are some ways that you, as a Writespace community member, can help:
Thank you for being a part of the Writespace community. While we won’t be able to do things as we have in the past, this is a tremendous opportunity to innovate our approach, reach new writers, and move Writespace beyond Houston’s city limits and into the world writing scene. I’m looking forward to seeing where the next five years take us. Sincerely, Cassandra Clarke Writespace Acting Executive Director  What is your favorite thing about writing?
There are many jobs to be had in this life! I taught college freshman English for many years, and always knew I was highly replaceable. Universities can snatch up any number of innocent souls to do that stuff! But when you write, you are doing something totally unique. You are creating something that you alone can offer into the world. And sometimes when I see that I’ve made something beautiful, or come up with a great insight in the process, that’s labor well-spent. I can tuck my thumbs in my suspenders and say, “wow, I did that, and I like it.” If you could pick anyone from history to collaborate on a book with, who would it be? Such a tough question. Sometimes I think of someone like Aphra Behn, who lived in the 1600s in England and was one of the first women to earn her living by her writing. What an incredible feat at that time in history. But then I think about someone whose work I’d love to emulate and Margaret Atwood comes to mind. Her work has such a perfect combination of feminism, myth, amazing plot, and use of language. What is the one thing you wish you had known about writing when you were just getting started? When I was seventeen and won the Texas State High School Ready-Writing Contest and got my name on the bank signs all over town, I wish a little bird had told me, “Honey, you are going to be a beginner for a very long time, so you just better get used to it. Let the rejections roll off. Don’t give up or try to please people. Just keep your head down and stay with it and believe that what you have to say is what you ought to be saying.” Why take a workshop at Writespace? Well first of all, they are really fun! I was a student at Writespace before I was a teacher. There is a workshop for so many writing problems and possibilities. The instructors are always interesting and you will get to know your classmates and make connections. Writespace workshops give you a huge return for the small amount of time and money you invest. What are you currently reading? On my nightstand I have Belonging by Toko-pa Turner, Howard’s End by E.M. Forster, Sue Monk Kidd’s The Invention of Wings, Man and his Symbols by Carl Jung, and A Course in Miracles. What do you think is the most interesting thing about you? OMG. The thing that seems to interest most people is how well I have done starting my life over after coming through a traumatic marriage and divorce. I’m a hula and Zumba dancing writer. My father is almost 100 years old and in relatively good health. I do social justice work and took a group of women to the Civil Rights Trail in Alabama and our journey has been made into an HBO movie. Oh, and I have kept a dream diary for 30 years, and use dreams regularly in my work... So come to my workshop and we can talk about how you can translate your own dreams into your writing! Learn more about Catherine on her website.  What is your favorite thing about writing?
When I was a kid, Spanish was my first language. It was the language I used to communicate with my parents and family in other countries, but it wasn't the language that was used in school. Before there was a robust ESL program, there was another program that was essentially where students who were different were placed. Harris County in the 1980s wasn't the same place it is now. I learned to speak English watching Sesame Street and Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. My immigrant mother, with her broken Spanish, taught me all the English words she knew and taught me how to read. But even with all of that, I knew I was different. But I also knew that if I could write better than everyone else in my class, it didn't matter how I spoke. Words were proof that I existed. And so, that's how I learned to write. That's how I learned how important words are. My favorite things about writing... no one cares what I look like. No one cares what I should like or if I combed my hair or brushed my teeth. What matters is what is on that page, how it made people feel. What matters is magic. And I want to live in a world filled with magic. What is the one thing you wish you had known about writing when you were just getting started? I wish someone had told me how hard it was. Ha! Actually, I wish I had believed them. I also wished, especially after grad school, they taught me how to keep a writing career. How does that look like? How do you write a grant or write the perfect letter for submissions? Writing is resistance and this is how that manifests -- I wish that was an entire class! I wish they had taught me what that world as a writer could look like more. It would have been invaluable for me starting out. What is the most interesting thing about you? This is a loaded question. EVERYTHING is interesting about me. Ha! I think maybe what is surprising is that I still keep looking to having adventures -- nothing big like diving off a building but something different and new. I don't like to do the same thing over and over again for too long. Tell me one thing you hate. Standing in lines. Long lines. And any variation of that like traffic. I spend a lot of time thinking and planning on how I can avoid traffic. Tell me one thing you love. My mom. My sister. My friends. I love loving them and being loved by them. Who is your favorite writer? This question is SO CRUEL! One writer? Come on! Gabriel Garcia Marquez is on the top of my list always. Juan Rulfo is a close second Clarice Lispector Isabel Allende Lupe Mendez Jasminne Mendez Deborah DEEP Mouton Chester Himes Walter Mosely Raymond Chandler Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Let's end there because this list can get LONG! If you could pick anyone from history to collaborate on a book with, who would it be? Clarice Lispector or Franz Kafka because they get me. I wouldn't want to collaborate with Marquez because I'd be fangirling WAY too hard to get any work done. Why should people take a workshop with you at Writespace? Because we have fun! Also, it's a great opportunity to hear, or read, or try something new. We have amazing workshops at WriteSpace and I am so lucky to be part of that energy. What are you passionate about passing on to your students? The best lesson I have ever been taught as a writer was that I am an apprentice to books. Even though I write and teach and have this fancy degree, I'm still learning. I'm still trying things out, pushing my limits as a writer and doing the work. That makes me an eternal student and that helps me focus on being the best instructor I can be. I am a guide, helping other apprentices to find their way. What are you currently reading? I am re-reading Children of Blood and Bone to I can go to the next book in the series. I'm flirting with an Alex Segura book at the moment as well, Silent City. I'm taking a break from memoir at the moment and then will be returning to it in the next month or so. So I'm enjoying the respite. Once I'm back, I'll be reading Children of the Land by Marcelo Hernandez Castillo. By Jamie Portwood, Writespace Administrative Assistant The word volunteer, by definition, is a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task. In other words, a volunteer makes a gift of herself. A volunteer says, “I have these talents and abilities and I want to use them for a good purpose.” It is one of the only ways we can choose how our gifts and talents and abilities are used. That choice alone makes it an act of self-care. In fact, research shows that volunteering has immense health benefits, from decreasing the risk of depression to reducing stress to increasing a sense of purpose to developing relationships.
I know that volunteering with Writespace has done that and more for me. When I first moved to Houston, I felt disconnected and isolated, all alone in the fourth largest city in the country. By happy accident, I found a flyer for upcoming workshops at Writespace. I decided to take a workshop and loved it. I kept taking workshops. Then I noticed that Writespace was asking for volunteers. It was, I think, the first time that I was grateful for the administration skills I had acquired as an office manager. As soon as I began volunteering with Writespace, I felt like I had been plugged in. I met other volunteers who became friends, instructors who became friends. I became a part of the thriving arts community in Houston. I found a purpose that fulfilled me like nothing else. I belong to an organization that supports writers like me. What greater joy than to be a part of an organization that has given so much to me and other writers! Volunteering with Writespace was one of the best decisions I ever made. Today we’re delighted to share an interview with Reverie Benedetto, our second 2019 Writespace Emerging Writer Fellow!
For the past year, Reverie has been able to participate in all the Writespace workshop programming she would like--absolutely free! Read on to learn more about Reverie’s work, inspirations, and more. Tell us a bit about your writing! What genre do you like to work in and why? What projects are you currently focused on? I enjoy working on adult speculative fiction stories, primarily science fiction and low/urban fantasy with elements of mystery. I like to step out of the bounds of our current reality – the things that we’re familiar with – and get weird and experimental! My current project is Seeking Starlight (working title, first book) and No More Kings (second book), a speculative noir duology about a naïve young detective getting more than he bargains for when he tries to track down the person who nearly killed him. Over the past few years, I’ve taken the time and effort to design and create visual references for all my characters. Distinct, memorable character design is something that’s very important to me. What writers, artists, musicians, and so on have inspired your writing and why? I am a huge fan of Ursula K. Le Guin! The Left Hand of Darkness is one of my favorite science fiction novels. Reading about someone else’s ideas on society, science, and life outside of our known reality through creative fiction helps broaden my scope as far as going about my own writing. Admittedly, I have read a criminally small number of books in the past few years. My attention span for written or audio-only works is very poor, especially when I’m stressed. I have a much better attention span for TV shows. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is my ‘keystone’ for fast-paced, character-driven stories. It’s quite campy, but fun to watch and analyze. I grew up with a goth mother, so my taste in music leans heavily on The Cure, Bauhaus, Depeche Mode, and the like. It’s emotionally evocative music! What is your writing kryptonite? What do you struggle the most with when writing and what have you been doing to get better? I am an anti-pantser. I have this problem where I can’t just get a first draft on paper – the first draft has to be THE best draft, something flawless. Obviously, that’s impossible, but I’m very insecure, so it’s been difficult to get over. To counter it, I’ve been reading new stories and re-watching/re-reading old ones that I enjoyed and making personal commentary on them: what I like, why I like it, and how I could possibly incorporate it into my own writing. Looking at structure has helped me the most, since that’s what I really struggle with. What was an early experience where you learned that language had power? I have always been annoyingly verbose, both in speech and in writing. I still am. When I first started writing, I was in that stage everyone goes through where they think the more words they’re putting on paper, the more intelligent they sound. Having someone sit down and cross out all the filler words and unnecessary adjectives in my writing was a mind-blowing experience for younger me. Concise language is powerful! Why do you write? What drew you to pursue writing in the first place? At first, I wrote to distract myself from a difficult home & school life, as well as from untreated mental illness. I projected myself onto my own characters. I made them gay, transgender, chronically ill, the whole nine yards. Characters like that weren’t (and still aren’t) common in media for children and teenagers. A lot of people say the best art comes from a place of suffering – I must laugh, because had I been given more resources and opportunities to expand upon my skills during my childhood, and had my family been encouraging instead of dismissive, I would be a much more confident, productive adult. People who say things like that have no idea what it’s like to have your creativity, the very light in your soul snuffed out by the people who should be fueling it. I still write for myself, but I’ve learned to look to my friends and fellow writers for advice when creating stories. To make other people happy with my writing, particularly those groups so often ignored in creative fiction, is the greatest honor I could achieve. What is your favorite--and least favorite!--thing about Houston and why? It’s Houston. Clutch City! Where no matter how many times we’re swept under, we never drown. The willpower, the perseverance that the people of this city have, the compassion that we have for one another during times of crisis – it’s unlike anything you’ll find elsewhere. The constant traffic and road work on major freeways is also unlike anything you’ll find elsewhere. What books have you read recently that you particularly enjoyed? Tell us about them! I’m currently reading Sunburnby Laura Lippman. It’s a mystery similar in theme to Gone Girl. The narrative is structured in a way that allows each narrating character to come and go as they’re relevant without being confusing or difficult to follow. It’s given me insight on how I want to go about structuring my current project’s narrative. As an Emerging Writer Fellow, you get to attend as many Writespace workshops as you’d like! Which one did you enjoy the most (so far!) and why? Doing the all-day Novel Pacing workshop with Mark Haber was a delight. Mark is personable and always has great advice for me. As I’ve said, pacing and structure is my weakness, but I went home with several ideas for my project after this workshop. Do you have any social media or websites you’d like to share with the Writespace community? My (professional) Twitter is @revbenedetto! My website reveriebenedetto.comis in the making. We want to extend a huge thank you to Reverie for taking the time to chat with us! If you’re interested in finding out more about the 2020 Emerging Writer Fellowship, visit our site here. Applications for 2020 will open in December 2019. Today we’re delighted to share an interview with Efemena Emonefe, one of our 2019 Writespace Emerging Writer Fellows! For the past year, Effie has been able to participate in all the Writespace workshop programming she would like--absolutely free! Read on to learn more about Effie’s work, inspirations, and more.
Tell us a bit about your writing! What genre do you like to work in and why? What projects are you currently focused on? I work mainly in creative non-fiction, but I love to write screenplays as well. I am actually working on a few things at the moment: a collection short CNF memoirs about my childhood, 2 afro-futuristic novels, micro-essays, and short skits for my Youtube Channel to be released January 2020. What writers, artists, musicians, and so on have inspired your writing and why? The greats: Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter, Shonda Rhimes, Aretha Franklin, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie--the list goes on. These women collectively portray and write about the black experience that is unapologetic and truthful. I want to add to that. What is your writing kryptonite? What do you struggle the most with when writing and what have you been doing to get better? I struggle with wanting to be this top notch creative that gives everything to her art each and everyday. Sometimes I can barely find the time to think about a project, but what helps is knowing that every second counts. So, I jot here and there and write when I have free time. I can get inside my own head at times and I am working on just taking a beat. Once I do that, I’m in the clear and can write freely. What was an early experience where you learned that language had power? I wrote my first short story when I was in the 4th grade. I remember my classmates laughing at the part that were meant to be funny and gasping at all the dramatic twists and turns. It was then that I realized that words can shape not only your reality, but create stories to escape and allow the imagination to flourish. Why do you write? What drew you to pursue writing in the first place? Writing is my air. Without it, I am nothing. I am the most organized, happy, and at peace with myself when I am writing. Peace, especially in these current times, is always the goal. Do what gives you peace and fulfills your purpose. What is your favorite--and least favorite!--thing about Houston and why? Houston is my city! A world wonder where people from all different cultures interact and share their heritage! That is absolutely my favorite thing! Least favorite? This damn heat! :) What books have you read recently that you particularly enjoyed? Tell us about them! I’m currently reading Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. So far, so good! As an Emerging Writer Fellow, you get to attend as many Writespace workshops as you’d like! Which one did you enjoy the most (so far!) and why? Horror Intensive. I was exposed to different forms of writing when creating a horror story. What a great class! Do you have any social media or websites you’d like to share with the Writespace community? @simply_effie on Instagram We want to extend a huge thank you to Effie for taking the time to chat with us! If you’re interested in finding out more about the 2020 Emerging Writer Fellowship, visit our site here. Applications for 2020 will open in December 2019.  Today's Featured Writefest Speaker is Nicole Payne, a literary agent at Golden Wheat Literary, a faith-based literary agency with a bit of a twist. While Nicole is primarily interested in young adult, new adult, and adult novels, works with a killer plot, beautiful voice, and realistic characters will always make the exception.
What book/story/poem have you read recently that you’re really excited about? I really loved The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It was the first epistolary novel I'd ever read and it was done so well that I'm constantly on the lookout for books like that now. How did you first enter the publishing industry? I started off as marketing intern at a publishing house and I also was a submissions intern for a few literary agents. How do you replenish your creative well? Well, if I have writer's block, then usually reading, music, or dancing seem to help untangle the knots and let the creativity flow. What are some of the questions you ask authors when you talk with them for the first time about their career? I ask if writing is something they want to do long term or if it's a one book kind of project. I also ask about their writing process and style, their views on an agent-author relationship, and any other projects they're working on.  Today's Featured Writefest Speaker is Kurestin Armada, a literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency. While Kurestin has a wide range of interests such as upmarket and commercial fiction, LGBTQ, graphic novels, romance and more, she has a particular affection for science fiction and fantasy, especially those that subvert genre tropes.
What book/story/poem have you read recently that you’re really excited about? I suppose it would be cheating to name a client book! It can be hard to squeeze in “fun” reading these days, but the line of novellas from Tor.com has been truly excellent for something I can easily knock out over my morning tea. Recently I finished RIOT BABY by Tochi Onyebuchi, which is in that novella line. It’s about a pair of siblings who have this enormous psychic power, while dealing with the brutal effects of racism in their community and in the prison system. It ends up being a story full of a very interesting kind of hope that springs from anger, and from refusal to continue to accept injustice, along with just being a very cool story from a speculative standpoint. I highly recommend it, along with the other novellas in that line! What would you tell your younger (15-year-old) self? To appreciate all that free time I had! I like to think I didn’t entirely waste it, but looking back, I would have spent even more time reading and consuming all sorts of art and media while I still had the time for it. The works I did engage with have given me such a useful sense of taste and appreciation for current works, and I can only imagine the effect it would have to be able to double the works in my memory banks. What advice would you give to new writers just starting to write their first book? I think it’s essential to lean into the things that really excite you about your book, and about writing in general. Don’t worry about the marketplace right now—of course, you should certainly be reading widely in your genre and be aware of the conversations that are happening, which will have a natural effect on your work, but don’t try to write something with an eye toward filling a trend. Partly because you’re likely to be too late by the time it gets written/revised/repped/bought/revised again/published, and partly because without a certain amount of joy and fun on your part in the writing process, the book will be lifeless. I can fix a lot of things in a book, but I can’t edit in a lack of joy—that’s the magic spark that makes it all work, and what makes your work uniquely yours.  Today's Featured Writefest Speaker is Léonicka Valcius, an assistant agent at Transatlantic Agency and founder of #DiverseCanLit. She is also a founding member of The Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD), a Brampton, Ontario 4-day festival devoted to community of reader and writers celebrating diverse authors. Léonicka has dedicated her career to diversity, equity and inclusion. She is eager to work with people of color, including (but not limited to) trans people, disabled people, religious minorities, and queer folks.
What book/story/poem have you read recently that you’re really excited about? I'm currently reading client manuscripts, then turning my attention back to pending queries! But the top two books in my To Read For Fun pile right now are Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott and Confessions of a Domestic Failure by Bunmi Laditan. Tell us about your work with #DiverseCanLit. #DiverseCanLit is just one of the many ways I've explored diversity, equity, and inclusion in my publishing career. I started asking questions when I noticed that my 2012 graduating class in publishing school was more than 80% white women. These questions led to me speaking on panels at industry events but each panel rehashed the basic. I started #DiverseCanLit as a weekly Twitter chat in an effort to have a continuous, evolving conversation. Now @DiverseCanLit is a platform where I signal boost news, resource and work for and by diverse Canadian writers. What are some of the questions you ask authors when you talk with them for the first time about their career? I always start by asking about their overall vision and long-term goals. Understanding a writer's personal definition of success helps me support and guide them throughout their career. |
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About
- Blog >
- Our Organization
- Member Success Stories
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People
>
- Staff
- Board of Directors
-
Faculty
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- Tanya Aydelott
- Nyri Bakkalian
- Andreana Binder
- Mackenzie Bitz
- Joyce Boatright
- Julia Brown
- Debbie Burns
- Cynthia Childress
- Cassandra Rose Clarke
- Jessica Cole
- Kartika Budhwar
- Mark Dostert
- Marlena Johns
- Ynes Freeman
- Mark Haber
- Matthew Hefti
- Adam Holt
- Sarah Gajkowski-Hill
- Angélique Jamail
- Justin Jannise
- Amal Kassir
- Karleen Koen
- Mike Kowis, Esq.
- Kendra Preston Leonard
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- Lorenzo Martinez
- Thomas H McNeely
- Sean Morrisey Carroll
- Ülrika Moats
- Jody T. Morse
- Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton
- Patricia Flaherty Pagan
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