“Public Memory, Race, and Heritage Tourism of Early America”: A Humanist Perspective on How Issues of Race in Early America is Portrayed to Tourists

By Elaina Myers

The study of rhetoric and public memory is interested in understanding the ways that arguments about the past are made and shared among a group of people. Public memory is related to history, but it is more contested and changeable because it focuses on the ways in which history is memorialized in public spaces. UW-Eau Claire Professor Dr. Cathy Rex and UW-Milwaukee Professor Dr. Shevaun Watson address these studies of heritage tourism in their first edited scholarly collection, Public Memory, Race and Heritage Tourism of Early America, published in October of 2021. This collection includes contributions from a diverse group of humanities scholars that offer their own research and expertise into all eight chapters.

 “Very often historic sites of early America, where instances of race or racialized violence occurred, are discussed through the lens of tourism studies or discussed completely theoretically,” Dr. Rex explained in a recent interview. “We are trying to pull multiple threads together where humanities professors are writing about it from their different disciplines while also weaving in that tourist experience.”

 Dr. Rex contributed a chapter to the book focused on her experiences traveling to Jamaica with students and visiting Rose Hall, whose history involving white enslavers appeared to be glamorized and romanticized for profit.

 “Rose Hall gives candlelight tours, people get married, and they hold beautiful receptions and luncheons, and all of that would go away if they were truthful,” Dr. Rex explained. “This is the type of tension that a lot of the essays in this book unpack.”

 For many, early American issues of race seem far removed from those who don’t have deep historical family ties from the period. But Dr. Rex and Dr. Watson’s edited collection reminds readers that these issues remain relevant, and vital, today. Their collection confronts many difficult truths in America’s early history, which will interest students, academics, and those interested in forming a deeper understanding of the connections between tourism in America.

 Dr. Watson contributed the afterword of the book aimed to tie all the chapters together by highlighting the connections between public memory in the past and its effects on the present. She drew inspiration from the current political system, poetry, and the Dylan Roof massacre to start this discussion from different angles.

 “A lot of people argue that public memory is a really important route to racial reconciliation and [that] different kinds of representation of the past helps with richer understandings of the present,” Dr. Watson said. “What we see in our public landscape about the past has a huge impact, that isn’t even palpable to us, unless we really think about it, and I feel it is something worth thinking about.”

 Click here to learn more about their new book!

Behind-the-scenes with "Loss And Other Rivers That Devour" : An interview with Poet Gustavo Barahona-López

Poet and teacher Gustavo Barahona-López moved to Eau Claire in the summer of 2020—deep into the days of the pandemic.  Despite the difficulties of building community in these socially distanced times, Gustavo and his partner Kati—along with their children and dog Balto—have quickly begun building a community here.  In addition to teaching Spanish at a local middle school, Gustavo is also a published poet, whose debut book, Loss And Other Rivers That Devour, was just released from Nomadic Press.  We recently sat down with Gustavo to learn more about his new book, its inspiration, and the voices that inspire him.  Scroll on for the complete interview.          

B.J. Hollars: In your collection’s introduction, you note that this book centers on your “ever-evolving grief” for your father.  Can you share about how that became the focal point of your collection, and what impact the writing process may have had on your efforts to work with your grief?

 Gustavo Barahona-López: My father and our relationship have been the central topics of most of my writing. This focus stems in large part because of his cancer diagnosis while I was a high school senior and his death while I was in college. I had always adored my father and wanted nothing more than to earn his approval. A Mexican immigrant, my father made countless sacrifices to give his children a better life in the United States. To my teenage self, he was the embodiment of intellect, strength, and dedication to family. So when my father was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer with a one-year prognosis, I was left dumbfounded. How could the strongest man I knew be withering before me? How is it fair that at 21 years of age, I would no longer have his presence or guidance in my life? I had these and many more questions that I could not get myself to ask him. What I did instead is turn to the pen. I wrote poems and journal entries trying to make sense of his dying and his death. Initially, I tried to get over his death, to go through the steps of grief and come to terms with it. But I soon realized that that path and mindset regarding grief could not serve me. Instead, I leaned into the memory of him and the haunting. As I grew into adulthood and fatherhood, I continued to write about my father. However, what that writing revealed was that just as my father offered his love, his views on what masculinity should look like caused me a lot of harm. My memory of him has shifted from one of glorification to complex personhood, a man who tried his best given the social milieu where he grew up. Loss and Other Rivers That Devour is the culmination of years of grieving and reflection that began in 2005 in a Kaiser Hospital in Oakland, California. 

BJH: You write that your poems are “an incomplete cartography” of your “growth, setbacks, longing, and [your] grief.” I really like the idea of knowing that the work is ongoing.  That the cartography remains “incomplete.”  Do you find yourself returning to this subject in your current poems, or has the work changed now that this project is complete?

“I had previously believed that once I completed a project dealing primarily with the mourning of my father such as Loss and Other Rivers That Devour, it would bring closure and I would be able to move on to other topics. So far that has not been the case. ”

— Gustavo Barahona-López

GBL: When I write poems now my father’s memory has a way of inserting itself, though it is less of a focus now. I had previously believed that once I completed a project dealing primarily with the mourning of my father such as Loss and Other Rivers That Devour, it would bring closure and I would be able to move on to other topics. So far that has not been the case. What has changed is the vessel for my writing about him. I have been working on a few prose pieces that deal more explicitly with my father, our relationship, and his ideas about vulnerability and masculinity. Each new work elucidates a different part of our relationship. The lens of fatherhood for instance has shifted how I view my own childhood as I consider which of my father’s lessons I want to pass on and which, in hindsight, were detrimental to my emotional growth.

BJH: Can you share about some of the struggles you may have encountered while writing this collection? 

GBL: My earliest poems in this collection tended to glorify my father. Within my family there was a cultural expectation that children should never criticize their parents. The first few times that I wrote any less than favorable characterization of my father I heard a voice in my head saying, ‘malcriado’ meaning ill-mannered/ill-bred or ‘hijo ingrato’ which translates to ungrateful son. However, over time I learned to quiet that voice so that I could express my experience of my childhood and the complexity of my relationship to the man I loved and feared most.

BJH: Your collection makes use of various forms.  Is there any one form that you found worked best for the subject of grief?  How can form explore grief differently?

GBL: Many of the poems in my collection that deal more directly with death and mourning are either free verse or make extensive use of white space. I implemented free verse when I wanted to let my thoughts run. If I had a moment where the loss felt especially salient and I was drawn to the page with urgency, I could count on free verse to help me get those thoughts onto the page. I also have several poems that make use of white space. I find this style of poetry lends itself to the fracturing of identity and can begin to reflect the complexity of relationships. Some of my more recent work like Waterfall Duplex, employs forms that include repetition of individual words or entire lines. I think this is a useful structure to demonstrate the cyclical form that the mourning process can take for some people, myself included.

BJH: What poets/writers/artists have influenced your work?

GBL: Some of my early influences include Pablo Neruda and Federico García Lorca. My work has also been inspired by the works of many contemporary poets. Eduardo Corral’s Slow Lightning, Vanessa Angélica Villareal’s Beast Meridian, Sara Borjas’ Heart Like a Window, Mouth Like a Cliff, Alan Chazaro’s Piñata Theory, contributed to my understanding of how to weave the histories of Latinx people into verse. These works also encouraged me to explore the complexities of relationships between immigrant parents and their second-generation children living in the United States. Finally, three books stand out to me in the way they approach the grieving process are: Victoria Chang’s Obit, Preeti Vangani’s Mother Tongue Apologize, and Jenny Qi’s Focal Point. Many of the poems in Loss and Other Rivers That Devour are a result of direct engagement with the works of these wonderful poets. 

BJH: What do you hope readers take from your collection?

GBL: Once a poem or book is out in the world as the author it is impossible to control what readers get out of it. However, what I would want readers to come away with from reading my collection is that there is a multitude of ways to grieve. In my case, mourning my father is something that I do in small and big ways every day. Some days the grief is a slow ebb, others it feels like being swirled in a whirlpool, but it is always there. And for me, that’s OK. My father gets to be a part of my life even in his absence. There isn’t a singular way to mourn and mine is another example of how we as people process an immeasurable loss.  

Click here to purchase Gustavo’s book today!

Author Patrick McBride on His Teenage Years Spent Alongside The Milwaukee Bucks, Green Bay Packers, and the Milwaukee Brewers

In his teens, Patrick McBride worked for the Milwaukee Bucks, Green Bay Packers, and the Milwaukee Brewers from 1970-76.  No that’s not egregious typo—just proof that Pat may very well have been the “luckiest boy in the world.”

He worked inside the locker rooms of all 3 professional sports teams, and at the age of 18, became the youngest Equipment Manager and Assistant Trainer in professional sports history when he was named to those positions by the world champion Milwaukee Bucks in 1971.   He also worked as a student Assistant Trainer for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and University of Wisconsin-Waukesha.

“The book tells the story of a skinny kid lacking confidence and growing up in a large, dysfunctional family who finds mentors in the most unlikely place—the world of professional sports,” Pat shared in a recent interview. “As a 15 year old I entered a 25-word essay contest and became the Milwaukee Brewers first batboy; called the Milwaukee Bucks office and got a job on their bench; and hustled my way into a job with the Green Bay Packers. Though I met hundreds of stars and celebrities, presidents, governors and politicians, it was my mentors in the organizations that changed my life by giving me the confidence in myself and convincing me to go to medical school. Though struggling with Imposter Syndrome in my career, I became a professor and a Dean of a medical school.”

“The book tells the story of a skinny kid lacking confidence and growing up in a large, dysfunctional family who finds mentors in the most unlikely place—the world of professional sports,””

— Pat McBride on "The Luckiest Boy In The World"

Dr. McBride is an emeritus professor in the UW SMPH Department of Medicine's section of cardiovascular medicine and the Department of Family Medicine.  Dr. McBride directed the UW Hospital and Clinics' Preventive Cardiology program, and other clinical initiatives for people at risk for cardiovascular disease. He served as the UW SMPH Associate Dean for Students and the Associate Dean for Faculty. 

Join him for a reading and book signing at Pablo Center on Saturday, February 5 at 6PM.

He’ll also speak at First Congregational Church on Tuesday, February 8 at 6PM.

Books will be available for purchase.

A Mini-Interview with Priory Writers' Retreat Writer-in-Residence Angela Trudell Vasquez

This summer, we’re thrilled to host Madison poet laureate Angela Trudell Vasquez as on of our four Priory Writers’ Retreat writers-in residence! When you are accepted into The Priory, you’ll have the option to schedule a personal one-on-one session with Angie!

Angie Trudell Vasquez is a Mexican-American writer and holds an MFA in poetry from the Institute of American Indian Arts. Finishing Line Press published her third collection of poetry, In Light, Always Light, in 2019, and recently accepted her fourth collection, My People Redux, for publication. Her poems have appeared in the Yellow Medicine Review, The Slow Down, the Raven Chronicles, The Rumpus, on the Poetry Foundation’s website, and elsewhere. She is the current poet laureate of Madison, Wisconsin and the first Latina to hold the position.

Read on for a mini-interview with Angie!

1.     What about The Priory Retreat are you most excited by? Giving back to the writers what I have learned about putting a collection together, sharing my knowledge, and processes.

2.     Can you share a bit about a mentor or writing experience that helped shape your own work? Wow, this is such a big question. I can think back to when I was an undergrad in my twenties and Jody Swilky, one of my first early poetry mentors, asked me why I never write about my own culture. And later in my forties, I think of my poetry mentors at IAIA (Institute of American Indian Arts) and what they gave to me in terms of being able to edit my own work and other’s. Sherwin Bitsui, Joan Naviyuk Kane, and Santee Frazier were my poetry mentors at IAIA, and for two years all I did was live and breathe poetry. Post MFA, I examine and reflect on the inner architecture of a manuscript or a poem now. This is something I practice.

3.     What are you reading these days? Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer; the Yellow Medicine Review Fall 2021 edition, guest edited by Shauna Osborn, The Music Issue with a playlist; Sandra Cisneros’ Martita, I Remember You; Above the Bejeweled City by Jon Davis; and collected poems of Federico Garcia Lorca.

4.     Bonus: What has been keeping you creating during these pandemic days?

“Love. The world keeps spinning and we keep breathing alongside the people we love and care about. It is a way to recognize loss too. People live on in poems. ”

— Angie Trudell Vasquez

Love. The world keeps spinning and we keep breathing alongside the people we love and care about. It is a way to recognize loss too. People live on in poems. Writing has always been where I go to. I have been journaling my feelings during this time of the pandemic. It helps. Poetry is my salvation. I can carefully craft a poem. I am in control on the page, and there is so much to write about.

Five Reasons To Apply To The Priory Writers' Retreat Today!

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”

—Toni Morrison

If you’re looking for a writers’ retreat that’s inclusive, joy-filled, and dedicated to your craft, then we’ve got the place for you! Welcome to The Priory Writers’ Retreat—a vibrant, inclusive, and collaborative writing community in the heart of Wisconsin’s Chippewa Valley. Take Toni Morrison’s advice: use three days this June to write the book you’ve always wanted to read!

Deadline to Apply: February 1, 2022.

Retreat Date: June 23-26, 2022.

Click here for Summer 2022 details.

Click here for information on applying.

Click here to apply beginning January 1!

A Mini-Interview with Priory Writers' Retreat Writer-In-Residence Barrett Swanson

This summer, we’re thrilled to host nonfiction writer Barrett Swanson as on of our four Priory Writers’ Retreat writers-in residence! When you are accepted into The Priory, you’ll have the option to schedule a personal one-on-one session with Barrett!

Barrett Swanson is a contributing editor at Harper’s Magazine. He was the recipient of a 2015 Pushcart Prize, and his short fiction and essays have been distinguished as notable in Best American Short Stories (2019), Best American Nonrequired Reading (2014), Best American Essays (2014, 2015, 2017, and 2019) and Best American Sports Writing (2017).

Read on for a mini-interview with Barrett!

1.) What about The Priory are you most excited about?

“Because writing retreats usually take place over the span of four or five days, they always end up being these concentrated spurts of inspiration and camaraderie where conversations are rich and meaning-laden and where you get right down to the essence of things. Artistically, it’s a jolt to the temples and leaves me feeling more awake to possibility.”

— Barrett Swanson

Talking with the attendees and reading their essays. Because writing retreats usually take place over the span of four or five days, they always end up being these concentrated spurts of inspiration and camaraderie where conversations are rich and meaning-laden and where you get right down to the essence of things. Artistically, it's a jolt to the temples and leaves me feeling more awake to possibility.

2.) Can you share a bit about a mentor or writing experience that helped shape your own work?

For fear of offering a maudlin portrait of my high school English teacher (the wonderful Mrs. Keane!) or offering a stale writerly bromide ("getting rejected from that magazine taught me that, in this business, perseverance is important," etc.), I will instead share an anecdote about a writer whom I admire. Delillo says somewhere that he's obsessed with how words look on a page and will alter sentences so that the very shape of the letters in a single phrase will be evocative of the emotion he is trying to conjure. I seem to recall that he wrote one of his books entirely on notecards, the diminutive size of which forced him to focus on a little crop of sentences before moving onto the next. Doing so ensured that he could pumice down each clause and mold all the words' shapes to his liking. I mention this because the possible neurosis of his practice has allowed me to feel more comfortable in my own oddball habits, about which (nice try) I will end public discussion here.

3.) What are you reading these days?
I'm reading The Triumph of The Therapeutic by Phillip Reiff and Fragments of an Infinite Memory by Maël Renouard.

A Mini-Interview with Priory Writers' Retreat Writer-In-Residence Nickolas Butler

This summer, we’re thrilled to host fiction writer Nickolas Butler as on of our four Priory Writers’ Retreat writers-in residence! When you are accepted into The Priory, you’ll have the option to schedule a personal one-on-one session with Nick!

Nickolas Butler is the internationally-acclaimed author of several books of fiction, including Godspeed, Little Faith, The Hearts of Men, Shotgun Lovesongs, and the short story collection, Beneath the Bonfires. He is the winner of France's prestigious PAGE Prix America, the 2014 Great Lakes Great Reads Award, the 2014 Midwest Independent Booksellers Award, the 2015 Wisconsin Library Association Literary Award, the 2015 UW-Whitewater Chancellor's Regional Literary Award, and has been long-listed for the 2014 Flaherty Dunnan Award for First Novel and short-listed for France's FNAC Prix.

Read on for a mini-interview with Nick!

1.) As our longest serving writer-in-residence, what do you appreciate most about the CVWG retreats?

​This is easy to answer. I love the folks who travel from around the world to Eau Claire to improve their craft. I really do. I've formed friendships with many of these students and writers and I treasure our time together. Writing is often a lonely endeavor, but when you can sit down and simply talk books with other people who appreciate stories and poem and essays as much as I do, well, it's very therapeutic, very enjoyable.

2.) Can you share a bit about a mentor or writing experience that helped shape your own work?

“But for me, the best mentors teach us about life, and about this mystery of becoming a good and decent human being.”

— Nick Butler

​I often think of my first workshop-teacher at the Iowa, the great James Alan McPherson. Jim was an incredible soul, and it's true true that he taught me a great deal about the craft of writing. But for me, the best mentors teach us about life, and about this mystery of becoming a good and decent human being. Jim often asked me as much about my wife and young son as he did about my craft. And what I took away from our conversations was that while writing was a craft and to an extent, an obsession, we both shared, what was paramount ultimately, was our relationships.

3.) What are you reading these days?

​I'm reading a stack of unpublished novels, to be honest. But prior to that I enjoyed reading THE LINE THAT HELD US by David Joy and LOST IN SUMMERLAND by Barrett Swanson.

Bonus: Can you share a bit about your walks? Do they spur creativity, or are they simply a chance to leave the working world behind for a bit?

​Candidly, writing is a very sedentary activity. Long walks are my most regular form of exercise, but I also believe walking is a good activity for writers because the real stuff happens away from our computers. Take a walk and you'll interact with the world, with nature, with other human beings in a totally improvisational sort of way. This can only be good for the writing.

A Mini-Interview with Priory Writers' Retreat Writer-in-Residence Nicole Kronzer!

This summer, we’re thrilled to host young adult writer Nicole Kronzer as on of our four Priory Writers’ Retreat writers-in residence! When you are accepted into The Priory, you’ll have the option to schedule a personal one-on-one session with Nicole!

Nicole is the author of the young adult novels Unscripted and the forthcoming The Roof Over Our Heads. Unscripted was named a Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association and was a Minnesota Book Award Finalist. Nicole is also a high school English teacher and former professional actor. She loves to knit and run (usually not at the same time). She lives with her family in Minneapolis.

Read on for a mini-interview with Nicole!

1.) What about The Priory are you most excited about?

I'm excited to return to Eau Claire to write and talk about writing in such a beautiful setting during a beautiful time of year and to reconnect with fellow MHS alum Nick Butler!

2.) Can you share a bit about a mentor or writing experience that helped shape your own work?

“I used to treat setting as an afterthought, but now I really think about it as I write—how does the fact that there’s a key rack by the door, or that the couch is thirty years old, or that the carpet is worn in front of the window influence the action of the scene? ”

— Nicole Kronzer

Two come to mind. I took a class with Ibi Zoboi a couple years ago that was focused on setting. She stressed that when you write a scene, the specific setting has to matter. It's not any old living room, it's this specific living room. And that space must influence the characters and plot. I used to treat setting as an afterthought, but now I really think about it as I write--how does the fact that there's a key rack by the door, or that the couch is thirty years old, or that the carpet is worn in front of the window influence the action of the scene? How can these details provide insight into my characters?

The second is an exercise given to me by Nina LaCour. She had us list out five pivotal moments in our protagonist's life before the book begins. This simple action deepens my characters' lives so quickly--it's something I do every time I develop a significant character now.

3.) What are you reading these days?

In addition to writing books for teenagers, I teach teenagers. I read a lot of YA for both reasons! My students are very into murder right now (I remember when it was vampires, then zombies, then general post-apocalyptic whatnot), so I just finished Karen McManus's latest, YOU'LL BE THE DEATH OF ME. I love historical fiction, so I'm also listening to Mackenzi Lee's final book in the Montague Siblings trilogy, THE NOBLEMAN'S GUIDE TO SCANDAL AND SHIPWRECKS. Lit Circles are coming up in my senior English class, so I'm also re-reading GIOVANNI'S ROOM by James Baldwin, THE NAMESAKE by Jhumpa Lahiri, and THERE THERE by Tommy Orange.

Bonus: What has been keeping you creating during these pandemic days?

Creation has saved me during the pandemic. The world has felt out of control, but when I'm writing, I have ultimate control. I decide who shows up, what they say, what happens--I don't know how I would have survived intact without it.

Joy to the Word Storyteller Spotlight: Ken Szymanski

“I leave my Santa gear in the car. What’s socially acceptable at Lambeau is not necessarily socially acceptable at Subway.””

— an excerpt from Ken Szymanski's "Lambeau Santa"

 Joy to the Word is an event that comes once a year that features five incredible storytellers, four great stories, two musical artists, and a partridge in a pear tree. This in-person show starts at 7 pm on Thursday, Dec. 16th, and is hosted by B.J. Hollars and Jonathan Rylander with musical performers Derick Black and The UKE Klub.

I had the pleasure to interview the five storytellers in a series of mini-interviews. One storyteller is Ken Szymanski, an Eau Claire Writer in Residence and author of Home Field Advantage, a book of local non-fiction stories. According to Ken’s website, the book is about childhood, family, sports, and many other events that feature people and places in Eau Claire. Ken will be reading a story from Home Field Advantage titled “Lambeau Santa”.

Aidan Sanfelippo: Why did you pick this story?

Ken Szymanski: I’ve written several Christmas stories, but “Lambeau Santa” has the biggest range of emotions. (Joy to the Word musician) Derick Black really tapped into this range when he created a soundtrack, which he will play live on guitar while I’m reading. With his music, he’s able to take the story to a new level. We had a lot of fun rehearsing and fine-tuning it, and we think the audience will enjoy the two art forms woven together.

AS: What is a quote from your story that stands out to you?

KS: “I leave my Santa gear in the car. What’s socially acceptable at Lambeau is not necessarily socially acceptable at Subway.”

AS: What is your most joyful winter memory?

KS: My most joyful winter memories come in two parts. First, growing up, I loved sledding with friends and brothers on Eau Claire’s north side. Secondly, I’ve enjoyed taking my own kids sledding on some of those same hills. Sledding at night was—and still is—my favorite.

Joy to the Word will be held at the Pablo Center at the Confluence at 7 pm on Thursday, Dec. 16th. More mini-interviews of the other storytellers and tickets for Joy to the Word are available on the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild Website.

Joy to the Word Storyteller Spotlight: Jeff DeGrave!

“Security was nestled all snugged in with the feds; While visions of guns-mixed-with-alcohol danced in their heads...””

— an excerpt from Jeff DeGrave's "Twas the Night Before the Olympics"

Joy to the Word is an event that comes once a year that features five incredible storytellers, four great stories, two musical artists, and a partridge in a pear tree. This in-person show starts at 7 pm on Thursday, Dec. 16th, and is hosted by B.J. Hollars and Jonathan Rylander with musical performers Derick Black and The UKE Klub.

I had the pleasure to interview each of the five storytellers in a series of mini-interviews. One of the storytellers I was able to interview was Dr. Jeff DeGrave, the Intercultural Immersions Coordinator for the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. In this position, Dr. DeGrave oversees intercultural immersion programs and helps the students and faculty prepare for their time abroad.

Aidan Sanfelippo: Why did you pick this story to tell?

Jeff DeGrave: “[Twas the Night Before The Olympics]” was probably the most unique, bizarre, and absurd winter experience I have ever had. I still sometimes ask myself if it truly happened. I'm just glad I have some photographs to continue to confirm that it was all real.

AS: What is a quote from your story that stands out to you?

JD: “Security was nestled all snugged in with the feds;

While visions of guns-mixed-with-alcohol danced in their heads;”

AS: What is your most joyful winter memory?

JD: Walking around central Tallinn (Estonia) on Christmas day in the town square where there were live reindeer, a medieval castle, cobblestone streets, glogg, kids on a skating rink, church bells, and big soft warm flakes of snow. This is what life must truly be like for those living inside an Estonian snow globe.

Joy to the Word will be held at the Pablo Center at the Confluence at 7 pm on Thursday, Dec. 16th. More mini-interviews of the other storytellers and tickets for Joy to the Word are available on the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild Website.

Dr. Dorothy Chan’s BABE: Queer Happiness & Luscious Intimacy Unfold

Aja St. Germaine

Dr. Dorothy Chan is an Assistant Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Editor Emeritus of Hobart, Book Reviews Co-Editor of Pleiades, and Co-Founder and Editor in Chief of Honey Literary Inc., a 501(c)(3) literary arts organization. This month, they published their third book, BABE, on December 2nd, 2021. Her other collections include Attack of the Fifty-Foot Centerfold , Revenge of the Asian Woman, and a chapbook, Chinatown Sonnets.

Dorothy Chan’s latest book, BABE, explores themes such as queerphobia, Chan’s experience as a queer Chinese American, pop culture, and queer satisfaction. Their poetry oozes details of passion, intimacy, and queerness that will make you swoon. In this interview, Chan offers insight into their reminiscent title, killer triple sonnets, and reflecting on queer and BIPOC joy during a pandemic.

Aja St. Germaine (ASG): How does BABE complement your other works?

Dr. Dorothy Chan (DC): BABE is my third full-length poetry book, and my fourth collection overall. Title-wise, she’s an oddball amongst my other books. I usually go for long titles, like Revenge of the Asian Woman (Diode Editions, 2019) and Attack of the Fifty-Foot Centerfold (Spork Press, 2018). But you know what, BABE is one damn good word. It’s also reminiscent of my nineties childhood. I remember texting gifs of Babe, the pig, to my friends when the book got accepted by Diode.

ASG: Do you see your scholarly work reflect in your poetry? How does your work as a professor bleed into your work as a poet, and vice versa?

DC: Great question! You know, I think all this work is connected, and the more I progress in my career, the less I think about these clear demarcations. Whatever I do, I always set out with a contemporary feminist mission. My work as an active editor and a publishing poet informs my work as a professor, especially when teaching intermediate and advanced poetry workshops. When I’m teaching, I might be wearing my “professor cap” predominantly, but the “editor cap” comes on quite frequently too. It’s like the difference between workshopping and getting your work published. Both are important. But during workshop, I might say “If you want this to be published, you might want to try [x].” I also believe that the best poets are the best researchers. I think about poetry books I admire, such as Jessica Q. Stark’s Savage Pageant (Birds LLC) and Rosebud Ben-Oni’s If This is the Age We End Discovery (Alice James Books). Both these books are examples of highly researched collections. As a professor, it’s also my job to constantly research, whether it’s re-reading and discovering new materials for a course or researching for my next book.

ASG: Your use of triple sonnets is killer, and it’s one of your many strengths. What compels you to employ triple sonnets?

DC: Thank you so much, Aja! The Triple Sonnet is my signature form and it’s my own creation. I’m obsessed with excess. I mean, why have one of something, when you could have three or five or one hundred or one million?

“Every poet should have their own signature form. I love the sonnet in general because it provides an abundance of voltas, the absolute best part of any poem”

— Dorothy Chan

Every poet should have their own signature form. I love the sonnet in general because it provides an abundance of voltas, the absolute best part of any poem. I have fond memories of studying the sonnet with Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon at Cornell.

ASG: Diode Editions describes BABE as “paying homage to the first girls who ever loved [you] in this analysis of sexuality, queerness, popular culture, and resilience.” I would love to hear you speak more on your perspective of the relevance of these themes, particularly amidst the pandemic.

 DC: The pandemic has given me a lot of time to reflect. My writing routine fluctuates. But right now, I keep coming back to the themes of memory and nostalgia and the question of “What truly made me happy?” This has then made me re-explore my first loves and first discoveries. Or maybe it’s just odd spending my first years of my thirties in a pandemic. Maybe my early thirties are the right time for me to look back and see what I can improve.

The above themes are increasingly relevant during the pandemic. If we’re talking about public health and the mental and physical well-being of individuals, then we certainly cannot erase discussions of identity, race, gender, and sexuality. When we talk about public health, we need to discuss what neighborhoods get the best and most convenience healthcare access. And then we can start unraveling the social, economic, and political reasons for that.

ASG: What have you done to celebrate the release of BABE?

DC: I’m having a Zoom party reading with my favorites on Thursday, December 9th at 7 PM central time. Confirmed reader list so far: Alan Chazaro, Amorak Huey, Antony Fangary, Avni Vyas, I.S. Jones, Jane Wong, Jessica Q. Stark, José Felipe Alvergue, Joshua Nguyen, Justin Greene, Kendra DeColo, Nabila Lovelace, Ricky Ray, Rita Mookerjee, Rosebud Ben-Oni, Stephanie Niu, Taneum Bambrick, and Zeeshan Khan Pathan.

ASG: How can people participate in your Release Party via Zoom? Tell us more about the event!

 DC: It’s going to be a great time! I’ve invited some of my closest writer friends and favorite poets—the best and the brightest— to read with me.

Click here to register today.

The "How To" Guide To Preparing Your Application For The Priority Writers' Retreat

Rather than a long, drawn-out application process, this year we’ve decided to limit our application period from January 1-February 1.  Admittedly, that’s not a lot of time.  But here’s the good news: you can begin preparing your application this minute.

To apply to The Priory Writers’ Retreat, you need to complete these three steps:

1.) In 500 words or fewer, offer a writing statement that answers the following: “Please share a bit about your writing journey. What's your story? What's your project? What are your goals for this retreat, and how might this retreat assist you in achieving your goals?  If space permits, please also speak briefly about how you might contribute to the community of writers at The Priory.” 

2.)  Additionally, you are asked to submit a writing sample. 

• Prose writers, please submit 10 or fewer double-spaced pages (a single work or multiple works is fine).

• Poetry writers, please submit 3-5 pages of poetry.

3.) Last but not least, please include a 100-word bio!

Check a few more boxes, enter some contact info, sign-up for a one-on-one conference with a writer-in-residence (if you so choose) and click “Submit.”  That’s all there is to it!

Our team of readers will get to work on February 2.  We hope to share the status of your application by mid-February.  Payment will be due in March to reserve your spot. 

Please note that there is a $10 application fee, which helps us offset program costs.

So what are you waiting for?  Start preparing your application!  Then submit beginning January 1!

"These War Scenes are My War Scenes": Cathy Sultan Publishes a New Political Thriller Based On Life Experiences

After experiencing the Lebanese Civil War firsthand while living in Beirut in the 1970s and early 80s, Cathy Sultan returned to America with a deeper understanding of the horrors of war, as well as the socio-political complexities of such conflicts.

Much of which is recounted in Cathy Sultan's latest political thriller, An Ambassador to Syria.

 Cathy Sultan is an author of six books, including a memoir, A Beirut Heart: One Woman's War, which told the story of her life in Beirut, Lebanon during the civil war. The book won Book USA’s Best Books of 2006 Autobiography Award. She has also written five additional books, two which (The Syrian and Damascus Street) serve as prequels to An Ambassador to Syria and feature many of the same characters.

 In addition to writing award-winning books, Sultan has also been a part of the Interfaith Peace-Builders, a social activist group that promotes education on middle eastern issues and human rights.

 I had the pleasure of being able to interview Cathy Sultan about her new book and how her experiences have inspired her writing.

 Aidan Sanfelippo: In the book, An Ambassador to Syria, you tackle real-world concepts like conflicts in Syria, debates over the meaning of religion, and a few characters who are real people, like President Bashar al-Assad. What is your advice for writers who plan to research and write about real wars, religions, and people?

 Cathy Sultan: My advice: know your subject matter. It's very difficult to write about something you know nothing about. I lived through the first eight years of the Lebanese civil war. I know what it means to hear bombs falling, see walls shatter, lives and cities destroyed, children crying because they're scared. I don't believe a writer can make these things up and come across as authentic. I think my story is so powerful because I know these things intimately.

 You ask about religion. In my opinion, religion is too often used to stir conflicts. I know from my research that Paul Bremer, the US's representative in Baghdad after the invasion, purposely set about stirring up strife between Shiites and Sunnis as a way to deflect from what the US had just done, better to have people fight among themselves, the thinking went, than to come down on the US as occupiers. I had lived in Beirut some six years before the civil war began. Religion was never an issue and this was in a country that had seventeen different religious sects. Once the war began, religion became the lightning rod. If a Muslim killed a Christian, the Christians retaliated by killing more Muslims, and so on. Remember the Crusades. Those wars were all about religion. There was a time in the Middle East when people lived peacefully side by side but when the Western powers started their wars whether for oil or regime change, religion played a major role, and once religious strife is ignited, it is almost impossible to tame. Syria is a perfect example of a religious war, ISIS versus the infidels, with hundreds of thousands of people killed. The West used the religion card, thinking they could topple Assad, and failed miserably.

 AS: Why is it important to write stories that involve real events?

“Oftentimes real events, like the war in Syria, affect hundreds of thousands of lives. If you know, as a writer, that there are truths not being revealed, if you know that your government has alternative motives, not necessarily honorable (think Iraq and weapons of mass destruction), and if you have the opportunity, the wherewithal, the knowledge, and good investigative skills, then you most certainly have the right, the necessity to write that story that has been bothering you.”

— Cathy Sultan

CS: Oftentimes real events, like the war in Syria, affect hundreds of thousands of lives. If you know, as a writer, that there are truths not being revealed, if you know that your government has alternative motives, not necessarily honorable (think Iraq and weapons of mass destruction), and if you have the opportunity, the wherewithal, the knowledge, and good investigative skills, then you most certainly have the right, the necessity to write that story that has been bothering you. In my case, I had the background necessary to tackle this story, and that’s why I took it on, knowing we are being manipulated into accepting forever wars.

 I include this in the front of my book:

"We'll know that our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.” —William Casey, CIA Director, 1981-1987

 AS: You served on the Board of Eyewitness Palestine/Interfaith Peace-Builders, which is a nongovernmental organization determined to “emphasize listening to and learning from those immersed in the reality of the conflict, and advancing the work of Israelis and Palestinians committed to nonviolent struggle and peace with justice”. How has your work with this organization inspired your writing?

CS: I took my first of six trips to Israel/Palestine in 2002 and my experiences there, witnessing the Israeli invasion of the West Bank, interviewing both Israeli and Palestinians, was the basis for my second book Israeli and Palestinian Voices: A Dialogue with Both Sides. My subsequent visits on behalf of Interfaith Peace-Builders only added to my initial experiences and broadened my knowledge of the conflict. My third book, Tragedy in South Lebanon addressed the Israeli/Hezbollah war, and knowing what I already knew from my visits to Israel, helped me compile the material I needed for that book.

 AS: How has your experience living in Lebanon inspired and influenced your writing?

CS: It's why I became a writer. Once we resettled back in the States, my son asked me to write about our life in Beirut. I had no formal training as a writer and had never taken a creative writing course. I wrote many drafts until finally, I was able to produce my memoir A Beirut Heart: One Woman's War. If I had not lived in Lebanon, if I had not lived through a civil war, if I had not done fieldwork in Israel/Palestine, I would never have been able to write the books I write.

 AS: You let me know some parts of your book that you wanted me to talk about. Those sections primarily focused on the topics of religion, death, and the dangers of being in a war zone. Without spoiling the story, was it about these sections that stood out to you?

CS: I just chose random parts for you to read with no goal in mind other than to have you get an idea of my writing and the scenes I produced. A CIA agent endorsed my book saying that I capture the nuance and complexity of the situation... that I bring life to my work by creating compelling characters that feel like they live in the real world. These war scenes are my war scenes. These people, my characters, are real-life people who do whatever it takes to survive a war, and I know them all.

 AS: Throughout the story, you switch between multiple characters’ perspectives, for example, the war correspondent Sonia Rizk and the Ambassador to Syria, Robert Jenkins. Do you have a favorite character to write from the perspective of?

CS: I love all my characters. Most of them have been with me from the beginning when I wrote The Syrian, Damascus Street, and now An Ambassador. And since I've known them a long time, I'm able to get inside their heads and bring them alive.

 AS: An Ambassador to Syria is not your first book that has featured many of these characters. In the book, the reader can see how the previous events have affected the characters, but they can also still understand and connect with these characters without any prior knowledge. What advice do you have for making realistic and compelling characters and their history?

CS: Whatever story you want to tell, get to know your character. They're going to become your best friends. You'll be spending hours, days, weeks, and months with them. The more you know them, their pleasures, their dislikes, their habits, their inner thoughts, the more they'll come alive on the page. You want your reader to connect with your characters, fall in love with them, cry with them if they're hurt or lose a loved one.

 AS: This is the third book in a story following these characters, the previous two being Damascus Street and The Syrian. Do you plan to continue these characters’ stories in a future book?

CS: Yes, I'm already into the fourth book in my Syrian Quartet. In this new book, it's Omar, whom my readers have met in An Ambassador, who is the main character. He has joined ISIS and along with Mary and Sonia will lead my readers on some harrowing adventures. Stay tuned.

An Ambassador to Syria is available on Amazon for $16.99, eBay for $14.50, or at The Local Store for $12.00.

You can also support Cathy’s work at her book launch on Nov. 16 at 7pm at Avalon Florals' new location 421 Water Street.  She will also have a virtual talk on December 7 at 7PM sponsored by the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library and the CVWG.  Sign up here.

Meet Angie Trudell Vasquez: A Latinx Writer Honoring her Literary Ancestors through Generational Joy

Aja St. Germaine

Angela (Angie) Trudell Vasquez is a life-long writer, speaker, and advocate. She is the current City of Madison Poet Laureate and received an MFA in poetry from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her poems have been featured in many publications, including the Yellow Medicine Review, the Raven Chronicles, My People Redux, and the Poetry Foundation. She is the first Latina Poet Laureate of Madison, Wisconsin.

This summer, Angie will serve as a writer-in-residence at The Priory Writers’ Retreat.  Sign-ups begin January 1.  Click here to learn more about how to attend, and how to schedule your one-on-one conference with Angie. 

As someone who is a believer in self-advocacy as a form of social justice, I wanted to hear from a true activist, writer, and social justice advocate about the ways she both cares for and honors herself. This weekend I had the honor of interviewing Vasquez, who made time to chat with me between attending and accepting at award ceremonies. Being Madison’s first Latinx Poet Laureate leaves little room for rest. Vasquez is a woman who believes that if there is generational trauma, there must be generational joy, and she dominates her field both in writing pedagogy and activism.

Aja St. Germaine: As a Latinx writer, the space you take up in a lot of writing spaces is inciting a much-needed change in the racial and cultural dynamic in writing pedagogy, particularly in Wisconsin. How do you see your advocacy translate through your writing?

“I think it is important to be authentic to yourself and your work and not to live up to any one’s expectation but yourself. ”

— Angie Trudell Vasquez

Angie Trudell Vasquez: I am the same person all the time. What I care about, my concerns, what and who I love comes out in my work. I think it is important to be authentic to yourself and your work and not to live up to any one’s expectation but yourself. I look back at my early work, what I wrote, what I saw, what I witnessed in the world around me locally, globally, and personally; and these themes still resonate with the person I am now, not how I wrote them, my craft has evolved and so have I, but what I care about is reflected in my poems. A mentor once said we do not write in a vacuum, and I agree. I have many influences as a poet at this point in my life. I write about everything and do not limit myself to one topic or form or style. I feel free when I write and when I edit. I am a very political person. We discussed it as a family and debated and talked about history, family history, and current events. I think I was a feminist from birth and have never felt less than anyone else regarding gender or ethnicity or class or physical stature. This can be seen in the progression of certain identity poems I wrote through my 20s, 30s, 40s and now 50s. Growing up where I did, I defined myself on the page and decided early to master the English language. I have anti-war poems, peace poems, poems for immigrants and migrants and those displaced, nature poems, environmental poems, poems for celebrations and poems for death and remembrance, poems for all the people I love and absolute strangers I see in airports and train stations and busses and fairs, I have poems of place and poems for children, poems for laborers, animals, trees, flowers, tortillas, fruit and vegetables, I even have poems for bankers… (my first real job).

“My advocacy is to be myself and to be original in my own work and continue to have discovery on the page. I want to be surprised when I write, and my pen is usually ahead of my conscious self. A poet friend said she is writing the best poems of her life in her 70s that is an exciting thought to me. ”

— Angie Trudell Vasquez

My advocacy is to be myself and to be original in my own work and continue to have discovery on the page. I want to be surprised when I write, and my pen is usually ahead of my conscious self. A poet friend said she is writing the best poems of her life in her 70s that is an exciting thought to me.

I am an activist all the time and this shows up in my poems, essays, and the projects I take on as an editor and a publisher. I have my own press Art Night Books which has a social justice function. My early poems were published by Real Change in Seattle, Washington, and an immigrants’ rights organization there called Casa Latina where I volunteered teaching English. I have a new poem coming out and it is about one of my first memories picketing for workers’ rights with my sister. My family arrived in the late 1800s in the Midwest. I am 2nd and 3rd generation. I write about what I care about, what moves me, and if it moves someone else all the better. I write to connect. Poetry can do so much work. You can time travel in poems. All art can have a higher function. Poetry is one of the tools of humanity, and I do not think it should be limited to one definition or role much like humans.

AS: How do you practice self-preservation as a woman of color writer in a predominately white state and writing culture?

ATV: I go where I want primarily, I have every right to be at a literary conference or poetry reading. Do not ask permission just do your art and work on your craft and take it out to read at open mics, submit to journals where your work would be welcome, do your research before you show up and amaze people with your poems or essays or short stories or creative non-fiction. Write the stories you don’t see. Find your literary community and share resources. I have lists I give out when I do poetry workshops for young writers. I was the young woman in my 20s readings poems in my university on domestic violence and women’s reproductive rights no matter the audience. These were my concerns at the time and people were receptive. I grew up in Iowa and it was 99% white, and very much understand living in rural and urban communities in the Midwest. I feel like I have had two feet planted in both communities my entire life. I did choose to get my MFA at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA.edu) because I read about other writers of color and their experience in MFA programs and chose to go to IAIA.edu because I just wanted to focus on my work, work with world class writers and it was the BEST experience for me. I so loved going back in my late 40s and being fully dedicated to my art while there. It felt like home.

There are so many writers doing good work right now, people I know and went to school with, writers all throughout Wisconsin and the U.S. who are having great success. It is out time to tell our stories. I feel supported by my writing community. I have helped shaped this community too. I serve as the Chair for the Wisconsin Poet Laureate Commission. I was a board member for Woodland Pattern Book Center while I lived in Milwaukee. I am active in the Madison community teaching other’s poems and my own, spreading the love of poetry and judging poetry contests.

The poetry world is rich and historic. Poets of all ethnicities and races have written poems and we have always existed on Turtle Island or North America. My specialty is Indigenous Poetics. I taught a workshop in 2021 solely on Native poets in Wisconsin. I could do the same with Latinx writers in Wisconsin. We have all these literary ancestors, and they paved the way for us and we have their writings to learn about their experience.

Self-care is nature for me, and I dance and walk and do yoga. If we have generational trauma, we also have generational joy, and I am more interested in the joy part now. I choose to spend my precious life on writing what I want to write about and am having a good time publishing poems and collections and have several projects going on right now. I do mentor some people now and then. I want to share what I have learned with other writers. This is how I can pay back. I have not arrived here at this level on my own. Many people have helped me along the way.  Through publishing I am able to contribute by making space for others’ voices and promoting their work.

AS: What advice do you have for young BIPOC writers that are just starting out?

ATV: I have so much advice for poets but will limit generally to writers:

1.     Read, read widely whatever you want it all feeds your writing. Good art inspires more art. Go to museums and art galleries for inspiration and history. Listen to music, live and recorded.

2.     Go to open mics to test out your work and listen to others, poems and stories sound differently when you read them to people aloud, very different than in your home when you are alone. I edit all my work aloud.

3.     Edit your work on the page, read it aloud, number your drafts, put it away and come back to it later. Tape it to your wall with painter’s tape like I do when I am editing a piece and am not sure about something. I put my books on my walls when I am in the editing process, and it helps me greatly.

4.     Be an active literary citizen. Go to events, see writers in person or virtually, check out the listings in your area. Talk to other writers. Support each other’s successes and only compete with yourself.

5.     Submit when you feel you are ready and do your research make sure it is a good fit.

6.     Keep your work organized and know where and when you submitted.

7.     Keep writing. I also journal in addition to writing poetry. I have done automatic writing since I was a child. Whatever works for you do but I like writing poetry or anything creative first in long hand. The body connection is important to me. I do practice “first thought, best thought” often and harvest my free writes for poems.

On January 1, apply to The Priory Writers Retreat where you can work with Angie!

A Teacher in all Trades: An Interview with Eau Claire Writer-in-Residence Ken Szymanski

Aja St. Germaine

Ken Szymanski is the official Writer-in-Residence for Eau Claire, Wisconsin—a distinction for which he was recently honored by the Arts Wisconsin and the League of Wisconsin Municipalities.  In late October, he traveled to Green Bay to receive The Wisconsin Creative Champions Award alongside poet laureates and writers-in-residence statewide.

Yet in addition to bringing home such prestigious awards, he’s also the author of Home Field Advantage. He has rooted himself deeply within the culture of Eau Claire and has contributed to the writing culture since the 1980s; beginning as a high school newspaper editor, continuing as a freelance music journalist for the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, and more recently, collaborating with Volume One and Converge Radio while focusing on the genre of podcasts and spoken word.

Above all else, though, Ken Szymanski is an educator. As an English teacher at Delong Middle School, he sees writing in some of its most vulnerable and fresh stages and knows how to push it to greatness. As a past student of his, I owe much of my own literary success to the fire he lights within young writers. I recently reunited with Ken to glean some insights on both his teaching and writing process, as well as to hear more about his aspirations in his newest role as Eau Claire’s Writer-in-Residence.

Aja St. Germaine: How does your experience as a writer shape your teaching style, and vice versa? 

Ken Szymanski: When teaching 8th grade English, I try to lead by example as a reader and a writer. I show the kids my struggles through several drafts. It’d be tempting to only show them my final drafts, but that would be misleading. Writing is a process, and “struggle” is part of the process. I try to normalize that to the students so that when writing doesn’t come easily, they don’t think something is wrong with them. This is a good reminder for me, too. When I’m working on a story and I’m having difficulties, I think of it as a sign that I’m doing it right.   

AS: You mention on your website that you have been delving into combining spoken word and live music within podcasts—but you started in the 1980's with a very different genre. How has the constant culture shift in Eau Claire impacted your work and genre?

KS: In some ways, it comes down to opportunities. My first book was a choose-your-own-adventure written in junior high. At the time, all I really had was an imagination and a notebook. When I had the opportunity to write concert reviews for the Leader-Telegram, that became my focus. When the Running Water Poetry Slam started, I turned my attention to cranking out three-minute spoken word pieces. Volume One gave me the chance to focus on profiles, essays, and articles on a wide variety of topics. Converge Radio gave me the opportunity to write podcasts, and the Galaudet Gallery shared their space for us to offer performances that combined spoken word with live music. Basically, I take the opportunities Eau Claire gives me. Some of these came down to luck and others were luck created by hard work. 

AS: What are you hoping to see Eau Claire grow into while you are the 2020-2022 Writer in Residence? What impacts are you hoping to make?

“I hope to give my fellow writers a chance to be heard during this difficult time—and to create an audio time capsule of area writers from this time in Eau Claire.”

— Ken Szymanski

KS: The start of my tenure coincided with the Covid shutdown, which has made it tough to do indoor live events. So I started a video series called Snapshots, where each episode features a different local writer. The video features audio of the author combined with local photography and local music. I hope to give my fellow writers a chance to be heard during this difficult time—and to create an audio time capsule of area writers from this time in Eau Claire. While I’ve missed the live events, the advantage of the Snapshots episodes is that they reach far beyond Eau Claire. The Chippewa Valley Writers Guild did such an outstanding job of fostering a sense of community among writers, and this is my way of fostering that community in a time where we can’t meet up in ways that we used to. The funny thing is that we ended up reaching a larger audience through the videos than we often did for the live events. So it’s been a nice accidental discovery of a tool we can use moving forward. I also love how it’s brought photographers and musicians into the literary mix. It’s really been a lot of fun working with them and bringing different types of artists together with a common goal.

Finding My Writing Home At The Priory Writers Retreat

Dr. Jonathan Rylander

As a writing center person (my day job), I think a lot about conversation—about getting down and dirty and talking out ideas one-to-one. That’s true. But in that role, I think, too, about environment. Creating a comfortable space for students to write matters. The right lamp. The right pillow aligned just so on a sofa. But it’s more than a job. For me, where I write right has always been a personal matter. In fact, I fought hard to make it back “up north” after graduate school, and that’s because there is just something about the feel of lighter air. Of bitter-cold water in lakes and rivers up here.

If you’re anything like me, picture, now, The Priory—a mid-century modern gem of building in the woods just outside Eau Claire, one surrounded by hills and a deep forest. And writers!

“At The Priory, I was struck by a sense of genuineness. This is a retreat that brings together folks near and far, from Milwaukee to the Twin Cities to Chicago. Folks who are writers like you and me. Those just trying to get a story, a feeling, an idea out there. In the lounges and in the courtyards outside, I talked with other participants. And when I did, I felt welcomed. I felt at ease.”

— Jonathan Rylander

I went to this retreat for the first time in in the summer of 2019, and here’s what makes this experience unique: its unpretentious, personal touch. At The Priory, I was struck by a sense of genuineness. This is a retreat that brings together folks near and far, from Milwaukee to the Twin Cities to Chicago. Folks who are writers like you and me. Those just trying to get a story, a feeling, an idea out there. In the lounges and in the courtyards outside, I talked with other participants. And when I did, I felt welcomed. I felt at ease.

Writers-in-residence Laura Jean Baker and David McGlynn

During that first summer, I worked with then writer-in-residence David McGlynn, a memoirist at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. He’s written a fantastic memoir called A Door in the Ocean, a book that grapples with a traumatic moment of childhood loss. The book’s deeper themes center around questions of control and vulnerability. And swimming. McGlynn was—still is—a competitive swimmer. To be honest, I wanted to learn more not just about his writing, but also his career as a swimmer and how that influenced his craft. But you know that feeling, the one you get when you read a writer and their work just resonates with you? The one you get when you want to do something a little like they’ve done, but you want to be sure you come off the right way? These were the thoughts that cluttered by mind when I came to the Priory. And I’ll admit, in the weeks before I arrived, I experienced some degree of imposter syndrome, even as an English professor. Until that retreat, my writing had taken the feel and scope of traditional academic articles. I wanted to do something different here.

“I wanted to remember the joy of writing like I did in second grade”

— Jonathan Rylander

Writer-in-residence Dasha Kelly Hamilton

I wanted to remember the joy of writing like I did in second grade. On a more serious note, I wanted to write about my past—about my pain and even my wrongdoings. I wanted to write memoir. But how to begin? Would they take me here? Was I doing it all right? The classic feeling of imposter syndrome. Until I sat down with a cup of coffee and McGlynn walked over to introduce himself that first day. I know it sounds silly—corny even—but here was the person I somehow needed to tell me I was on the right path with my interest in writing memoir. Isn’t it odd how so much about writing is related to permission? I wanted to start off on the right foot. Say the right thing. Here’s what came out….

“Do you still swim?” I said.

“All the time,” David said.

That was, really, all that was needed. We connected. Of course, I’d go on to learn a lot from him and fellow writers. But I’d learn, too, just by writing. And thinking. And having the time to do it all out here. The time to step outside in between writing sessions and walk next to a pine-wooded forest. The time to feel the warmth of a summer night. The time to know I was with other writers that cared, like me.

The Support You Want to See: A Sneak Preview of Barstow and Grand's Issue 5 Release!

Aidan Sanfelippo

It is every writer's goal to be published and to see their work appreciated by their peers, on Nov. 17th the authors of the new Barstow and Grand Issue 5 get to achieve that goal.

For the past five years, Barstow and Grand has worked to showcase the best writers in the region. Every year in the spring, writers who are connected to the Upper Midwest submit their original works which have the chance to be published in the journal the following fall.

Barstow and Grand Issue 5 will be available on Nov. 17th at a release party which, according to their Facebook page, will feature live readings, beer, and, of course, the issue itself.  The event will also feature special musical guest Soren Staff of Them Coulee Boys.

Issue #5, according to a Volume One article titled “Fantastic Fifth: Literary Journal ‘Barstow & Grand’ Set to Release Latest Issue” by Rebecca Mennecke, will have the most undergraduate authors in an issue so far and will feature a wide array of genres.

In an interview with Barstow and Grand editor Eric Rasmussen, he mentioned two student authors who stood out to him. Ruth Thompson, who wrote a fantasy piece titled “Love and Magic”, and Bryson Wilkins, who wrote a horror piece titled “Mr. Sun”. Rasmussen described both as great stories that surprised him while reading.

Another student author featured in the new issue is Elise Eystad, whose poem “So We Ordered Another Beer and Said, Life is Long” will be available to readers on November 17. 

“I feel such a strong connection to Eau Claire and the Chippewa Valley,” Eystad remarked, “and I’m so thankful that we have a local publication that supports local creators. 

Due to covid-19, Barstow and Grand was unable to have an in-person event, and instead created the issue #4 Gallery, which featured videos, photos and recorded readings from many of the contributors.  Click here to view it today.

“We’ll definitely do [the gallery] again,” Rasmussen said.  “And I’m hoping, you know with one in the bag, maybe this issue’s authors can find some inspiration and we’ll be able to make that a part of the Barstow and Grand process.”

The start of submissions for issue #6 is March 1, 2022. Anyone associated with the Upper Midwest is encouraged to submit original poetry and/or prose for potential publication in the next issue.

When asked what things to keep in mind when submitting, Rasmussen said, “There are some customs and processes that the literary world appreciates, so a little bit of homework there is probably a good idea. And we have some resources on our website”.

““You’re never going to get published if you don’t put effort into the process, and that process begins by having the confidence to simply put yourself out there.””

— Elise Eystad

“You’re never going to get published if you don’t put effort into the process, and that process begins by having the confidence to simply put yourself out there,” said Eystad.

So put yourself out there, submit an original work of your own, but also give other writers the support you want to see for your work by going to the release party and buying a copy of Barstow and Grand Issue 5.

 The Barstow & Grand Issue 5 Release Party will be held at the Lazy Monk Brewing Company at 7 pm on Nov. 17th.

InSPIRITation: A List of Eau Claire’s Most Inspiring Places for Halloween

Aidan Sanfelippo

As the days get colder and the nights get longer, creative minds cannot help but wonder what lies just beyond the darkness. Since Halloween week is upon us, I thought I would share some Halloween appropriate places in Eau Claire that inspired me in my writing.

“One thing to keep in mind if you are planning on going to these places and others is to remain safe and respectful. Take only ideas, leave only footprints”

One thing to keep in mind if you are planning on going to these places and others is to remain safe and respectful. Take only ideas, leave only footprints. If you are planning on going to places like graveyards, be respectful of the people that lived and don’t bother anyone there. Make sure to also keep yourself safe, go in a group or with a friend. Keeping those ideas in mind, I got a group of friends together and we decided to find five inspiring places for scary stories.

Cemeteries

Cemeteries are great places for quiet contemplation when thinking about a book. As you walk, ask yourself about the lives the people led and who they might have been like. I found myself staring at gravestones trying to comprehend the names and dates that were once people. You can imagine them watching you, either in plain sight or from hiding as a member of the living enters their embassy of the dead. I purposefully didn’t include the name of the cemetery I visited because I do not want to draw you to one specific cemetery. Go to one that is open to walk around but BE RESPECTFUL. This is a place to be inspired about contemplation or where a character might feel like they are being watched.

---

The Old Orchard Cemetery

(Picture of the Plaque in The Old Orchard Cemetery)

The Old Orchard Cemetery was one cemetery that we visited that was especially thought-provoking. This cemetery, according to its plaque, "Is the final resting place for residents of the former Eau Claire County Asylum County Home and County Poor Farm" and because of that, most of the gravestones are missing names and dates of either birth, death, or both. An especially moving sight was a gravestone without any of those, just the word “unknown” left to represent a person’s entire life. It is also the only place in this list that is supposed to be haunted according to Visit Eau Claire’s “5 Paranormal Properties for Ghost Hunters”. In the article it is called Asylum Hill. A white slab tells the full story of what happened and how they are honoring the people that died at this place. The cemetery is only about the size of a yard, but its history towers over all the other places on this list. This is a great place to find inspiration in a historical place or possible supernatural encounters.  

---

Putnam Trail

(Picture of the culvert on The Putnam Trail)

Trails in the woods can feel isolated even with a group of friends. Cut off from society, the feeling of someone or someTHING watching your every move. Then you turn a corner, and you find a large tunnel in the earth. Even with cars driving above it, the tunnel feels immense and terrifying. As you walk through your voice will echo and you might even hear footsteps walking behind you. You know even if you turn around no one will be there. This culvert on the Putnam Trail is the place to be inspired about an ominous encounter or a story of someone walking alone only to realize they are being followed.

---

The River Lights Bridge at Phoenix Park

(Picture of The River Lights Bridge at Phoenix Park)

Bridges have always been ways of describing entrances into different worlds. The changing lights in this bridge and the water rushing underneath make it feel like you are no longer in the world you know. The boards creak and as you look down you see nothing but the rushing dark water waiting. In the darkness, the bridge is the only thing you can see other than the city just out of reach. This is the place where you can represent a character crossing over to a stranger world or to get inspiration from thinking about the unknown.

---

Your Own Home

(Picture of my own home)

After a long day of safely and respectfully finding ideas in Eau Claire’s inspiring places, take some time to write at home. Sit down, relax, watch a scary movie, and be in the safest place for you. Take some inspiration from turning safe spaces into scary ones, the terrifying feeling of an intruder or an unstoppable danger. So, take out your paper, write a bit, and don’t even think about what might be lurking outside of your window.

Happy Halloween, Writers!

"Carried Away By Curiosity": An Interview with Writer Amy Renshaw

Aidan Sanfelippo

Recently I was lucky enough to interview author and editor Amy Renshaw about her new book Strong Suspicions: A Sophie Strong Mystery. Amy is the Senior Editor of Brilliant Star Magazine and has participated in events like last year’s Chippewa Valley Postcard Project. Strong Suspicions is her second book, her first being the nonfiction book Voyage of Love: Abdu'l-Baha in North America. Strong Suspicions is a historical mystery book set in 1912 Milwaukee.  It’s told from the perspective of reporter Sophie Strong.

Aidan Sanfelippo: In September, you published Strong Suspicions: A Sophie Strong Mystery which follows reporter Sophie Strong as she investigates a murder to clear her friend's name. Without spoilers, what was your favorite part about writing this story?

Amy Renshaw: It was fun to learn about the process of developing a mystery plot. I love reading historical mysteries, but I never thought I could write one. Eventually I decided to give it a try. There are a lot of great books and articles about plotting a mystery. I kept writing myself into a corner, then looking for advice about how to move forward. Some things that seem obvious to a reader—like how all the suspects need a motive, and they all need to look guilty—only gradually became clearer as I wrote.

“The research was also really fun. The novel is set in 1912, so I had to find out a lot of things that you just naturally know when writing about the present. If someone turns on a light, is the power electricity or gas or oil? If they drive somewhere, how do they start the car? What do they wear, what do they eat?”

The research was also really fun. The novel is set in 1912, so I had to find out a lot of things that you just naturally know when writing about the present. If someone turns on a light, is the power electricity or gas or oil? If they drive somewhere, how do they start the car? What do they wear, what do they eat? At one point I thought a character might do a crossword puzzle, but crosswords weren’t invented until 1913. I’m thankful for libraries, librarians, and the internet. And podcasts were super helpful too.

AS: An interview with Spectrum West and your book's Amazon description suggest that this is only the first book in the Sophie Strong series! What are you most excited about when writing this series?

AR: For mystery lovers, it’s fun to get to know the characters over the course of a series. I’m excited to develop the characters and see how their relationships might change over time. In my favorite mystery series to read, the characters almost feel like old friends after a while. Their quirks and foibles are funny and endearing as you see them manifest in different ways.

I’m also excited about researching different locations in Milwaukee. The characters visit an amusement park in this book, and I was fascinated to learn that in the early 1900s, there were several amusement parks in Milwaukee, with roller coasters and water rides and other attractions, and they’ve completely disappeared. Going forward, I want to learn about theaters, libraries, museums—there are so many possibilities.

AS: Do you have any advice for writers who plan on writing a multiple-book story?

AR: I’m just starting to learn about writing a series, so I’m looking for advice myself! One thing I’ve learned so far is that the writer needs to consider whether the characters will progress through time and change, or if they’ll basically stay in about the same timeframe. I’m planning for these characters to progress, but slowly. In time, they might encounter World War I, national suffrage for women, Prohibition, and other historical events.  

AS: According to Amazon, this book is a part of the historical mystery genre. What about this genre interests you?

AR: I love historical fiction because there’s so much you can learn about life in previous time periods. It’s also compelling to me that society was wrestling with issues that we still deal with today, though in different ways. So with challenges like racial justice, women’s rights, immigration, and poverty, you can explore how those things impacted people in the past.

Also, though every age has its problems, sometimes it’s enjoyable to escape mentally to a time when people weren’t dealing with constant media access, digital tools, and other pressures of modern life. 

As far as the mystery part of the genre, I enjoy mysteries as a reader because there’s usually consistent action, and it’s fun to focus on solving a puzzle. Strong Suspicions could also be considered a “cozy” mystery, because it doesn’t include a lot of violence.

AS: When did you first know you were interested in this genre?

AR: I’ve been reading historical mysteries for about ten years. I love history in general, and I wrote a nonfiction historical book called Voyage of Love: ‘Abdu’l-Baha in North America. I’ve heard that you should write what you like to read, and that makes a lot of sense to me. I’m not sure exactly how long I worked on Strong Suspicions, but it was a big focus for at least two

years.

AS: In an interview with Spectrum West, you noted your love of research. Do you have any advice on how to research when writing historical fiction/non-fiction works?

“ I found that it’s easy to get carried away by curiosity. It’s a tough balance. ”

AR: I found that it’s easy to get carried away by curiosity. It’s a tough balance. To start, I had to do enough research to get a feel for the time and place. But sometimes I would dig into a topic and really get absorbed by it, and then realize I only needed to include a sentence or two about it. Some authors suggest drafting the novel and leaving notes to yourself about the historical stuff you don’t know. Then when it’s time to research, you can focus on things that will actually fit into the book. I’m trying to limit myself like that going forward, but I’m pretty sure I’ll go down a lot of rabbit holes too.

 AS: In the same interview, you said that your book takes place in 1912 when there was a referendum about whether women should vote in the state of Wisconsin. Why did you choose this unique backdrop for your book?

AR: There are a few things about the struggle for suffrage that really piqued my interest. Sometimes we think of women in the early 1900s as being very prim, proper, and reserved. But I was impressed that a lot of the suffragists were really bold. Some of them gave speeches to big crowds at fairs. They marched in parades. In 1912, women did automobile tours around the state, at a time when a lot of people were still using horse-drawn vehicles. Women’s roles in society were changing quite a bit at that time. And another thing that amazed me is that some women were activists against suffrage. They actually tried to prevent themselves and other women from having the basic human right to vote.

I think it’s important to learn about things like this to get a more complete picture of what women’s lives have been like throughout history. And when we learn about the social justice struggles of the past, to establish laws that we might take for granted today, it can open our minds to consider what new changes might be possible. Other goals that are challenging us, like eliminating racial prejudice and systemic racism, are things I believe can happen with effort and perseverance.

AS: Earlier this year, you were also a part of the Chippewa Valley Postcard Project. According to a WEAU article interviewing Ruth Peterson and Janet Frase, this event is meant to start a discussion where people can examine their own perceptions, learn more about racial justice, and make Eau Claire a better and safer place for people of color. What is something that you have learned from this project (or projects like this) that has influenced your writing?

AR: One thing I learned from the Postcard Project is that people of all ages enjoy creating art, and art can bring people together. We had so much fun at the Juneteenth celebration, for example, where people came to our table to create postcards with art supplies. The project also showed that a lot of people in our community care about racial justice and want to bring about change. I think one thing that’s critical is talking more about race and racism. Hopefully we can build more friendships between people of different races and backgrounds. If we can make Eau Claire more welcoming for people of color, we can have a stronger community.

AS: You are also the senior editor of Brilliant Star Magazine, a magazine that, according to their website, “empowers kids to be world citizens, use their virtues to make the world a better place, and express their creativity, strengths, and beliefs.” (Brilliant Star). How has your work with Brilliant Star influenced or inspired your writing?

AR: I’ve had the blessing of working with Brilliant Star Magazine for over 20 years. In that time, I’ve learned a lot about creativity, writing, and teamwork. My colleagues at the magazine are wonderful examples of dedication and commitment to art. Also, Brilliant Star is inspired by the teachings of the Baha’i Faith, and one of those teachings is that all art is a form of worship. That idea really helped me devote time and energy to this novel. I think it’s important for writers of any faith (or no faith) to trust that practicing our craft, no matter what the outcome, is beneficial—not only to our writing skill, but also to our hearts and minds.

Strong Suspicions: A Sophie Strong Mystery is available on Amazon in paperback and through Kindle, and make sure to keep an eye out for the next books in the series!

On Witches, Spells, and Writing: A Craft Talk Preview with Kathryn Nuernberger

by Charlotte Gutzmer

Since the Middle Ages, humanity has been fascinated with the idea of magic and witches. Even today, Kathryn Nuernberger reminds us how witches throughout history and even into the modern day can inspire activism, understanding, and writing.

Kathryn Nuernberger is an essayist and poet who writes about the history of science and ideas, renegade women, plant medicines, and witches. Her latest book is The Witch of Eye, which is about witches and witch trials. She is also the author of the poetry collections, RUE, The End of Pink, and Rag & Bone, as well as a collection of lyric essays, Brief Interviews with the Romantic Past. Her awards include the James Laughlin Prize from the Academy of American Poets, an NEA fellowship, and notable essays in the Best American series. She teaches in the Creative Writing MFA program at University of Minnesota. This craft talk will be recorded for later viewing.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Kate about her book, The Witch of Eye, her experiences as a professor, and how witchcraft intersects with writing. Read on to learn all about how the history of magic impacts our modern society, how spells can be a form of literature, and how defiance can empower our craft. Then enjoy her virtual craft talk on November 14 at 7PM.

Charlotte Gutzmer:  Your book The Witch of Eye is a beautiful exploration of literature, history, and witchcraft; how do these historical accounts of witchcraft influence our modern society?

 Kathryn Nuernberger: We live in the future shaped by the past. Witch trials were part of that past – they were part of how our judicial system was conceived, of what we consider credible evidence and reasonable testimony was shaped. Some parts of our present judicial system are better now – our ancestors did at least learn from the Salem Witch trials that accepting spectral evidence in a court of law makes for nightmare scenarios in a community. But in other parts of our judicial system and our society more generally, it is also clear that many people haven’t learned much at all from past atrocities. While it’s true that white women are not demonized as witches nearly so often or so violently as they once were, lots of other people in our society are regularly described as monsters and demons and we see the consequences of that twisted perspective in the prevalence of police shootings of unarmed civilians, in hate crimes, and in countless other acts of bias all around us.

 CG:  In the description of your craft talk, you write that we “will explore how spells might be understood as a form of literature that calls activism, resistance, connection, and beauty into this world”. Could you write some more about spellcraft as a form of literature?

 KN: Spells are an important part of the oral tradition. Some of them use rhyme, rhythm, form in the same way a poem might. Another definition of a spell I really like is “words that make something happen,” which means we might interpret certain kinds of political writing as a form of spellcraft as well.

 CG: As a poet, how do you think that witchcraft intersects with lyric? In other words, how can our own writing be a form of magic?

 KN: Because a common definition for a spell is “words that make something happen,” it is not unreasonable to consider any act of writing to be a form of magic. I’m partial to the ones that offer readers a gift – insight or hope or solidarity or a plan for radical political transformation.

 CG:  How did learning about witches and accused witches influence growth in your writing?

 KN: Much of what I learned about accused witches came through my readings of testimonies given by the accused in court. In these moments the accused were in very precarious positions – anything they said might save their lives or condemn them. But also anything they confessed to might be an assertion of their integrity and autonomy as people or be a complete compromise and submission to an oppressive system. Most of the people I chose to write about had a moment of profound resistance in their testimony and I tried to learn from those moments how to live with integrity and courage. Sometimes they also showed brilliant ways to thwart and undermine an oppressive regime via the story you tell, and I tried to learn those lessons too.

 CG: As a professor in the University of Minnesota’s Creative Writing MFA program, how does your experience teaching affect your perspective on writing?

 KN: There’s nothing quite so inspiring as watching a student have an incredible “aha moment” about their own writing. Often I give advice I’ve given a hundred times before, but when that advice lands just right with a student and reveals something to them about their own writing, well to me it feels like I’m learning that strategy again for the first time as well. Students inspire me in many ways, sometimes through their own radical innovations and sometimes by reminding me how valuable it is to keep approaching the blank page every morning with a beginner’s mind that is open to possibilities and experimentation.

 CG: Your craft talk will discuss moments of defiance and resistance in witchcraft. How do these acts of defiance and resistance empower individuals, and how can they also empower our craft?

 KN: A lot of the spells I saw in the course of researching this book started with a description of a previous time the spell had worked. The logic seemed to be that you needed to have seen the magic work already, in order for the magic to work this time. I think that in order to imagine a more just future, it really helps to be able to find examples of that kind of justice already in place, either in small communities in the present moment or historically. Similarly, in order to engage in defiant acts of resistance against an oppressive regime, it helps to have seen someone do it before. In this book I wanted to create a catalogue of examples to make it possible to repeat the spell again, maybe better and stronger because there were examples in place of how it had previously worked, the next time around.

So what are you waiting for? Register today for Kathryn Nuernberger’s craft talk to take the next step in advancing your craft—both in writing and in magic.