Meet the Grad: Michael Petry

On July 20, 2014, the final day of the upcoming residency, the MFAC program will have a Graduate Recognition ceremony, honoring the men and women who have just completed their studies and will receive an MFA from Hamline University. Between now and residency (July 11) we'll be posting interviews with many of the grads. Mike Petry is today's grad; he lives in Livingston, Montana.

What do you do when you’re not working on packets?
When I am not working on packets I can usually be found tinkering with one of multiple projects I inevitably have going. Currently I am retrofitting a garage to be my ‘man-cave’ writing space and perfecting my vocal abilities in anticipation of the new musical theater season here. I also enjoy spending time with my three daughters and wife!

How did you hear about the Hamline MFAC Program?
I heard about the MFAC program at Hamline through the creative writing program director at Pacific Lutheran University in Washington state.

What was your writing experience prior to entering the program?
My writing experience prior to entering the program seems to be atypical of my classmates. I wrote poetry growing up as an escape from my day-to-day routine, and did very little writing in high school. When I returned to school for my undergraduate degree as a non-traditional student is when I really did any writing of significance. About four or five years ago I began seriously writing as a creative outlet and about three years ago decided to contact writing programs about pursuing it.

What do especially remember about your first residency?
One of the things I remember about my first residency was my immediate realization about how much I didn’t know. What I especially remember is how Ron Koertge and Claire Rudolf Murphy helped me navigate through the many new terms, such as psychic distance, which were so foreign to my vocabulary.

Have you focused on any one form (PB, novel, nonfiction; graphic novel) or age group in your writing? Tried a form you never thought you’d try?
Until this residency I have focused my writing on young adult and middle school novels. After encouragement from faculty and classmates I attempted an early reader non-fiction picture book this residency that is my workshop material.

Tell us about your Creative Thesis.
My Creative Thesis is the continued work on my middle-grade novel, SevenFold. Seth and his sister Michaela move to the small city of Deer Lodge, Montana with their step-father, Steve, who got a new job at the Montana State Prison. Seth sets in motion a curse when he crashes into Mahan—a fugitive and vagabond—and finds himself in the middle of a war that has been raging for thousands of years.

Seth’s new neighbor, Rob, introduces him and Michaela to the recluse Zeke and his Tibetan Mastiff, Peaches. A bond grows from their association. When Michaela is abducted from the hospital, the clock is ticking to locate her amongst the snow covered mountains and ranches that make up Seth’s new world.

What changes have you seen in your writing during your studies?
The improvement in my writing has been significant if not miraculous. I will say with confidence that the comma is the bane of my writing existence, but other than that I have improved every aspect of my writing: plot, character, setting, et al. I have a much better ability to map out these aspects of my writing process.

With packet deadlines removed as an incentive, do you anticipate it will be harder to keep writing? Any plans for your post-Hamline writing life?
I actually don’t believe that the deadlines were an incentive. Sometimes they felt like obstacles. My hope is that I can overlook the fear I have and work consistently on several projects I have in the works. I also would like to teach what I have learned. I find that when I am able to help someone else learn that I am in turn learning more myself. I also have plans to collaborate on a few projects with a classmate.

Any thoughts for entering students or for people considering the program?
Just do it! If a first-generation college grad with a background in ditch-digging, landscape architecture, and civil engineering can move forward positively in this program – it just proves that the faculty are amazing and the program works!

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The public is welcome to attend the graduate recognition ceremony on Sunday, July 20, 3:30pm, (Anne Simley Theatre, Drew Fine Arts Building). Vera B. Williams is the speaker.

Meet the Grad: Maria Macioci

On July 20, 2014, the final day of the upcoming residency, the MFAC program will have a Graduate Recognition ceremony, honoring the men and women who have just completed their studies and will receive an MFA from Hamline University. Between now and residency (July 11) we'll be posting interviews with many of the grads. Maria Macioci is today's grad; Last semester her paper “Letting Girls Play Too: Writing a Quality YA Female Sports Novel” won the Jane Resh Thomas Prize for critical writing. Maria lives in Brainerd, Minnesota.

What do you do when you’re not working on packets?
I love reading, working out, teaching, hitting up garage sales, and hanging out with my awesome family and friends. Also, to pass the time while working out or sitting in stultifying meetings, I dream up these elaborate fantasies where I befriend celebrities.

How did you hear about the Hamline MFAC Program?
I’m an English teacher, and I’d reached the point in my career where I wanted to pursue my graduate degree. I was looking for a low-residency program that didn’t take place on the moon or some other intangible venue (AKA an unaccredited, online “school”). I knew Hamline was an actual place with actual human beings. That’s the long answer. The short? Google.

What was your writing experience prior to entering the program?
I’m an English teacher with a Communications degree as well, so I’ve always dabbled in writing of all types. In kindergarten, I wrote a moving essay about my deceased goldfish, David.

What do you especially remember about your first residency?
Not much!

Have you focused on any one form (PB, novel, nonfiction; graphic novel) or age group in your writing? Tried a form you never thought you’d try?
I’m currently writing a YA novel. I’d like to write a musical screenplay about my bestie Kristen Wiig and I doing quotidian, best friend things like eating at Cinnabon, rollerblading, barbequing, and singing. See question #1.

Tell us about your Creative Thesis.
It’s a young adult novel that both exhilarates and stresses me out SO MUCH. It’s been a ton of fun, however, and I’d like it to be done this summer.

What changes have you seen in your writing during your studies?
I’m much more confident and less rambly. As you can see by my use of highbrow terms like “less rambly”, I’ve gotten super awesome. Okay, I’m obviously kidding about the super awesome, but I’ve got to say that the Hamline instructors are just that – super awesome! They know their stuff, and since joining the program, I’ve learned so much. This experience has definitely been a life-changer.

With packet deadlines removed as an incentive, do you anticipate it will be harder to keep writing? Any plans for your post-Hamline writing life?
Yes, I do anticipate it being more difficult. Post-Hamline, my plans are to keep writing and loving it!

Any thoughts for entering students or for people considering the program?
Do it!

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The public is welcome to attend the graduate recognition ceremony on Sunday, July 20, 3:30pm, (Anne Simley Theatre, Drew Fine Arts Building). Vera Williams is the speaker.

Meet the Grad: Katie Knutson

On July 20, 2014, the final day of the upcoming residency, the MFAC program will have a Graduate Recognition ceremony, honoring the men and women who have just completed their studies and will receive an MFA from Hamline University. Between now and residency (July 11) we'll be posting interviews with many of the grads. Katie Knutson is today's grad; she lives in Saint Cloud, Minnesota.

What do you do when you’re not working on packets?
Not work on packets? Ha. I did try to leave my room and see my kids once in a while. 

How did you hear about the Hamline MFAC Program?
I saw an internet ad – but it referenced writing Twilight!  It still caught my eye and that’s how I found out this program existed.

What was your writing experience prior to entering the program?
A lot of very bad creative writing--and some college papers.

What do you especially remember about your first residency?
I cried. More than once.

Have you focused on any one form (PB, novel, nonfiction; graphic novel) or age group in your writing? Tried a form you never thought you’d try?
I’ve mainly focused on middle grade, but this semester I did young adult. I tried picture books and never thought I would – glad I did!

Tell us about your Creative Thesis.
I wanted to focus on first-person POV and young adult in my last semester.  I started something new and wrote 80 pages of a realistic fiction novel with a teenaged girl protagonist.

What changes have you seen in your writing during your studies?
I’m definitely more aware of scene-- what changes during the scene, why I am including it and how it is important to the overall story.

With packet deadlines removed as an incentive, do you anticipate it will be harder to keep writing.
I’m excited about no deadlines!  But no, I don’t anticipate it will be harder. If anything, the program taught me the importance of writing every day.   

Any plans for your post-Hamline writing life?
Back to my day job…keep plugging away on my writing…maybe get something published one day.

Any thoughts for entering students or for people considering the program?
Definitely take the time to do the program – you’ll meet great people, work with wonderful faculty, and learn so much!

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The public is welcome to attend the graduate recognition ceremony on Sunday, July 20, 3:30pm, (Anne Simley Theatre, Drew Fine Arts Building). Vera Williams is the speaker.

 

Meet the Grad: Sara Kvols

On July 20, 2014, the final day of the upcoming residency, the MFAC program will have a Graduate Recognition ceremony, honoring the men and women who have just completed their studies and will receive an MFA from Hamline University. Between now and residency (July 11) we'll be posting interviews with many of the grads. Sara Kvols is today's grad; she lives in Sioux City, Iowa.

     

What do you do when you’re not working on packets?
When I’m not worried about deadlines, revisions, residencies, and running out of creative energy, I’m most likely with my boys—my husband, my 16 month old son, and my dog. I also teach in the Humanities at Western Iowa Tech Community College.

How did you hear about the Hamline MFAC Program?
A friend recommended that I check out MFA programs, and after extensive internet searching, dream searching, and lots of procrastination, I realized that Hamline was the perfect fit for me.
   
What was your writing experience prior to entering the program?
What writing experience? Seriously, before entering the program, I couldn’t even begin to call myself a writer. It wasn’t on my radar, wasn’t in my daily habits, wasn’t in my guilty pleasures. Now, however, I’m happy to say all that has changed.
   
What do especially remember about your first residency?
I remember sitting in a lecture by Anne Ursu and wondering how it was that I could learn more about writing in those 45 minutes than in my whole life to that point. It sent shivers down my spine in good and bad ways.
    
Have you focused on any one form (PB, novel, nonfiction; graphic novel) or age group in your writing? Tried a form you never thought you’d try?
I started my focus on middle grade (and I fully intend to go back to it), but for now I’m loving writing picture books. 
    
Tell us about your Creative Thesis.
My creative juices and my writing process found a home in picture books when I was otherwise feeling rather homeless, so to speak. My creative thesis is reflective of this love for picture books, as it is a compilation of 8 picture books that focuses on life’s joys, trials, and everything in between.
    
What changes have you seen in your writing during your studies?
While I still struggle to have a consistent writing habit, I have also seen the most change in that area. And the better my writing habit gets, the better my ideas get. And the better my ideas get, the better my material gets. So it’s a win-win all around.
    
With packet deadlines removed as an incentive, do you anticipate it will be harder to keep writing? Any plans for your post-Hamline writing life?
I anticipate it being excruciatingly difficult. Horrible. Painful. Nightmarish. Like pulling out your own teeth. Luckily, I have a wonderful writer’s group to remind me that I’m a writer, to read my work and inspire me with theirs, and to always keep in mind that writers write.
    
Any thoughts for entering students or for people considering the program?
At some point, you have to stop putting it off; you have to stop making excuses. At some point, you just have to pull the trigger. And once you do, you’re in for as big of an experience as you’re willing to make it.

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 The public is welcome to attend the graduate recognition ceremony on Sunday, July 20, 3:30pm, (Anne Simley Theatre, Drew Fine Arts Building). Vera Williams is the speaker.