How to Write Sci-Fi When You Already Live in a Dystopia with Ailynn Knox-Collins

“It’s difficult to focus on writing, particularly fiction, when the world feels like it’s on fire.” 

Hugo award winning author, John Scalzi wrote that recently, in an article for the Los Angeles Times. He talks about how hard it is for science fiction writers to write their stories these days, because it feels like we’re living in a dystopian novel already.

And maybe that’s what I’ve been feeling lately. And that’s why it’s been so hard to sit down and write. I have stories waiting to be told. They mill around in the back of my mind, waiting for my fingers to get going. The characters talk to me while I’m reading a book, or binge-watching a show on TV. Or I suddenly decide to do yard work when I haven’t done that in years. The characters shout, “Hey! When are you going to finish our story?”

Ailynn and Rose

But when you wake up each day to the rubbish that’s happening in our country, (can I say ‘crap’?), it’s hard to peel oneself off the floor, to sit in a chair and type up a story about a horrible but hopeful fictional future – when the real future looks even worse.

I could ignore the news. I could cut myself off entirely from social media, radio, TV, talking to people. But I’m not that disciplined.

But I had a deadline for this article. So what did I do? I procrastinated. Which led me to re-reading my Hamline lecture notes. And guess what I found? Wisdom. Inspiration. Treasure! And I’d only read the notes from July 2015, residency #2. I’d forgotten how much good stuff came out of that time. I only have room for 3 highlights in this post. Thank you, teachers, advisors, guest speakers, and alums!

1) Guest speaker/alum, Kelly Barnhill, said,

“To be human is to tell stories. It is what makes us human most. Everything else, is shared with other animals. Storytelling appears to be ours alone.”

Storytelling is inevitable, especially for a writer. Someone once asked me if I would stop writing if nobody ever liked my work. I said no, because the voices in my head won’t let me. No matter how hard it gets, those stories demand to be told, whether or not anyone else reads them. I am a writer. I am compelled to write.

2) Alicia Williams gave a powerful lecture about writing the other. I so appreciated her passion, and how she didn’t mince her words. Here are some of them:

“SFF (science fiction/fantasy) writing is the most segregated world in all of literature. What message does it send if there's only one PoC on a new planet? We are all people, so we have to humanize [our characters] - they should be all colors. No more lily-white futures. You kill off entire races. This is called literary GENOCIDE.”

Doesn’t that just make you want to stand up and applaud? Well, it makes me want to get on and write that story! Especially SFF.

From her ferocity and passion, I am reminded that the future I write about should be what I believe it’s going to be – not the one pictured by today’s lazy supremacists. Their vision of the future is really that of the past, and that’s what scares them. Because the future will not belong to them. There are too many of us who will not allow it. And storytellers play a big part in that picture. Quoting Alicia again,

“It takes all of us to break down borders. We have to work together across racial borders in order to change things, and make things better.” 

Yes!

3) Finally, Gene Luen Yang, quoting Robert McKee’s Story, talked about the types of research we should do for our stories –facts, memory and imagination. Gene said,

“It’s important to… see memory and imagination as an important part of research because we don't give ourselves permission to spend time thinking.” 

What relief I felt when he said that! Because I do a lot of thinking. I do a lot of talking to my characters (disguised as talking to my dogs). And how good it is to give myself permission to do so, knowing that this is writing too. Thinking is a part of the process. 

So, maybe my writing journey hasn’t ground to a screeching halt. The anger, fear, and occasional hopelessness are simply simmering on a slow fire, seeking a way out of my brain, onto a page. The Poet Laureate of the USA, Tracy K Smith, in her book Life on Mars, includes a poem called “SciFi”. I only have room for the last few lines. But for me, it reminds me of why writing SFF is healing. Read the whole poem, if you can.

“... weightless, unhinged,

Eons from even our moon, we’ll drift

In the haze of space, which will be, once

And for all, scrutable and safe.”

Scrutable and safe. Isn’t that something we all need right now?

___________________________________________________

Aileen Knox-Collins graduated from Hamline MFAC in January 2017. When she's not writing, she's working with her 4 dogs on agility, obedience and rally competitions, or working part time in an independent bookstore in Redmond, WA. Her first MG Sci-Fi series with Capstone was released in August 2017 and a nonfiction series will be out in February 2018. She's working on marketing her first graphic novel, among others.

Meet the Grad: OJ Hanratty

July 19, 2015, on the final day of the upcoming residency, the MFAC program will have a Graduate Recognition ceremony to honor the men and women who have just completed their studies and will receive an MFA from Hamline University. Between now and residency we'll be posting interviews with the grads. OJ Hanratty is today's grad; he lives in Providence, Rhode Island and can be found on Twitter @OrrinJhanratty.

What do you do when you’re not working on packets?
I live for stories, so in my down time I do a lot of reading, writing, watching (Good TV), and listening (to podcasts). I am also a pizza aficionado. Otherwise, I am either at work at my machine shop doing things that make me look like thisà

or I am with my fiancée, Hannah, whom I adore.

How did you hear about the Hamline MFAC Program?
At Rhode Island College I attended a summer writing institute for a group called the Alliance for the Study and Teaching of Adolescent Literature (ASTAL). At the institute I got to show my writing to real authors for the first time. Two of those authors were Kelly Easton and Liza Ketchum and they told me about the program, and encouraged me to come. I would say they threatened me, but they totally didn’t threaten me. There were no threats, ok?

Just drop it

What was your writing experience prior to entering the program?
I was filling up the backs of notebooks since I first learned that anyone could make up stories. I had a sideways path to becoming a writer, but most of my early memories involve me alone in the middle of the woods behind my house battling with some sort of imaginary monster with my trusty array of stick swords. I just love the ways of words and stories and always have. I’m an addict. I don’t want help.

What do especially remember about your first residency?
I felt like I was way out of my depth, everyone here was so smart and writerly. I was a nervous wreck, and that made me quiet. Quiet for me, that is. Since I was so nervous, I was just trying to take it all in and keep my feet on the ground. It was mostly a blur, but I do remember one specific moment on the first day.

You know how they say first semester students never get workshopped on the first day? That’s either a bald-faced lie, or they changed that rule because of me. So in the first huge meeting where everyone is saying hi to their old friends and walking around and everything is warm and cozy for everyone but the new people, WHO KNOW NOTHING. And if you remember a paragraph ago I was a nervous wreck.

So they start going over who will be going on the first day of workshop, and Gene Yang gets up for our workshop and says, “Jenny Barlow… and ORRIN JOHN HANRATTY III.” I seem to remember him shaking his fist all the way through my name and deepening his voice. I could be imagining this. I don’t know. I blacked out after that.

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 focused mostly on novels. I wrote a complete draft of one novel my first two semesters and worked on a second in my third and final semesters. As for other forms, I have written a couple picture books in my downtime. They kinda suck, but I enjoy using the sparseness of the form to tell silly stories.  I have a few comic book ideas I toy with, as well.

Tell us about your Creative Thesis.
My thesis is a YA novel,  A Conspiracy of Clowns. Usually the question “Who is the Class Clown” has an easy answer. Not so much in Cove Town High, where pies explode from lockers, chickens stampede from nothingness, and football teams are locked up with angry skunks. The Class Clown of Cove Town is a menace to some and a hero to others. It is up to Victoria, head of the school paper, and her best friend Kami to take him –or her—down.

It’s a comedic mystery that serves as a backdrop for the friendship between Victoria and Kami. Victoria is a super smart, driven, detail obsessed, African American girl and Kami is a lesbian cheerleader, with no filter and nothing but optimism. They have a fight early in the novel and it almost dissolves their friendship, it is the investigation of the Clown that brings them together, and in the process they learn more about the world around them than they ever thought they would.

What changes have you seen in your writing during your studies?
I’m more outline driven now. I used to be a “Pantser,” but now I’m all for planning and preparing for my stories as they go along. Much of my work on the Conspiracy has been looking at structure. Also I’ve come to a new appreciation of grammar and precision of language. Also I use “also” much more liberally.

Any thoughts for entering students or for people considering the program?
Treasure the time. It goes so fast, and you just can’t hold on to it hard enough. ____________________ (Insert cheesy song lyric.) This has been the best writing experience of my life.

*

 The public is welcome to attend the graduate recognition ceremony on Sunday, July19, 3:30pm, (Sundin Music Hall, Hamline University). Tim Federle is the speaker.

Meet the Grad: Tashi Saheb-Ettaba

July 19, 2015, on the final day of the upcoming residency, the MFAC program will have a Graduate Recognition ceremony to honor the men and women who have just completed their studies and will receive an MFA from Hamline University. Between now and residency we'll be posting interviews with the grads. Tashi Saheb-Ettaba is today's grad; she lives in Tucson, Arizona and can be found on Twitter @Seras_Ouka.

What do you do when you’re not working on packets?

I’m a Trailing Docs Coordinator at Nova Home Loans. I work out at a local gym called Steps Dance and Fitness. I love reading. Hmm, what else do I do? I paint, play video games, make costumes, dance, have weird conversations with my co-workers, snuggle with my cats, and play Rock Band with my friends. Sometimes, I burst into a song for no reason whatsoever. Currently, I’m learning to play the guitar.

How did you hear about the Hamline MFAC Program?

In 2012, I saw an ad in the Poets and Writers magazine. Ever since I saw that ad, Hamline kept popping up. I saw the ad again in the next issue of Poets and Writers. One day, I overheard a conversation about Hamline at a coffee shop. When I came across Anne Ursu’s Breadcrumbs, Hamline was mentioned in her bio snippet. When I finally visited the website, I was intrigued with the program. I was going through a difficult moment at the time and Hamline was my beacon of hope. When the New Year came around, I decided to give this program a shot.

It was as if I was following the breadcrumbs to a magical place.

What was your writing experience prior to entering the program?

I made up stories in my head, but I never wrote them down. When I was ten, I kept a diary about my travels. When I was sixteen, I wrote a story about a girl who went on an adventure with pirates. Throughout high school, I wrote a lot of stories about pirates and dragons. (To all my high school friends, if you’re reading this, I’m so sorry you had to read those horrible stories!) Throughout college, I experimented with horror, magic realism, and fairy tale retellings.

What do especially remember about your first residency?

I remember being nervous. I was worried about not fitting in and had so much self-doubt. At one point, I even thought I didn’t deserve to be there with all these talented writers. After talking to the faculty and classmates, all my fears vanished. I felt comfortable and didn’t feel like I had to hide my true self.

Oh yeah, I also remember chasing OJ down the dorm hallway because he threw water at me!

Tashi also enjoys doodling cats.

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 wrote a lot of novels and short stories before coming to this program. Last summer, I took Gene Yang’s Writing Comics Workshop. It was an insightful workshop and I realized some of my short stories worked better as graphic novels. During my third semester, Jackie Briggs Martin encouraged me to write picture books, and it was a fantastic experience.

Tell us about your Creative Thesis.

My creative thesis is called Angels and Trains. It’s a magic realism middle-grade novel about confrontation with death. Celeste finds out she’s diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma and is overwhelmed with her drastic lifestyle changes involving hospital visits and chemotherapy. To make matters worse, she can’t stop hearing the phantom train.

In a small town called Mittelteil, there’s a haunting legend about a phantom train. Legend claims that the phantom train will come to those who are dying.

During the chaos, she meets Micah, a mysterious boy who is connected to the train. He calls himself a Guardian, who will comfort her before they board the train together. Celeste is upset by Micah’s presence and wants to defeat death.

Overall, the novel is really about life, death, love, flying, and rock and roll.

What changes have you seen in your writing during your studies?

I used to struggle with character development. I would focus solely on the plot, but didn’t apply the character’s desires and emotions to the story. My characters were either flat or not relatable at all. Other times, I couldn’t even figure out what my character is supposed to learn by the end of the story. Thanks to the lectures, I learned a lot about character traits, flaws, desires, and psychic distance.

Nowadays, I pay attention to my characters and their needs. A character always has a story to tell.

Any thoughts for entering students or for people considering the program?

Okay, here’s what you do. Visit the MFAC Program website, read it, and place your hand over your heart. Is your heart beating so fast that you can’t help but feel giddy? Do you feel like you could fly as you picture yourself being surrounded by kind and talented students? Are you smiling as you think of your stories coming to life?

Did you feel all these things?

Good. That means you’re meant to be here.

It’s okay to be scared at first. I remember being terrified when I first entered the program, but now, I don’t have any fears holding me back.

And neither will you.

*

The public is welcome to attend the graduate recognition ceremony on Sunday, July19, 3:30pm, (Sundin Music Hall, Hamline University). Tim Federle is the speaker. 

Meet the Grad: Tamara Rubin

July 19, 2015, on the final day of the upcoming residency, the MFAC program will have a Graduate Recognition ceremony to honor the men and women who have just completed their studies and will receive an MFA from Hamline University. Between now and residency we'll be posting interviews with the grads. Tamara Rubin is today's grad; she lives in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

Tamara and daughter

What do you do when you’re not working on packets?

I am a single mom to a now a three-and-a-half year old. She is my life. I also work full time as a middle school special education teacher. Recently, I also began coursework toward licensure as a K-12 Media Specialist. Regarding my writing, it is a huge struggle trying to make it a habit. If there was a way to convert my endless thinking and processing in my mind automatically to the page, I would be set.

How did you hear about the Hamline MFAC Program?

I honestly don’t remember. In 2008 I attended a session on teaching poetry writing to children at the International Library Association’s annual conference in Minneapolis. The instructor shared how she had earned an MFA in writing for children and young adults at a school out east. I remember thinking, “I can earn an MFA in writing for children?” I looked into the program immediately and decided it was definitely something I wanted to do in the future. I must’ve researched other programs at that time, because somewhere I got it in my head, “Why would I want to stay in Minnesota and go to school when I could do a similar program out east?” When my pregnancy dream became a reality, I told myself that with the realization of one dream, now I needed to do something about my writing dream. Going out out east was now out of the question. So, I asked my father if he would attend an informational session at Hamline with me, to make sure that I had four ears listening and didn’t hear anything incorrectly. Mary Rockcastle talked about how accommodating the program can be for people with various life circumstances. She also shared that Patricia MacLachlan was going to be the keynote speaker at the upcoming graduation. That was a sign for me--Patricia MacLachlan was and still is one of my favorite authors. I went back to my parents’ house after and we talked with Mom about what we learned. Then, surprising me to no end, my mom and dad both agreed I should go for it--even though it would mean having to help watch my daughter during the future residencies. I started in July 2011 with the plan to only attend summers.

What was your writing experience prior to entering the program?

During second grade, after being inspired by a story about ghost adoption on the television show, That’s Incredible! I wrote The Adopted Ghost about a boy who adopted a ghost, named him Don Rickles (I had some fascination with the comedian back then), and had adventures together. I still have the handwritten version, but Mom typed it on her manual typewriter. It was 18 pages long. It was then I decided someday that I would become a writer. Throughout the years I wrote poetry and children’s stories, participated in occasional programs through school, and eventually used writing as my solace when depression had me in its grips during high school and for several years beyond.

After placing 2nd for creative nonfiction with my story about participating in a firewalk (for real), I joined the North Hennepin Community College literary magazine and later became the literary editor.

On my own, I produced a one-time book with a small grant for people who have disabilities (I was working through the disabling effects of depression). The book was a collection of writings and artwork by people with disabilities and other health problems. I designed the layout, did the graphic design and most of the editing, and hand bound the books myself. This was one of my most rewarding projects to date.

While I was planning to transfer from community college to a four-year school to become a teacher, I knew too many people heading that direction who weren’t finding jobs. Then I learned from a Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) representative that I could major in creative writing and literature. I remember thinking, “I can major in creative writing?” I can volunteer in schools without a college degree, but to get training in the craft of writing, that was something I needed. I enrolled and completed my Bachelor's degree focusing on fiction and poetry. At SMSU I also co-edited the college literary magazine and wrote for the school newspaper. Since then, I continued to write on my own, but usually found myself feeling that becoming a writer was an unreachable dream, so I left it as such--until I took the step to check out Hamline.

First residency, with roommate
Melinda Cordell.

What do you especially remember about your first residency?

My first residency was an adventure itself. I was 32 weeks pregnant (although not the furthest along at residency--there were two other women in the graduating class who were expecting), had recently fractured my foot and received a diagnosis of gestational diabetes. I wore a boot, had a cane, waddled, and counted my carbs at each meal--even down to the number of fries I ate with my breadless burger (I don’t know, I was able to eat decently with food service--but I guess I’m not too picky and had learned nutrition prior to finally getting pregnant).  I tried using a wheelchair briefly, but that was more hassle than it was worth. I lived on campus the entire residency. My apartment was the furthest from the elevator on the 3rd floor. There was construction on campus, so the most direct route to classes, of course, was not the shortest. Plus, it was a hot summer. I did enjoy eating lunch with other students and Patricia MacLachlan. I remember the surprise I felt when I heard her first speak. Her frankness and deep voice did not reflect the image I had for the writer of so many beautiful, calm, and gentle works. She cracked me up with some of her stories that she shared during meals.

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 focused primarily on picture books. I thought I knew something when I started the program, but it was so little, I learned. I had no clue about the craft in regards to minimal language, as well as leaving the story open for the illustrator to interpret. I lacked a clear understanding of the importance of empowering the main character, especially if she/he is a child and an adult is present. During my second semester I also started a novel involving magical realism. I completed 80 pages toward a first draft and am determined to eventually finish the story. During my third semester, besides focusing on my critical thesis, I started working on a picture book focusing on the story of a dear friend and her mother who both survived the Holocaust and literally were inseparable until her mother passed away a few years ago at the age of 100. Last summer I attended Gene Yang’s session on writing the graphic novel and now have a strong interest in trying something in that genre.

Tell us about your Creative Thesis

My creative thesis is a collection of eight picture book manuscripts. Ayla’s Family Tree and Other Stories About Growing, Seeing, and Solving Problems. It includes stories about a little girl who becomes obsessed with polka, a young girl who believes her broccoli bit her, a teacher whose ears grow when students tattle, a little Hungarian girl who looks forward each week to the challah she receives from relatives and must learn patience, a young girl who can communicate with a palm tree, a story about a child’s notes to herself full of important reminders, and a nonfiction piece that takes the reader on a journey through discovering recurring patterns in nature.

What changes have you seen in your writing during your studies?

I have learned to cut and cut and cut and not feel the need to grieve as much as in the past (although the cutting doesn’t show up so much with these questions--hey, I tend to be quiet at residencies, so now you all have an opportunity to “hear” my voice). While I still focus on word count, I heed the message that it’s not about the total word count that matters as much as the fact that every word counts.

Any thoughts for entering students or for people considering the program?

Take a look at your life. The program can be completed at the pace you need. For me, attending only summers made the program feel less rushed as I fit it in with working and being a mom, but also helped me save money. Also, by consistently going summers, I didn’t risk repeating any of the content focus areas. There were challenges going this route, though. I was not as productive during the breaks as I anticipated I would be. Also, I found myself falling into a bit of a funk each winter as my classmates returned to residency and I was left out of the community--even though I tried to follow along a little on Facebook and visit the campus once each January.

Despite my connection to a greater number of people over the five terms, I struggle to feel truly connected. But, this is nothing new for my life. At least I know I have a community through the MFAC program that welcomes me. Again, I need to continue to remember this, and doubt myself less.

Did I gain as much from the program as I could have had I not started at the point I did in my life? Perhaps. But, I also did not want to be a parent who resents her child because she had to hold off on her dreams due to becoming a parent. My daughter and my choice did not make it easy to get my work done or write as much as I wish I had, but I feel grateful looking at where I am now compared to where I was before I started the MFAC program.

Now it’s up to me.

*

The public is welcome to attend the graduate recognition ceremony on Sunday, July19, 3:30pm, (Sundin Music Hall, Hamline University). Tim Federle is the speaker. 

Faculty Voices with Ron Koertge

Ron Koertge

For about 9 months now, I’ve been writing something I may not be very good at. Perhaps majoring -- as my wife advises her counseling students not to do – in my weakness. Perhaps.

           
About a year ago, I decided to get into the head of a school shooter. A high school shooter. Like Columbine and the others. When I see it laid out like that in black & white I wonder what in the world I was thinking.

But I could say the same thing about the graphic novel script now languishing on some editor’s desk and probably ringed with coffee stains. I liked writing that script. I didn’t know how to do it, so I tried. I don’t draw, but Gene [Luen Yang] said that wasn’t a deal breaker. I enjoyed myself. Like Magellan and Marco Polo, I was in unexplored territory. If I got lost, well, then I got lost.

           
Now I’m lost again. My water supply is running low and there are ominous sounds from the underbrush. This school shooting story makes me feel stupid. It’s been one predictable scene after another. I showed an early version to Chris H. and she threw up. I’m having trouble looking at it as not a failure but just an adventure in limitations.

           
The limitations, since you asked, are probably these: I’m a smarty pants and this thing doesn’t play to my strengths. Coaltown Jesus was funny even though the hero is a very troubled boy. Some of the poems in Lies, Knives and Girls in Red Dresses are witty and askew. The school shooting story is serious. My muse shows up in a simple black dress with no pearls. She sits in the corner dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.

           
Or maybe I have the tenses wrong and it’s she showed up and sat. The last draft was a little sharper. I have a new angle on the whole enterprise: a question-and-answer format. A FBI criminalist and the shooter’s best friend. No wall-to-wall prose. No setting but an interview room. It’s essentially nothing but probing and sometimes evasive dialogue.

Anton

           
Chekov said, “My job is to be able to distinguish between important phenomena and unimportant and to be able to illuminate characters and speak with their tongues.”

           
Don’t you just love that?  “. . . illuminate characters and speak with their tongues.”

           
All right, Anton: stick with me. I’m not giving up yet.

Meet the Grad: Randall Bonser

On January 18, 2015, on 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 we'll be posting interviews with many of the grads. Randall Bonser is today's grad; he lives in in the metro Atlanta, GA area. To learn more about his writing, please visit his website or follow him on Twitter: @rbwritenow

Randall with one of his ghost projects.

What do you do when you’re not working on packets?

I taxi young teenagers (mine, not others’) to school activities and sports. I wash the uniforms of said young teenagers. I play in a men’s soccer league. I defy house rules and buy more children’s books.

How did you hear about the Hamline MFAC Program?

I was stalking Ron Koertge, whose books I love, and was trying to find out if he taught anywhere. Lo and behold he taught at this college in St. Paul. The low residency nature sounded good, and I’d get to rub shoulders with Ron, so I investigated. I went to an investigative meeting in Chicago and met Christine Heppermann, who is my new literary hero (sorry, Ron).

What was your writing experience prior to entering the program?

I have made my living as a writer for many years in advertising, marketing, business-to-business, and ghost writing. I also wrote poetry and stories for fun, but now I’m trying to make those fun projects my serious projects.

What do especially remember about your first residency?

Everyone had the flu. And the workshop was awesome, I learned a ton. And I met Claire Rudolf Murphy, who got me excited about the semester’s work. Oh, and I met this group of people who called themselves the Hamsters, my class, and enjoyed getting to know them. Evenings at the hotel were great bonding times, and lots of fun.

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 don’t know if it’s a good idea, but I tried a little of everything – nonfiction, YA, poetry, picture books, graphic novel. I’ve had a blast, and learned a ton. I’m hoping that the broad range will help me, but I’m a little nervous that I didn’t concentrate on one form. I love them all and want to write them all, but I’m not sure that’s realistic.

Tell us about your Creative Thesis.

I completed a first draft of a graphic novel called “Rocket Captain.” It’s about a boy and girl in 7^th grade who struggle to find success in a culture that defines them before they get a chance to define themselves. The girl is Vietnamese American, the boy is African American. The two are called upon to help build a rocket in science class. They start as friends, have a misunderstanding and start working against each other, then try to find a way to reconcile at the end. Working with Gene Yang was great because he is very smart about STORY. When my story was not holding up, or I took a short cut, or was not supporting a plot twist, he let me know. I enjoy the graphic novel medium and hope to keep working in it.

What changes have you seen in your writing during your studies?

I am much more aware of story elements. I used to think that good stories were organic, that they didn’t follow a formula. But when I looked at the stories I liked, they had elements in common. They weren’t artificial, but they were carefully planned and fine-tuned. I hope that awareness of story is more present in my work than it used to be.

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 have been trying to establish a schedule that will work for me once the deadlines are no longer there. Phyllis Root helped me when I worked with her to establish daily routines that start the night before so that you have a sense of accomplishment, even when you only write a little bit. I plan to pursue some of the projects I’ve started here at Hamline and see if I can work toward publication, no matter what I am doing “for a living.”

Any thoughts for entering students or for people considering the program?

This is a very enjoyable program and you get to dabble in things you wouldn’t normally get to work in. The feedback is fantastic. For serious writers, you’re going to get to the point when you say, “I love my critique group, but how can I get some professional feedback on what I’m writing?” You can hire an editor or coach, or you can enroll in a program like Hamline. I’ve had the time of my life.

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The public is welcome to attend the graduate recognition ceremony on Sunday, January 18, 3:30pm, (Anne Simley Theatre, Drew Fine Arts Building). Linda Sue Park is the speaker.

Faculty Voices with Emily Jenkins

Emily Jenkins

Hello! My other Inkpot posts have all been essays we might file under "business of the writer's life." I wrote about going to the AWP conference, the National Book Awards, and the Texas Library Association conference – three different literary events of the type you might find yourself attending if you end up making children's books your profession. This post is in a similar vein – I want to tell you about the Eric Carle Honors event I went to a couple weeks ago.

Do you know about the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art? It's in Amherst, MA and is devoted to the art of the picture book. For example, right now they have an exhibit on Gustav Doré, the 19^th-century fairy tale illustrator, an exhibit on Harriet the Spy and an exhibit on Simms Taback. They do all kinds of school and family programs and they have shows which travel, too. The site is well worth a look on a regular basis if you want to keep on top of what's important in the world if children's book illustration.

Dore illustration for
 Little Red Riding Hood

They also have an awards ceremony each year. I was my friend Maria's date, so I didn't have to work or speak or anything – but I went because it was interesting and fun, and a good chance to connect with people in the field I might not get to see or meet otherwise. It was in New York (it used to be in Amherst, I think), and it was charming and there was nice food and people milling around in cocktail attire. After all the eating was done, we all sat down for an awards event with our charming hosts, illustrator TonyDiTerlizzi and author Angela DiTerlizzi. They were erudite and funny. Here's an article on the event that was in School Library Journal that includes fun video. If I had known Hilary Knight was in the room I might have had a heart attack, so it's good I only found out later.

The Carle honors celebrate four individuals, and seeing the event and the recipients reminded me why I am glad to be working in children's books – which is why this whole event seems worth recounting to you. There is an illustrator award, which is just for total awesomeness and innovation in a lifetime of work. Jerry Pinkney won it, as well he deserves to. There is a mentor award, which my beloved late editor Frances Foster received a few years back, and which was this year received by the distinguished librarian Henrietta Mays Smith.

The Bridge award was this year given to Françoise Mouly, publisher of TOON books and art editor of The New Yorker. Mouly's imprint is all graphic stories for the very young, and she has done a ton to bring comic-book style work of high quality into classrooms and homes, and to destigmatize this art form that so many children connect to.

As she spoke, I was thinking about Hamline MFAC's own Gene Luen Yang, whose American Born Chinese was the first graphic novel to win the ALA's Printz award, and how graphic novels and memoirs have taken their places on the National Book Award finalist lists first in the Young People's Literature category (American Born Chinese and Boxers and Saints, and Stitches by David Small) and this year in nonfiction (Roz Chast's Can't We Talk about Something More Pleasant?) This year, too, Alison Bechdel (Fun Home) became a MacArthur fellow for writing graphic memoirs. This art form has found respect by our most fancy-pants institutions, and that means that the landscape of literature is really changing, with children's literature helping lead the way. It also means that the work Mouly has been doing is making a difference in how kids' reading is perceived by adults, and how graphic storytelling is perceived in general.

So all this was going on in my head, and I felt so happy to be a part of a community where a revolution of this kind was quietly happening and now being celebrated. The other honor was for Reach Out and Read, a charity organization which partners with pediatricians to get books into the hands of kids and to help parents feel confident and comfortable reading with their little ones. They teach storytelling at well-child visits! They tell parents who might not have many books at home that it's okay if the kid wants to hear the same story 10 times in a row, that it's okay if a baby chews on a board book, that it's okay if kids run away halfway through the story. They distribute 6.5 million books per year.

I was nearly in tears over this, it made me so happy to learn about how doctors and publishers found a way to partner to reach children.

Then there was dessert, so I pulled myself together. I ate tiramisu, talked with an illustrator friend and met some new people, ate a red velvet cupcake and finally went home with a goody bag of TOON and Pinkney books. It was a good night and it made me feel lucky to have the job that I do.

–Emily

Meet the Grad: Miriam Busch

On January 19, 2014, the final day of the upcoming residency, the MFAC program will have a Graduate Recognition ceremony, honoring the 11 men and women who have just completed their studies and will receive an MFA from Hamline University. Between now and residency, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, we'll be posting interviews with each student. Miriam Busch is today's grad; she lives in Illinois.

What do you do when you’re not working on packets? I work on packets when I’m not working on packets. Also: I write other stuff. Also also: I proofread/ edit for a publishing house and color storyboards for advertising campaigns. And I eat chocolate and fret about packets.

How did you hear about the Hamline MFAC Program? I was attending a Highlights Whole Novel Workshop. Anne Ursu and Laura Ruby ran it, and (MFAC grad) Christine Heppermannassisted. They talked about Hamline, about this community of writers striving for excellence. I told myself I had no interest, but somehow I found myself chatting with (program director) Mary Rockcastle.

What was your writing experience prior to entering the program? I had been writing stories for kids in secret for a while. I had published an article related to my old life in a scientific journal, and wrote an early reader for National Geographic Kids.

What do especially remember about your first residency? Each residency strikes me with how spectacularly devoted and generous and supportive the faculty, administrators, staff, and students are. Everyone shares this deep love of/compulsion for writing for children. It’s wonderfully satisfying to live among fellow travelers/creatures from the home planet, if only for eleven days every six months.

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 tried everything except non-fiction here at Hamline. When I entered the program, I was mostly drawn to middle grade fantasy and picture books, but in addition to working in these genres, I tried a YA verse novel and a graphic novel. The latter two are forms I never imagined I would try.

Tell us about your Creative Thesis. Mighty Cave Chickens is a middle grade graphic novel. The premise is silly (our three chicken heroes embark on a quest to save their rogue clan and themselves), but my advisor (Gene Yang) encouraged me to forge beyond simple silliness, to explore the deep longing at the protagonists’ cores. Starting something new for the Creative Thesis is not recommended, but Gene liked this idea more than a different novel I was considering converting. Graphic novels require detailed visual description for the illustrator—huge challenge for me, as I was accustomed to the picture book format, where illustrator’s notes are frowned upon and generally unnecessary. But here’s what I learn (repeatedly): no matter the format, any story must satisfy the foundational basics covered in each residency.

What changes have you seen in your writing during your studies? I entered the program entirely unschooled, and now I have language and tools (and fellow writers!) that allow me to assess how (or if) pieces work. Before, I might have been able to sense something was missing in a manuscript, but now I can figure out what. Also, instead of my pre-program sole method of meandering-on-the-page-until-something-sticks, I now can make a deliberate choice between several modes of working.

Any thoughts for entering students or for people considering the program?
Most of us don’t have the perfect office or steady, uninterrupted writing time. Many of us have stretches where we have only 15 minutes here and there. Just write. Never give up. Write between the cracks of needy children and ill parents (or needy parents and ill children). Keep in touch with your classmates. Write. If you are thinking about entering but aren’t sure you can commit, do the mini-immersion. (Fair warning: it’s a street-dealer trick. 1. They give you a taste. 2. You’re a goner.)

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 The public is welcome to attend the graduate recognition ceremony on Sunday, January 19, 3:30pm, (Anne Simley Theatre, Drew Fine Arts Building). Jane Yolen is the speaker.