Writing Interests

Writing does not require mastery but apprenticeship, a willingness to notice and to think small. To paraphrase wisdom from Hubert Butler: the personal essay is not more or less than tracing one’s tiny snail track.

My work has included such topics as what I can understand about my children from the objects I find in their pockets; what I have learned about belonging through a hobby group dedicated to historical buildings; how I responded to self-doubt while struggling to hang wallpaper; and how the works of other memoirists have impacted me. Other areas of interest include poetry and children’s literature.

The essay “After Midnight”—the first public telling of the story of my mom, her mental illness, and me—was the 2020 Jade Ring Contest Winner for Nonfiction. A full-length book about growing up amidst my mom’s mental illness is underway. In support of this book project, I was the recipient of the 2024 Great River Writers Retreat organized by the Midwest Writing Center.

Below is a partial list of where my writing can be found.

“Coming Unstuck” Madison Magazine

“Old House Society” and “Housing Advocacy” The Stoughton Courier Hub

“Finding A Life of One’s Own” The Good Life Review

“Women Unearthed, Women at the Root” Women Who Submit

“The Fourth Child” The Sunlight Press