1. What were your undergraduate and graduate programs?
I went to Georgia State for my undergrad and got my degree in creative writing with a minor in philosophy. I kind of just fell into that program because I knew I wanted to live in Atlanta, and I was really blown away by how amazing the English and Creative Writing professors were there. I’m still in touch with a lot of my undergrad professors, and they are so supportive of me, which is much more than I thought I’d get from an undergraduate program. I went into school thinking, hey, I probably will just leave school and go work at a coffee shop somewhere and never use anything I learned, but I don’t really care. I just want to learn stuff. I had no idea I’d go on to grad school and be teaching. That was not in my plan, but I had no idea I’d love school so much. So yeah, I came to Georgia College to get my MFA in Creative Writing, thought I’d try out teaching to see how it felt, and I ended up loving it. I’m still cynically waiting for the day when teaching will get old, but it hasn’t yet. Just wanted to add I’m extremely grateful and lucky to have met and worked with the professors at Georgia College too. The professors I’ve met in undergrad and graduate school have changed my life.
2. How did you get into writing?
I don’t remember. I’ve been writing since I was a little kid. I used to dictate stories to my mom before I knew how to write. She’d type them out and print them into a little book for me, and I’d illustrate them. The drawing thing didn’t stick. I was not good at drawing at all, but I loved making up stories. I got into writing plays next. My mom says I would invite people over to the house not because I actually liked them and wanted to hang out with them but because I thought they’d be a perfect fit for a character in one of my plays. But anyway, as is the case, I think, for a lot of people who write, writing has always been the way I express myself. Writing is easier than talking for some people. You can lay out the words in front of you and see them and make them make sense. That’s extremely helpful.
3. What do you like most about writing?
Sometimes it’s really hard to talk about what I like most about writing because I hate it so much. It’s one of the most difficult things I do. Often I feel like I don’t do it because I love it but because I have to do it. But when I hit a stride and I find my fingers typing furiously and words falling onto the page that just make sense and seem genuine to me, that is the best feeling in the world. And that is worth all of the negative feelings I often feel towards my writing.
4. What are some of your favorite books?
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. I’m fascinated by the Brontës, especially Emily because she seems to have been the most private and misanthropic, which I can often identify with. I’m also a huge Harry Potter nerd, just like any normal person. This Sunday afternoon was spent rewatching the last two Harry Potter movies (which are the best ones) and trying out hot butterbeer recipes . . . because I still think butterbeer should be hot. Sorry, Universal Studios. (yes, this is what I did instead of answering your questions. I am a bad person)
5. Why teach?
Because teaching means meeting new and interesting people every semester and talking about literature and writing with them. It often means showing people what a lie they’re telling themselves when they say, “I can’t write.” Really, that’s just code for, “I’m afraid to write, so I’m going to tell myself this so that I don’t feel bad about myself when the writing comes out wrong the first time.” When a student discovers that they actually have a talent for writing and I’m the one that helped them realize that about themselves, that feels amazing. I feel so lucky to be a part of that discovery. I hope that makes sense.
6. What are your guilty pleasures?
I don’t believe in guilty pleasures. But okay, I reward myself with online shopping far too much. Especially when it comes to writing. “If I write 1,000 pages, I’ll buy myself a new book on Amazon or some nail polish.” That gets really dangerous because it works both ways: “I just wrote 500 words and can’t do anything more and I feel bad about myself. I’m going to buy myself a dress.” Internet shopping is a real problem. They should make it illegal.
7. What about you might surprise people?
I’m obsessed with football. People are usually surprised by that when they first meet me. But if people know me at all, they know that about me. I have a New Orleans Saints shirt for every day of the week. I have two Jimmy Graham jerseys. When it’s football season, my entire Sunday is spent watching one football game or another. I even got my boyfriend into football. That means he roots for the correct team (the Saints). I was born in Louisiana, and my family is from New Orleans. The Saints are a pretty big deal. February is always really depressing for me because football is over, and clearly fall is the best season ever created.
8. Pet peeves?
People who don’t like movies, because what? I also hate it when people won’t watch a movie because it has subtitles, is a cartoon, or is in black and while. Seriously, have an open mind. I feel the same way about people who are closed-minded about literature and what counts as literature. I love genre fiction, okay? I think young adult lit, fantasy, sci-fi, graphic novels, etc. can be just as literary as anything else. It’s all about good writing and a good story that makes you eager to read. This is kind of a side note (somewhat related), but here’s another pet peeve of mine, okay? I once overheard a teacher putting down a student in a conference because she said her favorite book was Twilight and he said that didn’t count. That made me so angry. If that book moved that student in some way, then it absolutely counts. If that’s the book that made that student love reading, then why put it down? That book has done something important. Just because it’s not equally meaningful to you doesn’t mean it’s complete trash. Well, okay maybe Twilight is complete trash (maybe), but I would never deny someone the right to enjoy that trash. Sometimes trash can be important too. We all enjoy a little trash every now and then.
9. What are some of your goals at the moment?
I’m really superstitious, and I don’t like to put my goals into words because then I worry that they won’t come true. It’s like telling someone what you wished for on your birthday candles. You just don’t do it. So I just will leave it at this. I’m writing things. I’m working on school things. I hope those things will go well.
10. Best advice you’ve ever received?
This seems simple, but it’s the advice that sticks with me and helps me the most out of anything anyone has ever told me. I was in graduate school at the time, and as all graduate students do, I was freaking out about some huge assignment I had due. I was telling my brother about it, and my brother told me, “Hey, you know you’re going to get it done. So why freak out about how you’re going to do it? Just do it.” I know he probably just wanted me to shut up so that we could talk about something more interesting, but it was really helpful to hear. Any time I freak out about getting something done, I try to remind myself that it will happen. Instead of fretting about how, I should trust the process and focus on how good I’m going to feel after I get it done.