Woman. Warrior. Writer. 4-2023
Grace Talusan Vol. 4 No. 4 April 4, 2023
Meet Woman. Warrior. Writer. Grace Talusan!
How did you come to author your life?
Being a writer is powerful. I’ve felt the energy in a room change because of something I’ve spoken aloud. I’ve had intense encounters with readers who have shown up at events so that they can tell me in person what my words meant to them. For many years, I wrote without any hope of an audience. That may sound sad, but it was clarifying. I developed a regular writing practice as bridge to myself. There is little in our lives that we have control over, but we can try to make choices within our circumstances. I already have so much, more than I ever dreamed of, and I try to make the best of it.
Grace Talusan is the author of The Body Papers, which won the Restless Books Prize for New Immigrant Writing and the Massachusetts Book Award in Nonfiction. She teaches in the Nonfiction Writing Program at Brown University.
Photo by Alonso Nichols
NOTE: The Body Papers is superb. It was on the 2021 syllabus for Asian/Asian American Women’s Creative Writing Workshop.
TEACHING THOUGHTS and WORKSHOP
I started teaching women’s creative writing workshops during summer 2020. I wasn’t always sure how to make class work. There’s a different protocol (hey, you’re on mute!) but I enjoyed teaching online. My students have been amazing—2 PEN fellowships; 3 TIN HOUSE spots; a play on the festival circuit; publication in national outlets and quality literary journals; anthologies; readings! I teach because I believe that women’s narratives change the world. Spring Intersectionality cohort-great writers. Look out for their books (l to r) Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal, Arianna Jimenez, Lesley Hobbs, Helen Lee, Utitofon Inyang, and Catherine John.
Moving forward I’m going to work with a smaller number of women in order to provide a more focused mentorship. Look out for hybrid downloadable courses and Zoom Women’s Creative Writing Workshop and Intersectionality: Manuscript Workshop fall 2023.
Asian/Asian American Women’s Creative Writing Workshop SATURDAYS June 3-July 22 7-9AM (HST) This is the first and only Asian/Asian American Women’s Creative Writing Workshop that’s out there. This is a wonderful opportunity to be in community, learn craft skills, and cultivate your voice.
WRITING COACHING—open gender. Contact writer@drstephaniehan.com
10% discount for previous students and kama’aina. Use the code LOCAL
OPPORTUNITIES and NEWS
ONE HOUR accountability writing meet-ups start April 13 THURSDAYS 6:15AM-7:15AM HST. Here’s the link! For all WCWW women and newsletter subscribers (OPEN GENDER).
An interview with Toni Ann Johnson for The Hawaii Review of Books!
Arianna Jimenez and Iris Yi-Youn Kim were awarded Tin House spots for 2023! YEAH!
Non-White and Woman edited by Darien Hsu Gee and Carla Crujido is a 2022 FORWARD Indies Finalist. Glad to have my piece in this anthology along with workshop participants Grace Hwang Lynch, Elizabeth Su, Gabrielle Smith, and Iris Yi-Youn Kim. Also includes work from Woman Warrior Writers Devi. S. Laskar and Deesha Philyaw.
For opportunities and submission calls sign up for Galleyway a monthly newsletter for BIPOC writers curated by Camille Wanliss.
Maya Shanbhag Lang is the new president of the Authors Guild of America. Asian American and the first WOC to hold this position! Congratulations!
Me and Mom Marie Ann Han Yoo spoke with the Korean American women of New York Life for Women’s History Month. Our first joint zoom!
If you have 45 seconds of music, please submit the title/name and web address of your Spotify clip to The Conversation HPR. Music cues run 15-30 seconds. Send to shan@hawaiipublicradio.org
Syllabus Authors/Guest Writers/Workshop Alum, send in your writing news/links for the next WWW newsletter!
Check out the Woman. Warrior. Writer. merch! Bags, T-shirts, Hoodies. Support the WWW Scholarship fund!
Several of the interviews this month for HPR’s The Conversation—
Hawai’i’s poet laureate Brandy Nālani McDougall (great insight about writing and vulnerability)
Founder and Executive Director of Hawaii Women in Filmmaking Vera Zambonelli
4 of the 6 FIRST EVER Women Surfers of the Eddie! Emily Erickson, Paige Alms, Andrea Moller, Makani Adric. They rode these waves not only for themselves, but also, to show women that they can go for their dreams. All of them were very aware of this fact. Amazing.
HEALTH
Listen to Dr. Cheryl Twe for Endometriosis Awareness Month.
About focus and meditation…. Many years ago I studied under Master Kang Rhee (1938-2019), my dad’s cousin. I was upset that I had such a hard time with meditation. He told me this: “Staying still. That’s a kind of hell for you.” And he went on to explain that for some, they enter a meditative state through movement. When I’m fully focused my body aligns with the musical note, or becomes seamless with the water. There are many ways we come to our center. Find what works for you.
Kang Rhee taught Elvis Presley. Elvis gave him a Cadillac and a guitar. Kang Rhee had many Elvis Presley fans coming to his studio. The studio was racially integrated. Black. Asian. White. He was there when I needed guidance and was one of the most important teachers I had. It was Pa Sa Ryu that brought me to my Korean identity. SUN! ( Pa Sa Ryu salute)
DIVORCE RESOURCES
Write your story for your personal/legal file—How to Write Your Divorce Story Youtube Video . Check out Scarlet Society for divorce resources.
WRITING TIP
We all need accountability. Join the zoom meetup. Get a buddy.
Aloha, Stephanie