Beyond my Wildest Dreams: Queer Joy at 60

Mary Vermillion and Ben Thiel

This April brought me two new joys. I turned sixty, and I made my debut in Sinister Wisdom, the oldest lesbian literary journal in the U.S. me with Sinister Wisdom 132photo by Ben Thiel When I was in my thirties and forties, I never imagined that I’d be happy about turning sixty. In fact, I … Read more

Patient Urgency: Reading “The Immortalists” During the Pandemic

The pandemic has amped up my sense of urgency, my desire to make good use of my time. One new action I took was to start a Zoom book club for Mount Mercy English students and faculty this summer. I figured the pandemic would leave many students at loose ends, unable to travel or work, … Read more

In Praise of Alliteration: Scriptotherapy and the Pandemic

alliteration and the pandemic

You may be thinking, Alliteration? Really??? During a pandemic laced with murderous racism and police violence against the press? Let me explain. First of all, I started this post before George Floyd was murdered. And even before the pandemic, I felt like I was playing catch up—my writing unable to keep up with my thoughts, … Read more

How Do You Keep Writing After You Graduate?

Do you still write? This question gets asked every semester when Mount Mercy English hosts one of its alumni career panels—What Can You Do With An English Major? Do you still write? The question is usually asked by students who adore creative writing and who are on the verge of graduating. These students and their … Read more