For episode 6 of Speaking in First Draft, Mentee Jamilah Araf interviews Mentor Elle Gonzalez Rose about her debut novel Caught in a Bad Fauxmance.
Speaking on Queer Boricua YA Fauxmance and Family
Stories About Family
Near or far, related or not, get in your feels with stories from our community about what family truly means.
Speaking on Night Emotions
This week’s theme is dreams. Episode five of Speaking in First Draft dives deep into the raw emotions that come up in relationships and in first-draft writing.
Speaking on Family Worlds
This week brings you a special episode where both of our guests, Ayah Al-Masyabi and Anne Hellman White, share the first drafts of their current works in progress.
Remembrance: An Index From My Grandmother
with moons. you taught me such cryptic languages.
I would spend the rest of my life decoding them.
Simple Recipe for Ten Minute Ginger Tea
frame family in doorway, huddled on charcoal couch,
ad break muted in favor of bad jokes, laughter
gentle–wait for the punchline to pour gush of warmth into mugs,
clink spoon to make sonorous honey hum
to mellow ginger buzz
Speaking on Finding Joy in the Mourning
In this episode, you’ll hear a lovely conversation between mentee Allison Sengkhounmany, a high schooler from New York, and mentor Davia Schendel, a musician and performer.
Speaking on Brushing Up on Your Comedy (Literally)
In this episode, you’ll hear Mentor Tracy Morin, a magazine writer and editor, talk with Mentee Ava Fung, a high schooler from New York City, about her humorous non-fiction piece, “Toothache.”
See It When You Believe It
In this piece, I explore how a change in our mindset can influence our experience of reality.
The Bargains We Make
What sacrifices did we make during the pandemic to sustain our parental relationships? What kind of person have you become since then?
My Mother, Laura
The art of caretaking.
Li’s Kitchen
Growing up as a daughter of resturant owners, I explore the shame of not having parents that could dedicate their time to me and the realization of the sacrifices they made for my happiness.
To My Dad
“But I can’t be angry forever that my dad isn’t the dad I wish he was. Anyway, did you see the last episode of Survivor?”
Two Worlds, One Home
A reflection of cultural identity through the lens of a first-generation, Chinese-American girl.
How to Grow a Tree From Its Mother
I’ve always been interested in world-building, so for my project, I’ve mapped out and explored the stories of four key places in a world I will use to explore nuanced identity.
(Almost) Bananas
A letter of thanks meets an inner reflection of taught and inherited values in this short essay.