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About

I am a writer and educator living in Chicago. I hold an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in English, Creative Writing and History. While living in the shocking Nevada desert, I also taught writing to college kids, served as the Graduate Writing Program Assistant Coordinator, founded and curated the Neon Lit reading series and ran various collaborative art projects. I write fiction and for performance, though other funny little things sometimes leak out.

I've had the opportunity to live on four continents in beautiful, fascinating cities and have a background in violence intervention and community organizing. With a focus on communication, non-traditional classrooms and nurturing creativity, I've worked as an educator, program developer and curriculum designer for a wide range of learners, from refugees learning language and culture to senior citizens learning computers. Supporting skill-building with health care providers is a special interest and talent.

Among other honors and awards, I am a St. Lawrence Book Award Finalist and recipient of a Disquiet International Literary Program scholarship.

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Works

My creative works, for the stage, page and gallery walls include:

Sex Ed. Jet Fuel Review. 2019.

Everything We Learn We Learn Again. McNeese Review. 2019.

The Printed Baby. Quiddity. 2018

Some poems. Interim. 2018

We Do Not Wish the Apocalypse. Rathalla Review. 2018

This postcard thing (you have to scroll down.) Inverted Syntax. 2018

The Camel. Action Fiction. 2017

Persephone or It Won't Be Summer until You Go to Your Room. San Francisco Olympians Festival. 2016

Psamathe. Performance Review, San Francisco Olympians Festival. 2015

Rashad Sees the Future. Aduna, 2015.

A Minium Wage Worker’s Bedtime Prayer. theEEEL. 2014.

Holy Palmer. Adirondack Review. 2014.

And with Such Great Effort to Achieve. Manchester Review.2013.

To Receive My Services You Must Be Dying and Alone. Indiana Review. 2013.

Why We Take Our Children West and Everything I Know. (with visual artist Andreana Donahue) 10x10 Invitational Exhibition. Vegas Valley Book Festival. 2012.

Downlands. SPECS Journal. 2011.

Construct. (with visual artist Brent Sommerhauser), Meridians (with visual artist Lindsay Berg), Sylvia (with visual artist Andreana Donahue). I Hope You Are Feeling Better Collaborative Exhibition. 2011.

Examples of non-fiction work upon request.

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Teaching

Experience:

I have years of experience teaching and designing curriculum. The majority of my work has focused on writing and communication. I enjoy working in non-traditional educational environments and focus creating on student-centered, active, supportive, collaborative and creative spaces. I have had the opportunity to work with places like StoryStudio, The Escapery (non-traditional creative writing workshops), UNLV (writing and creative writing), JVS San Francisco (intensive communications training for return-to-work medical assistants and other individuals) and many other really delightful places.

Upcoming Workshops:

What: In Health and in Sickness: Writing on Care Giving, Illness and Healing

When: Tuesdays, 6:30-9:00 pm (CT), October 25-November 29 (6 weeks)

Where: Online through StoryStudio Chicago

What’s this workshop all about? I’m excited to re-mount this generative workshop focused on ways of communicating and understanding illness, healing, and care taking. Through activities and exercises specifically designed for writing into these experiences, we will explore different modes of creating. We will also look at published work for a greater depth of understanding and expression. You will leave the class with new writing, methods to inspire creative thinking, and revision strategies. We will seek to answer the question, “How can I find satisfaction and joy when writing about difficult, essential, and complex human experiences?” Based on previous experience, we will probably manage to have some profound delight along the way.

How do I register? Click here.

Writing coaching:

I provide 1:1 writing coaching for people who want support in developing their craft. I offer specifically designed exercises, critique, support, editing and, for those who find it helpful, deadlines. Please reach out if you are interested in having a bit more inspiration and support for your writing. We can make a plan. I'll send you an exercise. The first one is free.

Also. I write a heck of a wedding toast.

"That's the best toast I've ever heard." --caterer at a wedding in reference to a toast I gave.

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Other Projects

A few other exciting projects that I'm working on:

Executive Director of Residency on the Farm, an annual, week-long residency for artists of all kinds. Located out in the rolling hills and sandstone bluffs of Southwest Wisconsin, people come and work really hard and eat great food.
Artistic Director, Facilitator and Designer of Tell Well, a writing workshop for healthcare professionals. This is a program designed to engage people in finding new ways to understand and communicate the complex experience of health provision.

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CONTACT

Reach me at kathrynkruse18@gmail.com

or

Click here: