Tag: writing

Minnesota Writers Spotlight on Emily Gaarder by Phoebe Diez

University of Minnesota – Duluth students in David Beard’s Minnesota Writers class interviewed local writers and wrote spotlight articles that we will showcase in the coming months. 

Upon entering Professor Emily Gaarder’s office, my eyes were immediately drawn to her shirt, which proudly displayed the word “feminist.” I couldn’t help but smile and comment on it, sparking an instant connection. As a double major in Writing Studies and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, I’m committed to feminist causes and animal activism– two areas where Professor Gaarder has left a significant mark. This conversation was more than an interview; it was a chance to learn from someone who had merged advocacy with academic work and creative expression in ways that I hope to emulate.

Professor Gaarder, a feminist, animal rights activist, writer, and musician, has made waves in both academic, activist, and musical communities across Minnesota. As we settled in, I quickly realized that this conversation would be a powerful learning experience for any young writer passionate about social justice. Gaarder’s career demonstrates how one can seamlessly merge creative expression with advocacy, inspiring others along the way.

Gaarder shared how her early passion for both animal rights and feminist issues grew into a lifelong commitment, rooted in both academic study and hands-on activism. “Our everyday practices of activism are important and help us stay grounded. Activism, just like in this time and age…can feel overwhelming. Everywhere we turn. So, we have to work with people,” she explained. She described how her career has been a balancing act between teaching, parenting, writing, singing, and dedicating herself to causes she cares deeply about.

She also shared a pivotal moment in her life when her understanding of music’s power to convey ideas expanded. “Sarah Thompson, who is a local singer, songwriter, and musician I really love and have learned from, she would sometimes come to my classes and talk about how you could be teaching or sharing about an idea.” Sarah’s approach to art opened Gaarder’s eyes to the unique way music can impact people. She recalled how Sarah would use music and art to help students better understand the immigrant experience, explaining that “music and art come into the brain in a different way.” Gaarder found this perspective valuable because it suggested that, at times, music can communicate emotions and ideas in ways that are more accessible, engaging the heart rather than just the mind.

When I commented on how some people prefer writing over music, or vice-versa, as a form of self-expression, Gaarder agreed, noting that different people resonate with different forms of art. She continued, “I have writers and poets I read who, you know, I don’t need it to be musical, it just kinda sings on the page. I don’t really know how to do that. I can do it with the music but I don’t think I could do it the other way.” For Gaarder, the beauty of creative expression lies in how each person finds their own unique method of communication—whether through words, music, or both. Her ability to move between different forms of expression, while acknowledging their distinct qualities, highlights her deep understanding of how art can serve as a powerful tool for advocacy and connection.

When I asked Professor Gaarder which musician she would collaborate with, she eagerly jumped into the conversation, naming several artists who have influenced her over the years. ‘Waxahatchee’ was the first to come to mind, inspiring Gaarder because of her boldness and risk-taking in music. She then reflected on her college years, where artists like the Indigo Girls and Ani DiFranco had a profound impact on her. “They made me think, ‘Oh my God, I don’t play the guitar,’” Gaarder confessed, sharing how their socially conscious and feminist lyrics motivated her to pick up the guitar. At the time, certain topics or issues were viewed as taboo to discuss publicly, but these artists openly embraced progressive values and queer identities, showing Gaarder that it was possible to merge activism with music in a way that felt authentic.

When I asked Professor Gaarder about the challenges of balancing the personal and professional aspects of writing, particularly when working on topics close to her beliefs, she offered a thoughtful response. Rather than simply answering, she turned the question back on me, asking me to choose which aspect I found most interesting. I opted for her perspective as a writer, and she shared some insights that highlighted the tension between personal conviction and professional responsibility. Gaarder explained that when writing about her own research, she’s always aware of the need for reflexivity. “There’s no such thing as neutrality,” she said, acknowledging the importance of recognizing her perspective while engaging with the data. She emphasized that a writer must be open to standing by their research or theory, even if it challenges others. “If you’re a people pleaser,” she added, “you have to work on that.” Writing, especially about topics she deeply cares about, requires her to embrace criticism and stand firm in her views, knowing that some will disagree.

The same challenge extends to her music. Gaarder reflected on the process of writing and performing a song, where listeners might interpret her lyrics differently than she intended. “Some people are gonna connect to it because they actually think it’s something that I don’t think it’s about, but that’s okay,” she said. This acknowledgment of varied interpretations led her to consider the importance of staying true to her creative intent while being open to the feedback and reactions of others.

During our conversation, I asked Professor Gaarder how her creative process in music-making with the band The Rhizomes compares to the process of writing a book. Her response reflected both the similarities and differences between the two forms of creative expression. “You still have to put in the work,” she said. “Just because for me it’s more flowy, it’s more fun, but also it’s still hard.” For Gaarder, the creative process, whether for music or writing, requires consistent effort. One of the biggest challenges, she explained, is finding the time to commit to creativity when life demands so much attention.

When I asked if she finds parallels in how she approaches each creative process, Gaarder responded thoughtfully. She acknowledged that while she approaches music and writing differently, the underlying themes of accountability and social support are present in both. She is part of a writing group with other women faculty, where the members hold each other accountable to show up for their work. “There’s something about the social support of that that makes a difference,” Gaarder noted. The social aspect of creative work, whether in writing or music, helps combat the isolation often associated with the process. Gaarder expressed the importance of having a space where creators can give and receive feedback, which is just as crucial for musicians as it is for writers.

She also shared advice from a songwriter, Stephen Kellogg, who said, “Just say it straight, then say it great.” This advice, which applies to both academic writing and songwriting, encourages writers and musicians not to get bogged down by perfectionism in the initial stages. “We can overcorrect ourselves,” Gaarder reflected, “‘That’s not good enough,’ or ‘That’s too cliche.’ You’ll remember the emotion, the idea, or the concept. You can say it great, later.” This approach to writing resonated with me, as I often struggle with the expectation that my first draft must be flawless. Gaarder offered a reassuring perspective, sharing how her friend, an academic writer, drafts and revises her work multiple times before it reaches its final form. “Perfectionism is the enemy of creativity,” Gaarder said. Her words made me realize that the creative process isn’t about getting everything perfect right away– It’s about giving yourself the freedom to revise and grow along the way.


Phoebe Diez is a double major in Writing Studies and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. She has a passion for exploring feminist topics, including women’s rights, violence against women, and reproductive health, in her written work. She also writes personal stories that touch on themes of childhood nostalgia, mental health, and personal growth. A creative writer at heart, Phoebe has earned recognition in writing contests, winning 1st and 3rd place in creative writing competitions. Outside of writing, she enjoys playing video games, like Dead by Daylight and The Sims, and spending time with her twin sister and friends watching horror movies and scary video game playthroughs. Phoebe currently works at Canal Bark, a doggy daycare and overnight boarding facility, where she cares for dogs, puppies, kittens, and cats. She dreams of becoming a published author or editor.

Minnesota Writers Spotlight on Kelly Florence by Rachel Carroll

University of Minnesota – Duluth students in David Beard’s Minnesota Writers class interviewed local writers and wrote spotlight articles that we will showcase in the coming months. 

The horror genre has been ingrained in human culture for centuries and our fascination with it has only intensified with time. However, over the past several decades, horror has transitioned from books to the world of cinema. Late in the fall of 2024, I spoke with Kelly Florence, cohost of the Horror Rewind podcast and coauthor of The Science of Monsters about her experience as a nonfiction author and her fascination with the horror genre.

Florence, with a background in both theatre and communication, found an outlet in her podcast, Horror Rewind, which explores the elements of different forms of horror media in a “fun, female-driven way.” While Florence’s podcast features hundreds of film-focused episodes, her book only delves into the science behind thirty films.

“It’s always a struggle to narrow down which films to write about, but, when research begins, it becomes more apparent which threads to follow and which to leave behind. Sometimes, we’re excited to write about a particular movie, but we discover the themes have been covered in a previous book or chapter of ours. So, we pivot to make things fresh and new.”

Much like her podcast, her book is a collaborative project with Meg Hafdahl, her long-time friend and also a fellow Minnesotan. The two met in a gift shop and have been friends ever since. While they both share a love of horror, creating a project divided equally between two can be a challenge. 

Despite the potential complications, the women are determined to create together.

“When we wrote our first book, we worked on every chapter together. We each did research and then discussed which avenues felt the most exciting to pursue. If we both weren’t passionate about something, we’d either exclude the topic or have the person who was interested take the lead.”

Florence seamlessly connects the scientific and fictional aspects of the horror genre throughout the book. In the book, she provides information about a multitude of different monsters and horrific events, such as vampires, witches, and even diseases that correlate with the films.

In a few cases, there is no simple scientific explanation. Florence also implemented myths and rumors to fill in the gaps left by science.

“Since lore and legends have been handed down through generations, it’s important to note how prevalent they are across the world. It’s been fascinating to discover how many stories and tropes are similar across cultures even though there’s no way people could have been sharing them continents apart.”

Despite the lack of scientific backing behind these myths, they have been just as important to the horror genre, which Florence discovered through her research. The presence of supernatural elements, which is extremely common in cultural legends, is often portrayed in these horror films.

One of the main issues nonfiction authors face is reader engagement. Florence found that a unique and easy-to-read format was the key to keeping the audience interested in her book.

“By dividing the book into sections, we can easily hone in on themes that will keep the reader interested while exploring a spectrum of topics. While this format worked for the film analysis books, we found that chronologically ordered chapters made more sense for the biography books we wrote like The Science of Stephen King (2020).”

Florence and Hafdahl divided their book into ten main sections, each containing 3 subsections focusing on a popular film within that section. Not only does this allow Florence to delve deeper into the scientific explanation behind each topic, it keeps the reader entertained. Through this engaging formatting, Florence was able to fight the stereotype of a “boring non-fiction book” and keep readers interested.

Since Florence wanted to concentrate on the reality behind the world’s favorite horror films, she had to write about a variety of extremely sensitive subjects. In the book’s chapter on Halloween, Florence writes about children who have become murderers which most likely inspired the creation of the infamous character of Michael Myers.

“It’s important to us in our books to write well-researched truths that relate to and [have] inspired the horror genre. Including sensitive topics and true crimes in chapters are handled delicately so as not to sensationalize the events. We also strive to be victim and survivor-focused so that criminals are not centered or put on a pedestal,” she said.

Florence is dedicated to handling the stories of violent crime with care. When discussing a real serial killer in the book, she presents only the facts and directly connects the event to the cinematic equivalent. This accomplishes her goal of education without idolizing the killers.

Studios continue to produce horror films and audiences around the world continue to be captivated by witnessing their fears portrayed on the big screen. Pop culture, as Florence has noticed, tends to revolve around specific niches in the horror genre.

“There are so many movies that have come out in the past five years that we would love to have included in The Science of Monsters. A major recent theme has been religion and cults so movies like Heretic (2024), Immaculate (2024), and Longlegs (2024) would be a fascinating section to delve into.”

Florence’s upcoming book, The Science of Alfred Hitchcock, is expected to be published in August of 2025 and is also in collaboration with Hafdahl. Following her pattern of a scientific analysis of famous horror films, this book focuses on the biographical and scientific aspects of Hitchcock’s most iconic works.

“Because the number of horror films we could write about was vast, there is plenty of content we will continue to write about in the future.”

Society, much like Florence herself, is forever fascinated with horror media. Just last year, horror was one of the most inspired and lucrative genres in cinema, producing hit films such as A Quiet Place: Day One and The Substance. Just as viewers continue to be captivated, Florence continues to investigate the scientific evidence behind these stories. While I consider myself to be a more surface-level horror fan, my experience with Florence’s writing has simultaneously educated me and amplified my interest in the genre.

Rachel Carroll is a student attending the University of Minnesota Duluth, pursuing a double major in Accounting and English. She has received multiple scholarships due to her academic success. Ever since she was a child, Rachel has been passionate about books and reading in all forms. Her taste in books varies, but she generally enjoys the genres of realistic fiction and romance. In her free time, Rachel enjoys reading (obviously!), going on walks in nature, spending time with her friends/family, and daydreaming about living in New York City. One of Rachel’s life goals is to have a home library that includes every single book in the Penguin Clothbound Classics collection.

Minnesota Writers Spotlight on Amy Jo Swing by Joseph Bruce Bussey, Jr

University of Minnesota – Duluth students in David Beard’s Minnesota Writers class interviewed local writers and wrote spotlight articles that we will showcase in the coming months. First up is poet, instructor, and Lake Superior Writers Board Member, Amy Jo Swing.

Amy Jo Swing, an instructor at Lake Superior College, sat down with me in the Equity and Diversity Center to talk about her poetry featuring Coloring of Monsters, Crossing it Off, and Wordage. What started as an interview turned into a deep and thoughtful conversation diving into the motivations and inspirations of Amy Jo Swing’s work and her upbringing – along with her wisdom and philosophy. I asked her, “In Coloring the Monsters, you focus on emotions and color theory, speaking of love, anger, and the complexity of it all. What compelled you to write this piece?” 

“I’ve always been an admirer of art. If you ever go to the Rothko Chapel in Texas (I went to college down there), you’ll find pieces of art that are full of color. I wanted to mix my passion with what I admire, because that’s all art really is.” 

The Rothko Chapel (in Houston, Texas), sits as a major work of modern art. Inside, beautiful pieces reign and dominate the walls. Fourteen of Mark Rothko’s paintings are there.  The more and more we conversed, the more and more I realized that if Amy Jo Swing hadn’t become an English teacher, she’d surely become a teacher of art. I then asked her about the second poem, Crossing it Off. Or well, tried to. I was flustered in trying to get my words out of my mouth. “In Crossing it Off, you write about a list that packs a punch out of nowhere. Why’d you construct it like that?” A basic question, I was so embarrassed. But I was surprised by Amy’s laugh. 

“I wanted to emulate a type of poem where the beginning and end are similar. It’s called a pantoum. At the time, a lot was going on in my life. (I think I was just out of graduate school? I don’t recall completely.) But I wanted to mix in the anxiety of being a woman with the day-to-day shopping list.” 

In the poem, Amy Jo Swing sneaks reality into the idea of a shopping list – a metafictional take; a play within a play. The play, of course, is the realistic shopping list that you and I use daily, but Amy Jo Swing adds in a dabble of reality, which does indeed pack a punch when reading it for the first time. The subtle move alludes to the high expectations that society has on women.

Finally, I asked a question concerning Wordage. In the poem, she talks about how she was bullied a lot for not saying words correctly. So I asked, “In Wordage, you talk about how diction and enunciation were of the utmost importance. What would younger-you think if she were to meet present-you and the career you’re in?” This made her genuinely laugh. 

“She’d probably think, ‘What on Earth are you doing?’  It’s a bit ironic, I suppose. But at the same time, words have always been important to me.” 

Amy Jo Swing’s parents were blue-collar workers and instilled in Amy Jo Swing the importance of education and learning. 

I then asked her questions about her process and how she got published. 

“Well, I was lucky. I was part of a poetry group at a young age in Alaska, where they treated me like poet, not some kid who liked to write. I never published work myself (I have tried to, but never was able) but I was part of anthologies. Actually, I brought a copy of an anthology I was a part of. Take a look at the names.” 

I did. On the minimalist white cover were half a dozen names. I recognized one of them, that being William Krueger, another Minnesotan author. She told me to read the names again, and I did, only to find that she worked with Kate DiCamillo. My favorite childhood author. Amy Jo Swing got to publish poetry alongside Kate DiCamillo. I was floored. 

“Okay, now I don’t mean to ask this basic question-” 

“I don’t have to answer it,” Amy Jo Swing replied with humor. 

“True. But what is your writing process?” 

She thought for a moment. 

“I’m a collector. I rarely ever sit down and actually write, I like to experience things and if something comes to mind, I’ll write it down. Then, I take what I’ve written down and make something out of it. Poetry is something that comes from the heart. My thesis advisor in graduate school once told me, ‘Writing poetry won’t save your life, but reading it would.’” 

Saving a life – taking what we do not know or what hinders us or what angers and saddens us and trying to make sense of it. As Kait Rokowski wrote, “Nothing ever ends poetically. It ends and we turn it into poetry. All that blood was never once beautiful. It was just red.”  Amy Jo Swing is a local treasure, taking the chaos around us that is called life and making sense of it. She embodies Walt Whitman’s quote: “We do not read and write poetry because it is cute, we read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion.” She is a captain charting her own course, cutting her own sails, and unabashedly riding the waves. 

Joseph Bruce Bussey, Jr. is working on his English degree at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He’s best known for his poetry and essays, receiving praise from scholars and dreamers alike for his adherence and command of words. Talkative and outgoing, Joseph doesn’t shy away from getting to know someone, saying, “Everyone is their own little poem”. Outside of his writing projects, Joseph likes to take long walks in the Lester woods, listen to all kinds of music, and be there for his Lakeside community. Although he has tried to get published, he finds his time better spent sharing his work with friends, family, and online.