Yesterday I read poetry at JaxbyJax 2018, and it was an absolute blast! Chris Gabbard and I read in the Whiteway Realty conference room, a cozy space that offered many lighting options for me. I read best under dim lights, and every time I plan to read in public, I worry about whether the … More Clips from JaxbyJax 2018!
I am excited to announce that I will be reading at this year’s JaxbyJax Literary Arts Festival, where local writers read their work all across Riverside! This will be my third appearance at JaxbyJax, and my previous venue partners, Andres Rojas and Sohrab Fracis, will also be reading this year! JaxbyJax will take place on … More Appearing at JaxbyJax 2018!
The Blindness Arts issue of Disability Studies Quarterly is finally here! This special issue, edited by Hannah Thompson and Vanessa Warne, represents several years of work, research, performance, and art among disabled contributors. My piece is called “Sacred Positions: A Personal History of Blindness and Singing.” This is how it begins… On a crisp December evening, … More My musical essay in Disability Studies Quarterly!
In March, blind poet and writing professor Stephen Kuusisto released Have Dog, Will Travel: A Poet’s Journey — a memoir about his life with his first guide dog, Corky. This is an exceptional book that will resonate with a wide audience beyond the obvious blind people and guide dog handlers. Kuusisto was featured on the PBS … More Book Review: Have Dog, Will Travel
To celebrate National Poetry Month, I’d like to share this online interview I conducted with Jill Khoury. I was inspired to interview Jill after taking her online poetry workshop, Writing Poems From the Body, at The Poetry Barn. Jill’s course was my first Poetry Barn class, but I have since taken two more, and I’ve found … More Jill Khoury Discusses Her Teaching with Poetry Barn and the Value of Online Poetry Workshops
Dear readers, it’s that time again! Time to spend 30 days of April showers celebrating poetry — reading it, writing it, thinking about writing it! I’m excited to report some fantastic festivities at both campuses where I teach! Follow the hyperlinks to find the Facebook events for each item. Downtown Campus Spoken Word Open Mic, … More Celebrating National Poetry Month 2018!
My reading goal for 2017 was 35 books. Below you’ll find several of my favorite themes – ecology, music, spirituality, and grammar. But there are also several books about Jane Austen as July marked the 200th anniversary of her death. I’m feeling rather hip as many of these books actually came out in 2017, so … More 37 Books in 2017
It’s time for an overdue update! Happy December to all! I’ve had a busy semester of writing, teaching, reading, and workshopping. Here are some of the highlights! Presentations In October, I spoke at an event for Blindness Awareness Day hosted by UNF Leaders and Activists for the Disabled (LAD). Though the talk ended up … More In the Works
I am excited to share my latest publication, a review of Jill Khoury’s Suites for the Modern Dancer. Khoury’s book is a full-length poetry collection, published by Sundress Press in 2016. My review was published in Issue #5 of The Deaf Poets Society. Here’s how the review begins: I indulge in the fantasy of maneuvering effortlessly … More Book Review: Suites for the Modern Dancer
Originally posted on The Brevity Blog:
By Emily K. Michael Submission guidelines rarely make me angry. Because I seek publications that share my interests – ecology, feminism, disability, music – all the specifications can start to look the same. Most journals want a well-rounded submission, free from religious agendas, offensive stereotypes, and one-dimensional fables of inspiration.…
April 26 is International Guide Dog Day, a chance to celebrate the countless beautiful handler-guide dog teams around the world. It is a day to honor not only the hard work we do with our companions but the circle of loving support that makes this work possible. From the families that encourage us to go in for training to the trainers, volunteers, and … More #InternationalGuideDogDay
After a long hiatus, I’m excited to rekindle my Sacred Space series with the thoughtful words of my friend and literary colleague, Sohrab Homi Fracis. Sohrab is a fiction writer currently living in Jacksonville, FL. He is the author of Ticket to Minto: Stories of India and America and the timely new novel Go Home. He has visited my classes several … More Sacred Space Interview: Meditating on the Great Universe
Last night, I attended the final event of FSCJ’s 2016-2017 Author Series: a live presentation by Dr. Temple Grandin! If you’re not familiar with Dr Grandin, she is an autistic animal scientist, famous for her humane redesign of U.S. slaughter plants. She has written several books on animal behavior, such as Animals Make Us Human and Animals in Translation. She has also written several … More Temple Grandin Live at FSCJ!
I am excited to begin the new year in a spirit of gratitude. Your gift to Southeastern Guide Dogs blesses all future guides and graduates—but it also touches every member of the Southeastern community. I graduated with my first guide dog from Southeastern Guide Dogs in July 2014. I had been matched with York, an … More An Open Letter to the Donors of Southeastern Guide Dogs
It’s been a busy year for me, but I’m proud to say I met my Goodreads goal: 45 books! Check ’em out! Some were duds, but most were wonderful. I’ve written brief reviews beneath the ones I really enjoyed. Provence, 1970:M.F.K. Fisher, Julia Child, James Beard, and the Reinvention of American Taste by Luke Barr … More 45 in 2016: What I read this year.
On the Blink 