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.
If you want to understand what it is to be a poet, spend time with people who consider themselves unpoetic—people who feel defeated or confused by poetry. You will keep bumping up against that thing that separates you. It feels like a low cement wall. The essential separation borders a world where every question has … More Poet’s Mind
In November, I participated in the Brown Bag Series hosted by UNF’s Sigma Tau Delta (English Honor Society). I had the opportunity to read my work and discuss the challenges and joys of writing as a blind poet. Here’s what it’s about: As a blind poet, Emily K. Michael understands the politics of disclosure. Publishing … More Watch my presentation: “Creative Activism: The Poetry of Disability and Disclosure”
About a month ago, I gave a talk as part of TEDxFSCJ: Engage. The process involved a lot of work—rehearsals, revisions, workshops—but it was an incredible experience. I was blessed with the TEDxFSCJ crew to guide me, including a test audience and awesome speech coach! Here’s how the video is described on YouTube: Today one … More Watch my TEDx Talk, “The confluence of disability and imagination”
Jacob Lusk is a Jacksonville, Florida native, a high school English teacher, and an amateur film critic, who writes about movies on his blog, The Panned Review. You can follow him on Twitter. Check out his tips and suggestions for composing a film review. Some Suggestions for Writing a Good Film Review Watch the film … More Guest Post: On Writing a Film Review
A few weeks ago, I was interviewed by Nancy and Peter Torpey from the Eyes On Success podcast. Eyes on Success interviews blind people from all over the world about their careers, passions, hobbies, and challenges. I had a blast doing my interview! I was excited to discuss teaching, writing, and publishing! My interview was … More My interview with the Eyes On Success podcast!
On Saturday, November 5, my colleague Michele Boyette and I will present the workshop “Insensible Paradise, Invisible Nightmare: Complicating Embodiment in the 21st Century Classroom” at the 88th SAMLA conference! We’re looking forward to an exciting 90 minutes of analyzing disabled character tropes, evaluating accessibility statements, and brainstorming effective communication strategies. Want to see what … More Presentation Notes for SAMLA 88!
Dr. Sheri Wells-Jensen, age 53, is an associate professor in the Department of English at Bowling Green State University (in Bowling Green, Ohio). She teaches technical linguistics courses for people who wish to teach English to speakers of other languages. She says it’s a marvelous job: “I sort of love it.” She has a scattering … More October Interview: Spark, Startle, Enlighten!
I’ve got some exciting things to share! First up are two short promo videos I did for TEDxFSCJ: each one offers a sneak peek at my upcoming talk, “The Confluence of Disability and Imagination.” Here’s the first promo: And the second one: If you’re interested in coming to my performance of the talk, I’ve got … More A sneak peek at my TEDx Talk and a radio spot for Blindness Awareness!
My Dear Readers: I was accepted to speak at TEDxFSCJ here in Jacksonville on October 8. However, Hurricane Matthew came to town (I guess he heard about our impressive lineup of speakers), so our event had to be postponed! TEDxFSCJ has been rescheduled for Saturday, November 5, but I will be speaking at SAMLA 88 … More I’ll Be at TEDxFSCJ in an Unconventional Way!
On the Blink 