Patricia Harrelson

Poet Kate Evans has responded to my blog about publishing gay and lesbian memoir on her blog Being and Writing. I met Kate at the East of Eden Conference where she was promoting her book of poetry Like All We Love and I was pitching my book to agents.

I didn’t find an agent at that conference, but meeting Kate was probably even more important in the bigger picture of writing and publishing. First, she connected me with the press for her book, Q-Press, a sadly now defunct entity and not part of the story I told in my Publishing Journey. Though I didn’t go with Q-Press, it was an important step in the journey. Talking with them and with Kate, I  got more clear about what I wanted with regard to publication. What I learned is that I wanted more control over the timing of the publication, and Q-Press (who was probably going under at the time) was not moving too swiftly. One thing I can say about Outskirts Press is that they move swiftly.

Another thing I learned from Kate was that she had written a book, Negotiating the Self, that held important information for me as a “new” lesbian who was a teacher.  This book caused a crucial paradigm shift, for it helped me understand the edges of my homophobia and gave me some strategies for managing my fears in the classroom which undoubtedly made my classes more inclusive for all.

Then there was Kate herself: enthusiastic, generous and bold. Watching her, I saw what it takes to promote one’s book and also one’s self as a writer.  I’ve recently reconnected with Kate via the Women Stirred web site where she is a contributor. Again the timing of our meeting is perfect. Kate Evans is one of those risky writers who serve as a pathfinder for me.

If you are looking for models for your own writing life, I recommend following Kate Evans.