Suzanne Edison, MA, MFA

Poet • Educator

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All things Books, Poems, Teaching/Workshops etc.

Book cover with teal background and a face mask collage

Dear Arthritis: A Conversation

Dear Arthritis is the newest addition to books about illness and healing.  Sponsored in part by a grant from 4Culture of King County and The Arthritis Foundation, it was the result of a workshop that I provided with writing prompts, in tandem with my collaborator, visual artist Carol Rashawanna Williams. The recipients were families who have a child or young adult living with juvenile arthritis. They wrote Dear Arthritis letters based on the prompts I gave them to help them describe what it is like living with JA or caring for someone, or being a sibling to someone, with JA. Carol then offered them a wealth of art materials from which they could make super hero masks; eg. images that reflect what helps them cope with JA. The book can be purchased here.

WORKSHOP/READING

On February 3rd, 2024 I offered a free writing workshop at Book Tree in Kirkland, WA based on the theme illness and healing. 15 wonderful people (mostly poets) engaged with the writing and visual prompts to produce poems and drafts of their own. This was followed by a reading of my work from Since the House is Burning and The Body Lives Its Undoing, as well as a wonderful reading from Tamara Kaye Sellman from her book Intention Tremor. Tamara lives with multiple sclerosis and writes in many forms: (fiction, poetry, journalism) about her life and other topics.

POEMS

“Owl” was published in the Whale Road Review.

A recent poem of mine, “Imagined Conversation with My Daughter After Roe v. Wade Is Struck Down” was a finalist in the narrative poetry contest of the Naugatuck River Review and the journal can be purchased here.

“All Night I Wrestle” is forthcoming from Lily Poetry Review.

CONTACT ME!

And because it’s been so long since I’ve written a blog post or updated my website, feel free to contact me with any questions about teaching workshops, poetry in the world, or just to say hello. I’ll be busy doing these things but always welcome emails. se*********@***il.com

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Poems in the World, Readings, Teaching

It’s been a minute since I’ve written. But I’m here to share some links to poems and other work and opportunities.

Poetry:

First, a poem out very recently in MER Folio. Spells and Prayers Before Antimatter. Lots of great writing here too.

And in the recent journal Naugatuck River Review, my poem, Blood of the Peony Bed, was a finalist in their narrative poetry contest. Please buy the journal as it’s quite wonderful too.

I have a few more poems coming out soon that I’ll link as they arrive.

Teaching:

I’m teaching 4 workshops in collaboration with a visual artist, Carol Rashawnna Williams, for kids living with an autoimmune disease and their caregivers. Autoimmune diseases include but are not limited to: Juvenile Arthritis, Juvenile Myositis, Crohn’s, diabetes Type 1, Lupus, IBD, etc.  The first one is coming up Saturday, March 18th at SandPoint Learning Center (affiliated with Seattle Children’s Hospital) and more to follow in May and June. I made a little video about the workshops too. See it here and please register . It is called The Kaleidoscope of Autoimmune Disease workshop.

Reading:

I’ll be reading poems in support of Donna Spruijt-Metz’s new book, General Release from the Beginning of the World, along with Heidi Seaborn, on Monday, March 20th at Elliott Bay Bookstore starting at 7 pm.

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Town Hall-2019 The Body Lives Its Undoing

The Body Lives Its Undoing

I had not realized that Town Hall Seattle made a recording of the event I presented in September 2019 (a few months before COVID unleashed itself on the world), but here is a link to that reading and interactive event.

My recent 4Culture grant will expand on this project, now called The Kaleidoscope of Autoimmune Diseases.

In September 2019, I spent 2 weeks at Hedgebrook Women Writers Retreat later outlining my thoughts for it.

It’s been almost 3 years since inception and it will be a long pregnancy with this book project, but I hope you all will follow along with me. I’ll post periodic updates.

Partial Mind Map

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Where to find Since the House Is Burning + Readings

Book cover with blue, red and orange abstract paintingMy book is available from the following bookstores. Please shop local if possible or order online from an independent bookstore:

Open Books: A Poem Emporium

Eagle Harbor Books

IndieBound.org

Elliott Bay Books

READINGS:

Eagle Harbor Books–June 30, 2022–7 pm–in person.  Please register for the reading at Eagle Harbor Books.

Langley Library, Langley, WA–Friday, July 8th–6:30 pm ( with Julia Levine authors of Ordinary Psalms)

It’s About Time Reading Series–Thursday, July 14th–6 pm (online–register through Seattle Public Library events page)

Elliott Bay Bookstore–Thursday, Sept. 8th–7 pm (with Cindy Veach, author of Her Kind)–in person

Hugo House–Wednesday, November 9th–7 pm (in conversation & reading with Kristen Millares Young)–in person

MoonPath Press reading with Alice Derry–Sunday, November 13th @ 3 pm Pacific–online