Episode #38: Coming Out Through Writing, Living Authentically, Dashing Religious Restraints and the F*ck It Mentality with Luanne Smith, Author and Editor

Author: De'Vannon Hubert
Published: Fri 18 Feb 2022
Episode Link: None

INTRODUCTION:

Luanne loves unpacking tough subject matter that others may find hard to discuss. She’s drawn to gritty realism and believes there are others out there who share her curiosity about taboo topics. Luanne has a witty sense of humor and loves finding ways to connect with other people.

Luanne is originally from Kentucky and spent her career as a creative writing and film professor at West Chester University outside Philadelphia. She has published literary fiction and poetry in journals, and she continues to write her own work as well as editing these three anthologies: Runaway, Taboos and Transgressions: Stories of Wrongdoings and the one we are currently working on, Muddy Backroads: Stories From Off the Beaten Path. Luanne likes gritty writing, and she champions women writers who are often criticized for tackling darker subjects in fiction. Her fiction has appeared in Puerto del Sol, The Texas Review, Oxford Magazine and other literary journals and anthologies. She has published poetry and nonfiction as well. Luanne has hosted well-received AWP Conference panels focused on women writers and the challenges women face writing gritty material and bad-ass female characters. She last presented a panel on the double-standard women writers encounter compared to men when writing sexual content. Luanne still has her Kentucky accent and her blue collar upbringing stays with her in spite of over 30 years as an academic. The lady has a good sense of humor, even if she prefers gritty writing, and she has way more tattoos than what her mother approved of.

INCLUDED IN THIS EPISODE (But not limited to):

· An Argument in Favor of Tattoos

· The Importance of Living True to Yourself

· Insight Into the Writing Process

· Coming Out Through Writing

· My Advice to Republicans

· The True Meaning of Freedom

· Is God a Stickler for Rules?

· Jerry Falwell Jr. Fuckery

· Challenging Religious Bullshit

· Why We Need to Get Over Pastors and Church Leadership

CONNECT WITH LUANNE: