That rich foundation for writing

“Stories are the rich, unseen underlayer of the most ordinary moments.” – Mary Gaitskill

A native of Kentucky, Gaitskill was born on this date in 1954 and started writing while living in California in her late teens.  Today, she is not only a best-selling novelist but also an essayist, and short story write whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper's Magazine and Esquire.  She has won numerous awards and accolades including being part of The Best American Short Stories on three occasions and being selected twice for publication in The O. Henry Prize Stories.

Her most recent book, 2017’s Somebody With a Little Hammer, is a collection of her recent essays.   She has taught in several college writing programs and also is a frequent speaker at writers’ conferences and workshops.         She expressed mixed feelings about such writing “opportunities,” especially for new writers.

“I think that with the proliferation of writing programs,” she said, “people tend to forget that you also have to get used to working alone, and you have to be your own support.”

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